Trying to find out the year of my bikes

[RJ2375]

Hi, I have been left 2 old bikes and haven't got a clue of their age etc. Just wondering if anyone could be of some assistance, they are both badged up as Raleigh bikes. the bike with the white seat has the number 2354867, and the bike with the black seat has the number 726204

 

[mjr]

I think the black-seat bike has a trigger shifter, so probably has a SA gear hub which will be stamped with its year (last two digits) and month of manufacture. If it's the original hub, that will date the bike.

Otherwise, I think there are sites explaining Raleigh's serial numbers but I don't remember what is a reliable one.

 

[nonowt]

Welcome!

This might help:
http://www.kurtkaminer.com/TH_raleigh_serials.html

 

[RJ2375]

Thank you for the information. I will have a look now

 

[raleighnut]

Nice

Not a Scooby on age, the black seat one is older but they're both reasonable quality bikes the trouble is Raleigh still made bikes similar up until the late 80s. The best idea will come from the dates on the SA rear hubs, Raleigh did keep scrupulous records when they built em but they reused frame number sequences and any 'archive' of them doesn't exist but then they must have made countless millions of bikes.

 

[classic33]

1967 Raleigh Sprite?

Five speed Sturmey Archer S5 gear hub?

 

[classic33]

Black Saddle
The dry cell battery on the down tube, off the top of my head is from the 50's, latest.

 

[RJ2375]

Thanks for all the help and information, the black saddled bike has the date of 1951 on the hub, so I am presuming that it would have been built in that year, and the white saddled bike has the date of 74 or 71 I will have to double check that one.

 

[raleighnut]

Thanks for all the help and information, the black saddled bike has the date of 1951 on the hub, so I am presuming that it would have been built in that year, and the white saddled bike has the date of 74 or 71 I will have to double check that one.

Both sound 'right' to me.

 

[classic33]

Black Seat looks a lot like a Pashley Princess, with some parts replaced.

 

[raleighnut]

Black Seat looks a lot like a Pashley Princess, with some parts replaced.

That's where Pashley copied it from, i'll bet former Raleigh bosses are kicking themselves "We could still be making those"