Vintage Raleigh 3 Speed

[SeanO]

Hi guys,

Had an interesting day today. I went to my Grandparents visiting with the young’un and got onto the subject of car boot sales. My Granddad said he had an old bike in the shed that I might be able to get a fiver or so for if I wanted to try & sell it.

I had a look and its a Raleigh Sports 3 speed I think with Sturmey Archer rear hub. I’m guessing that its at least 20 years old possibly a fair bit more. I’ve been reading up and will go back to get pics and date the bike properly, you can tell from the rear hub apparently.

My question is: What do I do with it?

Only 2 of the 3 gears work, so is the rear hub servicable?

Do I restore it to original condition and leave it in the garage or make a useable commuter bike out of it?

I was thinking road bars with single or even fixed wheel. 😯

Looks similar to the one below:

[matt.will]

Sell the 5 and the SS, use that as your main mtb. As it is. Sorted.

[K88MUD]

Restore it and keep it………..it has to be worth something in the future.

[Gunner]

Sean, are there any markings on the rear hub, if so what.

They should identify the year of manafacture.

Also, what is the wording on the seat post tube?

You must restore this bike to its original condition 😈 😈

[mr-marty-martin]

funny old bike yeh, havnt got a clue what i’d do with it. but i’d wana no what its worth first 😉

and what it could be worth…

[tomlevell]

Certain model Sturmey’s can be turned into 2 gear fixed. You’ll have to do some googling to see which and how. They also can sell on ebay for an awful lot of money.

[SeanO]

Certain model Sturmey’s can be turned into 2 gear fixed. You’ll have to do some googling to see which and how. They also can sell on ebay for an awful lot of money.

Thanks Tom.

How much are we talking? You seen any sold?

[SeanO]

Sean, are there any markings on the rear hub, if so what.

They should identify the year of manafacture.

Also, what is the wording on the seat post tube?

You must restore this bike to its original condition 😈 😈

Still yet to go back and have a good look at it.

I’m not sure it would be any use me restoring it if I’m not going to use it in that guise.

I would prefer modern contact points, if I’m gonna use it for commuting, but still retain the retro look. Do it in a sympathetic style if you like, leather saddle/bar tape etc.

What do you think?

[SeanO]

Sell the 5 and the SS, use that as your main mtb. As it is. Sorted.

😆 😆 😆

Yes if I’d drank a bottle of Absinth and took a cocktail of mind altering drunks!……… but then there is always the weekend! 😀

I was thinking more 5, SS and road fixey. A Shire horse, mule and race horse (not necessarily in that order) kind of thing. 😕

[Mally]

Cool bike, just had a quick look on google and the ones coming up seem to be closer to 30 yrs old. One guy had flipped his bars upside down which looked cool.

I’m with the sympathetic update as long as it can always be undone

[tomlevell]

Certain model Sturmey’s can be turned into 2 gear fixed. You’ll have to do some googling to see which and how. They also can sell on ebay for an awful lot of money.

Thanks Tom.

How much are we talking? You seen any sold?

Certain models I’ve seen sell for well over £100. Others are worth next to nothing. You’d have to search ebay. Typically it’s the ones that can be converted to fixed or are a real vintage that gain the highest price.

[Abzz]

Blimey, I thought old bikes were worth peanuts! 😕

I remember back in the early 70’s I had a hand me down Claud Butler racer from my elder brother, must have dated from the mid 60s, 5 speed campags, alloy stem, leather racing sadle. I was more interested in riding my Chopper! When I left home it was still in the garage and when my parents moved years later, they gave it to the dustmen 😯

I wonder what that would be worth now? 🙁

[Gunner]

Browse here for some potentially usefull information, he also has some other pages on Raleigh Sports I’m sure, in a lot more detail on this site 😉

[SeanO]

Browse here for some potentially usefull information, he also has some other pages on Raleigh Sports I’m sure, in a lot more detail on this site 😉

Where? 😕

Went back today and dated the bike as 1985 from the hub. Its a Raleigh Commuter Hercules. Its got original Raleigh wheels which are heavy but strong. Can anybody tell me what the brake type is and what (if any) other types/makes/models will fit?

Looking at new seat post, saddle, bars, stem(possibly), brakes and wheels…. uh,oh! 😯

Here are some pics: (camera previously used by my 2 yr old daughter so lense needs a clean! 🙄 )

[SeanO]

I’ve been examining the photos and trawling the internet while enjoying a bottle of vino. The hub seems to be a 1985 (May) Sturmey Archer AW model 3 speed rear hub. The very model that can be converted to a 2 speed fixed gear, see here. Lucky me, if sold, it could fund the rest of the restoration/update or I may have a lot of work on my hands. Learning curve is going through the roof now as I’m looking at service instructions of internally geared hubs!! 😯 😕