# 62? Raleigh Sports with 'Lenton' Dual Drive



## 3-speeder (May 27, 2019)

I picked up this Raleigh over the weekend. I'm really happy to have it. It has a 23" frame, beautiful paint scheme and a dual drive system that I haven't seen before. The Sturmey Archer hub is stamped 61 12  and it has three cogs attached and a Benelux dérailleur. I've found a 62 catalog that shows the Lenton with this dual drive system but I can't tell if the paint scheme is unique for this Sports and would've normally been found on a Superbe or what? Do you think '62 is the correct year for this bike? The saddle is a Brooks Champion Standard B 15 with a 65 stamped onto the cantle. I think that the saddle was upgraded later. The paint is in great shape but ironically the electrical tape that was wrapped around the seat tube to keep the water bottle holder from causing damage actually was the cause of paint damage. Here are the pictures.


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## juvela (May 27, 2019)

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Congratulations on this wonderful find.

Do you plan to leave it as it sits or will you do a full tear down?

VDO cyclometer is quite interesting.  Usually one sees either S-W or Huret.

Prop stand appears Raleigh marked Shuresta.

Fabulous condition.

How does the license transfer read?  Can make out Sylvan________

Your usual outstanding job with the imagery.  

Will look forward to following along as you work with it.


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## Sven (May 28, 2019)

Sorry, I cant answer any of your questions.
it is a very nice and unique bike.


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## bulldog1935 (May 28, 2019)

great acquisition - a tour-worthy tourist

I believe you have the '61/62 factory hybrid drive - definitely wouldn't trust Raleigh catalogs to list all paint offered


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## usarnie1 (May 28, 2019)

Great find! This bike should be another keeper.  It is in fabulous condition!  It had to have been stored indoors most of its life.  The only noticable outdoor effects are spotting on the Miller generator and tail light.  I am presuming that you or the previous owner have already performed a light clean up, as the bike appears to be in near spotless condition.


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## SirMike1983 (May 28, 2019)

Paint is correct - the darts were a short-lived pattern from the early 1960s. The hybrid drive is aftermarket but period correct. Saddle is a later upgrade, but it's a good-quality saddle. The electrical tape is a common addition to prevent damage to the paint, but it usually deteriorates into a goo (soap and water probably will clean it up). The electrical system is aftermarket but period correct.


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## bulldog1935 (May 28, 2019)

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/catalogs/Raleigh-Catalog-1962.pdf
here's the catalog listing the hybid drive on a '62 Lenton Convertible (Raleigh's trade name for the hybrid drive).
It's little effort to put this drive on any 115mm OLD, 3/8" axle Raleigh which includes every bike built for SA hub.
If Raleigh didn't deliver a limited number of uncatalogued Sports Convertible bikes to dealers, it's little effort for a dealer to create one.


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## SirMike1983 (May 28, 2019)

Correct - the system was meant as a drop-in, whether at the factory or in the shop. The cogs came en-bloc and dropped onto the driver even. Though it's possible to make your own bloc of drivers with a little effort.

The convertible drive bikes are somewhat uncommon in the US from the factory, and Raleigh tended to use special models to designate a convertible bike from the factory (though exceptions always exist). But a tall frame Sports would be a good platform for a bike shop upgrade. The most important part is that the system be complete and basically period to the bike. Go with the bike as it stands - it's a keeper.


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## 3-speeder (May 28, 2019)

Thanks everyone. The man I got it from gave it a quick spit shine. He picked it up from an estate sale, said it was the best one of a few Raleighs there. I plan to give it a complete tune up, polish and wax and then enjoy it as it is. I've been trying to stick to buying 23" frames and was very happy to get this one. Picked it up in Toledo Ohio and the license reads Sylvania Ohio. I'm thinking the tune up should go smoothly as I've done a few Raleighs but I may need a little advise on the Cyclo, if that's what it is more commonly referred to as.  Have no experience with that type of dérailleur. Here is a curiosity to me, Schwinn tires.  Maybe modern ones? Wouldn't think they could be the old 597's and seat properly. Size reads only 26 x 1 3/8. Still in pretty good shape too.
Edit note: the size also includes  "to fit EA-3 rim"


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## Oilit (May 30, 2019)

3-speeder said:


> Thanks everyone. The man I got it from gave it a quick spit shine. He picked it up from an estate sale, said it was the best one of a few Raleighs there. I plan to give it a complete tune up, polish and wax and then enjoy it as it is. I've been trying to stick to buying 23" frames and was very happy to get this one. Picked it up in Toledo Ohio and the license reads Sylvania Ohio. I'm thinking the tune up should go smoothly as I've done a few Raleighs but I may need a little advise on the Cyclo, if that's what it is more commonly referred to as.  Have no experience with that type of dérailleur. Here is a curiosity to me, Schwinn tires.  Maybe modern ones? Wouldn't think they could be the old 597's and seat properly. Size reads only 26 x 1 3/8. Still in pretty good shape too.
> Edit note: the size also includes  "to fit EA-3 rim"
> View attachment 1005803



A while back I picked up an early '70's Dunelt 5 Speed with the same tires. You can see them in the last picture:
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/dunelt-5-speed.121771/
And the Schwinn lightweights I've seen all have Schwinn tires, but not the "Spitfires". I'm guessing these were supplied to Schwinn dealerships to fit to non-Schwinns. But if someone knows a better explanation, feel free to enlighten me!


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## Oilit (May 30, 2019)

And you have a beautiful bike, by the way! Kurt Kaminer's "The Headbadge" web site has a page on dating Raleighs by decals and paint schemes, and that may have been a one-year pattern.


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## 3-speeder (May 30, 2019)

Oilit said:


> A while back I picked up an early '70's Dunelt 5 Speed with the same tires. You can see them in the last picture:
> https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/dunelt-5-speed.121771/
> And the Schwinn lightweights I've seen all have Schwinn tires, but not the "Spitfires". I'm guessing these were supplied to Schwinn dealerships to fit to non-Schwinns. But if someone knows a better explanation, feel free to enlighten me!



That makes sense to me. Why else would Schwinn have a 590 tire?  
I love that website, The Headbadge. I check it regularly for information. Thank you
edit:  I did miss seeing this paint scheme labeled as a 61 on the 'Sports visual ID' page. Cool! I love that color combo. It's a wonder that it wasn't used longer.


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## HARPO (Jun 1, 2019)

Great looking bike with great photos to match! It was apparently taken care of through its years, and a nice detailing will really make it glow.


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## 3-speeder (Jun 1, 2019)

A few images of the saddle. You can see the stamping on the cantle plate. With this saddle being like new it is really stiff. I've used the Brooks proofide to soften up a new Brooks saddle by applying it to the underside but being as this one has a double layer I'm wondering how I could soften it. Any ideas are welcome.


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## slowride (Jun 5, 2019)

Beautiful bike. Love the darts. I wonder if ‘62 was last year for them as I have two ‘63s sports and neither have them. My ‘63s have same white grips , prop stand, ribbed white cables , and transfers though. 
Just a theory but I wonder if your discomfort with the b15 maybe that it was not intended for a upright riding position like a sports. For these I think B66 or b72 ie sprung and wider work better.  Clearly with the Benelux and the b15, the owner wanted to put the “sport” back in and maybe with drop bars it may have worked. Maybe put b15 on the shelf and putting something else on if you can’t get used to it. I would be afraid that  much proofhide or worse some other softening agents would permanently deform and ruin it. Like to hear what the real saddle experts say.


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## 3-speeder (Jun 6, 2019)

I like the B66 or B72 idea. When I get this bike tuned and detailed I'll try swapping in one of those from another bike to see how it feels. Maybe I'll find that sweet Gran Sport or Lenton one of these days that could use a nice B15.


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## SirMike1983 (Jun 7, 2019)

Yeah, the B66 would probably be my pick. The B15 would go great on an old 10-speed if you have one.


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## Oilit (Jun 29, 2019)

I've also wondered why this paint scheme wasn't used longer. I have a project bike, this Robin Hood, with the same darts, and I've seen a Rudge on EBay that also had this paint. Unfortunately the Robin Hood had no wheels when I got it, so there's no hub date to go by. But both Rudge and Robin Hood were part of Raleigh Industries before they were bought by Tubing Investments, so maybe it was a Raleigh Industries pattern that got cut short when they were merged with the B.C.C. Hercules bikes featured a similar paint scheme in 1953, as shown on @usarnie1 's post here: https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1...eth-ii-coronation-celebration-bicycle.139868/ 
But that seems to have been a one-year special as well, to mark Queen Elizabeth's coronation, and has no connection with the R.I. version that I can tell. But maybe someone in Jolly Old England has information that I don't.


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## HARPO (Jul 1, 2019)

First one I've ever seen in this condition! Lucky you!!!


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## Oilit (Jul 1, 2019)

HARPO said:


> First one I've ever seen in this condition! Lucky you!!!



If you're talking about my bike, thank you! If you're talking about @3-speeder 's bike, I agree completely!


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## usarnie1 (Jul 2, 2019)

I asked my cousin, who lives in the U.K., about the darts that Raleigh used on their paint sceme and he told me it was used only on 1961 to 1962 Raleigh bicycles.  No reason why or why it was discontinued.


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## 3-speeder (Jul 3, 2019)

So @Oilit has me thinking about the beautiful darts pattern. Raleigh Industries was acquired by TI in 1960. A few years later someone who was originally a pencil-pusher at TI gets a questionably earned promotion and decides to ax the darts to go back to an old standard paint scheme that was "the foundation of the company ".  Everyone claps and they get a pat on the back because it will also be cheaper and easier to produce. Hmmmmm.  Conspiracy theory?  Maybe so, maybe no.


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## Oilit (Jul 4, 2019)

I bet the "cheaper and easier to produce" was a big part of it. "After all, we're one big happy family now, no reason to keep up this wasteful _competition_ nonsense."


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## 3-speeder (Feb 1, 2020)

Started the rehab and detail of this bike. Find it in the Project Bikes section here:








						'62 Raleigh Sports with Dual Drive | Project Rides
					

The "pit" was empty but not for long. I salvaged this cardboard from the recycling bin. It was on top of a double-wide pallet. It's perfect to contain all the little parts that want to roll away. Especially those little ball bearings in a Raleigh headset, right @morton?  This is where I do my...




					thecabe.com


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## sykerocker (Feb 7, 2020)

The old Benelux/Sturmey combination.  I've got experience with the Benelux derailleurs (I have a '58 Raleigh Lenton Grand Prix) and also experience with a Benelux 3-speed SA cluster (built a Raleigh Twenty up like that using a Huret Allvit derailleur back in my college days in the early/mid-70's), but have never run both in tandem.

That Benelux derailleur is a very sweet shifting mechanism, hurt only by the very narrow range it can handle.  I believe the four speed cluster I have on my Lenton is something like 15-19, with a 46-48 chainset.  By today's standards it makes you wonder why it had derailleurs at all.  I have memories of that 3x3 setup on my Twenty being fairly decent for climbing the hills south of 19th street in Erie once the shop that employed me moved out from the city limits into the shopping mall area on US19.

Definitely treasure that bike.  I'd love to find on myself to add to my Raleigh roadster collection.


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## 3-speeder (Feb 7, 2020)

I can't wait to really get this baby on the road come nice weather. I'll wait for the spring rain to wash the road salt away. I'm enjoying the rehab. Detailing it will be fun too. 
The cluster is 24-19-15.  I imagine the range will feel wider than needed and I'm sure I'll learn my sweet spots. It'll be fun. 
Most certainly this is a keeper that I will cherish. Neat to hear your story @sykerocker.  Just finished rehab and detail of my Twenty Folder before starting on this project.  Anticlimactic to finish a nice bike in the winter here.  Looking forward to spring but not trying to rush winter away. Great time to hermit away in the basement and work on bikes.


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## bulldog1935 (Feb 8, 2020)

3-speeder said:


> Thanks everyone. The man I got it from gave it a quick spit shine. He picked it up from an estate sale, said it was the best one of a few Raleighs there. I plan to give it a complete tune up, polish and wax and then enjoy it as it is. I've been trying to stick to buying 23" frames and was very happy to get this one. Picked it up in Toledo Ohio and the license reads Sylvania Ohio. I'm thinking the tune up should go smoothly as I've done a few Raleighs but I may need a little advise on the Cyclo, if that's what it is more commonly referred to as.  Have no experience with that type of dérailleur. Here is a curiosity to me, Schwinn tires.  Maybe modern ones? Wouldn't think they could be the old 597's and seat properly. Size reads only 26 x 1 3/8. Still in pretty good shape too.
> Edit note: the size also includes  "to fit EA-3 rim"
> View attachment 1005803



'62 is consistent with the serial numbers ending in RA +an extra letter.
My '57 ends in RA - they went to RB and added the third letters later when they needed more


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## Goldenrod (Feb 8, 2020)

I've to a Robin Hood but it is buried in a rental house.


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## 1951 C.W.S (Mar 29, 2020)

I must say that it would be great fun to have a 6 speed hub , is there any chance to make that happen to a normal sturmey?


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## bulldog1935 (Mar 30, 2020)

here's the *Front Ring approach* to hybrid gearing


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## 3-speeder (Mar 30, 2020)

1951 C.W.S said:


> I must say that it would be great fun to have a 6 speed hub , is there any chance to make that happen to a normal sturmey?



The SA hub is a standard AW model. You would have to find a 3 cog cassette like the one pictured in my project thread of this bike, linked above, and a rear derailleur.  With those two items I think you could modify most bikes that had a Sturmey hub and rear drop outs.  Probably not a DL-1 with the rear forks, but maybe.


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## sykerocker (Apr 1, 2020)

1951 C.W.S said:


> I must say that it would be great fun to have a 6 speed hub , is there any chance to make that happen to a normal sturmey?




I hope not.  While the classic 3-speed Sturmey-Archer AW seems to have acquired the (deserved) reputation of God's Gift to Internally Geared Hubs, S-A's other attempts never really lived up to it.

One of my two commuters is a '69 Raleigh Sprite, which is essentially a Raleigh Sports with the S-A S5 5-speed hub in place of the AW.  It works, but it's not a nice easy job of shifting 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1.  To begin with, functionally it's an AW (right lever) with a overdrive/underdrive (left lever).  Putting it in low gear on the right (narrow range low)  then pulling back on the left lever gives you wide range low.  Aka, extra low.  Likewise, if you're in high on the right lever (narrow range high) and pull back on the left, you're now in wide range high.  Extra high, overdrive.

Except that the left lever never seems to shift nearly as crisply as the right lever, and sometime will bloody well refuse to connect unless you flat out stop the bike.  Because of this, I tend to use the bike as a dual 3-speed, running 2-3-4 on the right with the left lever forward, and 1-3-5 with the left lever back.  Other than that foible, the hub is quite reliable and works quite well.  As I've got the bike geared perfectly for me on the flats when in directly drive (3rd gear), I will usually set up the left lever in advance for the terrain I know I'm going to be riding.  I have three shopping centers within a 4.5 mile radius of my house, two of which are pretty much on the flat, the third having on hell of a climb coming home.  So it's easy enough to setup for the 1-3-5 combination just before I hit the drop/climb.  I've gotten reports that adding a spring between the left side cable and bell crank takes care of the problem, but have yet to mess with it.

Did I mention that the levers were absolute crap with poor indents, snapped easily, and are absolute unobtanium?  To the point that I've got filed to do 3-D printing of an equivalent if I ever decide to learn how to mess with a 3-D printer.  For my bike, I've got a regular AW handlebar shifter for the right side, and am cautiously using the original left side lever.  The levers more than the hub itself were the source of it's slightly dodgy reputation.

I don't see how you could take a classic S-A and turn it into a 6-speed.  Possibly something could be kludged using the above system on their 4-speed hub (can't remember the model name right now, sorry), but given that since that hub had a much less than stellar reputation for reliability and longevity, I don't think it'd be worth the time.


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## sykerocker (Apr 1, 2020)

3-speeder said:


> So @Oilit has me thinking about the beautiful darts pattern. Raleigh Industries was acquired by TI in 1960. A few years later someone who was originally a pencil-pusher at TI gets a questionably earned promotion and decides to ax the darts to go back to an old standard paint scheme that was "the foundation of the company ".  Everyone claps and they get a pat on the back because it will also be cheaper and easier to produce. Hmmmmm.  Conspiracy theory?  Maybe so, maybe no.




Allow me to venture another possible reason:  In 1958 the Morris Mini Minor arrived, followed shortly afterwards by the Austin Seven.  Aka, the Mini. This marks the beginning of the end for the British motorcycle industry, with the major manufacturer AMC (Matchless, AJS, Norton, James and another Villiers 2-stroke powered marque who's name escapes me) going under by 1965.  Followed in the next seven years by the rest of the industry, and only half of that can be blamed on Honda motorcycles.  The classic British commuting motorcycle (with sidecar) was rendered obsolete by the Mini.

This would have also affected the commuter bicycle industry in England, too. I've no doubt that that gorgeous Sports with the fancy, more expensive, paint job and that definitely more expensive hybrid 3x3 drive was rapidly becoming a cost that the factory couldn't afford.  Because, with the advent of the Mini, it wasn't just motorcycle commuters who could afford to get out of the weather and into a proper automobile, but I've got no doubt that many bicycle commuters would happily give up their rides in favor of at least a used 5-year old (1963) or so Mini as soon as they could make the hire/purchase.

Some somebody in accounting said, "back to the cheaper to produce models, because we're only going to be selling to those people who can't afford even a used car."


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## 1951 C.W.S (Apr 2, 2020)

sykerocker said:


> I hope not.  While the classic 3-speed Sturmey-Archer AW seems to have acquired the (deserved) reputation of God's Gift to Internally Geared Hubs, S-A's other attempts never really lived up to it.
> 
> One of my two commuters is a '69 Raleigh Sprite, which is essentially a Raleigh Sports with the S-A S5 5-speed hub in place of the AW.  It works, but it's not a nice easy job of shifting 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1.  To begin with, functionally it's an AW (right lever) with a overdrive/underdrive (left lever).  Putting it in low gear on the right (narrow range low)  then pulling back on the left lever gives you wide range low.  Aka, extra low.  Likewise, if you're in high on the right lever (narrow range high) and pull back on the left, you're now in wide range high.  Extra high, overdrive.
> 
> ...



I agree 
3 speeds dont get the appreciation that they desrve , i thought it was just fun how they did that


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## Oilit (Sep 9, 2021)

sykerocker said:


> Allow me to venture another possible reason:  In 1958 the Morris Mini Minor arrived, followed shortly afterwards by the Austin Seven.  Aka, the Mini. This marks the beginning of the end for the British motorcycle industry, with the major manufacturer AMC (Matchless, AJS, Norton, James and another Villiers 2-stroke powered marque who's name escapes me) going under by 1965.  Followed in the next seven years by the rest of the industry, and only half of that can be blamed on Honda motorcycles.  The classic British commuting motorcycle (with sidecar) was rendered obsolete by the Mini.
> 
> This would have also affected the commuter bicycle industry in England, too. I've no doubt that that gorgeous Sports with the fancy, more expensive, paint job and that definitely more expensive hybrid 3x3 drive was rapidly becoming a cost that the factory couldn't afford.  Because, with the advent of the Mini, it wasn't just motorcycle commuters who could afford to get out of the weather and into a proper automobile, but I've got no doubt that many bicycle commuters would happily give up their rides in favor of at least a used 5-year old (1963) or so Mini as soon as they could make the hire/purchase.
> 
> Some somebody in accounting said, "back to the cheaper to produce models, because we're only going to be selling to those people who can't afford even a used car."



This sounds right for the domestic market (UK), but in the U.S. cars had already captured the commuter market and bikes were more of an enthusiast's item. You would think the high end would get more focus here. But maybe the high end was already shifting to derailleur-equipped bikes.


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## sykerocker (Sep 9, 2021)

Oilit said:


> This sounds right for the domestic market (UK), but in the U.S. cars had already captured the commuter market and bikes were more of an enthusiast's item. You would think the high end would get more focus here. But maybe the high end was already shifting to derailleur-equipped bikes.



US market, let me dig back into my childhood memories:  July 9, 1958 and dad surprises me on my 8th birthday with a Schwinn Mark IV Jaguar with the coaster brake version of the AW (damn if I can remember the nomenclature).  I easily had the best bicycle in the neighborhood, and the only one with a three speed hub.  Rode it steadily for the next five years thru the tail end of the middleweight era of kids bikes, running right up into the StingRays.  Now, I lived in a conservative, western Pennsylvania coal and steel town, and 'furrin' bikes were damn few and far between.  We only had one bike shop in town, and that was the Schwinn dealer.

In our overly conservative market, three speeds never really took off all that much.  It was either 'paperboy specials', cutting right over to StingRays, and they were all single speed until the five speed StingRays started showing up.  At which time, I assume also meant the Varsities, Continentals, etc., except that I wasn't noticing them at that time.  Then again, by the time the five speeds were arriving, I was either about to turn, or already had turned, fifteen - which meant there was no way in hell I was looking at a bicycle anymore.  Of course dad had a shiny new car waiting for my sixteenth birthday.

Yeah, right.  Dad got out of the Chevrolet dealership eight months before my sixteenth birthday.


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## Oilit (Sep 9, 2021)

sykerocker said:


> US market, let me dig back into my childhood memories:  July 9, 1958 and dad surprises me on my 8th birthday with a Schwinn Mark IV Jaguar with the coaster brake version of the AW (damn if I can remember the nomenclature).  I easily had the best bicycle in the neighborhood, and the only one with a three speed hub.  Rode it steadily for the next five years thru the tail end of the middleweight era of kids bikes, running right up into the StingRays.  Now, I lived in a conservative, western Pennsylvania coal and steel town, and 'furrin' bikes were damn few and far between.  We only had one bike shop in town, and that was the Schwinn dealer.
> 
> In our overly conservative market, three speeds never really took off all that much.  It was either 'paperboy specials', cutting right over to StingRays, and they were all single speed until the five speed StingRays started showing up.  At which time, I assume also meant the Varsities, Continentals, etc., except that I wasn't noticing them at that time.  Then again, by the time the five speeds were arriving, I was either about to turn, or already had turned, fifteen - which meant there was no way in hell I was looking at a bicycle anymore.  Of course dad had a shiny new car waiting for my sixteenth birthday.
> 
> Yeah, right.  Dad got out of the Chevrolet dealership eight months before my sixteenth birthday.



"You want a car? Better get a job and start saving." My dad gave me a quarter for every "A" I got on my report card, in grade school anyway. After that it was root hog or die. But at least I didn't have to pay rent.


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