# Loose Fork



## wrongway (Jun 8, 2016)

I can't figure this out. I finally put in some time on the '34 RRA (clone) project last night. For some reason the fork is loose. I was careful to use 25qty 5/32" ball bearings top and bottom. It is fairly tight and I feel like it probably should be a little looser. There is no 'up & down' movement nor 'front to back' movement only 'side to side'. The top of the fork seems to have no slack. Never had this before. What have I done wrong?


----------



## rhenning (Jun 8, 2016)

Are the headset cups loose in the frame??  Roger


----------



## bulldog1935 (Jun 8, 2016)

If you have a modern roller bearing headset, they're supposed to feel overtightened in order to be properly tightened.

oops, loose ball, that rules that out.


----------



## wrongway (Jun 8, 2016)

No, the cups aren't loose as far as I can tell. Can someone post a picture of the proper bearing race that is swedged onto the fork steer tube? Perhaps I used the wrong one?


----------



## bulldog1935 (Jun 8, 2016)

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/threaded-headset-service#article-section-3


----------



## SirMike1983 (Jun 8, 2016)

I also wonder if steerer tube race on the fork is loose. I had that on a US-made lightweight a few years ago, where the fork would wobble because the steerer tube/fork race did not fit tightly.


----------



## wrongway (Jun 9, 2016)

uhh.....it might have been me.... I went back to it last night and tightened it up some more. I really, really thought it was already tight enough, but I guess not. I guess the last three months off from bikes will require a 're-set'.  Thanks, though, for the helpful ideas.


----------



## bulldog1935 (Jun 9, 2016)

glad it worked out easy

have you posted a photo of the finished bike?  I haven't seen it


----------



## wrongway (Jun 9, 2016)

I haven't finished it yet. It's been a struggle. I'm good with taking things apart, cleaning, greasing, painting.....putting them back together just as Raleigh intended, but customizing/modifying is sometimes very challenging for me! There are things about it that bother me. For instance; I was wanting to get 26x1-1/4 rims and to do that I ended up with Schwinn rims so the wheels aren't Raleigh at all. The front rim isn't radial spoked. So, I go back and forth daily on whether I should try and change that or live with it. I know what it should be, but how much money and time do I want to spend on making it absolutely 'correct'? I bought a set of front Raleigh 'R' wing-nuts and wouldn't you know it, but they don't fit on Schwinn rims. The thought of going through the whole process of the wheels again.......


----------



## bulldog1935 (Jun 9, 2016)

I personally would build it with 650b, which are coming back to the front these days with many great tire options.
These are 48mm, only weigh 400g, and similar tires are available in sizes down to 32mm



http://www.cyclesgrandbois.com/SHOP/T650_F42_EL2.html
Grand Bois also still makes great tires for 650A, the original Brit 26x 1-3/8 (590mm)
http://www.cyclesgrandbois.com/SHOP/279817/935974/list.html

you should still be about to get 597mm tires - Schwinn lightweight - S6 tires - from biketiresdirect and others, but Kenda is the common brand


----------



## wrongway (Jun 9, 2016)

Part of my problem is I get stuck on wanting to build it like the picture (the brochure from 1934), but then I also have a 197? frame, fork, chain ring....so....where does it matter? What is 650b? All those numbers usually confuse me.....


----------



## bulldog1935 (Jun 9, 2016)

650b is the original French randonneur wheel size.
They're all the rage now in mountain bikes, all-road bikes, randos and touring.
Pre-built wheels are readily available.
When their brakes allow, people are converting their 27" and 700c bikes to this wheel size so they can fit larger 42mm tires with fenders an inch deeper into the fork and rear triangles.




I tried to get my buddy to do this when he was rebuilding the Univega mixte for his wife I showed on another thread - the CP brakes on that bike would work even better on 650b than 700c - but he was all concerned about tire availability - they're everywhere now, and here to stay.

https://www.google.com/search?q=650.....69i57j0l5.2215j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

of course new bikes have been available in this size since the 40s, though primarily French and Japanese, and US custom builders and high-end importers
http://www.somafab.com/archives/product/grand-randonneur-frame-set


----------



## Gasbag (Jun 9, 2016)

wrongway said:


> Part of my problem is I get stuck on wanting to build it like the picture (the brochure from 1934), but then I also have a 197? frame, fork, chain ring....so....where does it matter? What is 650b? All those numbers usually confuse me.....




This is the simplest route to getting what you want: http://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1937-raleigh-speed-sports.91580/

Not exactly what you are gunning for, but very, very close. Authentic and certain to hold its' value.


----------



## SirMike1983 (Jun 9, 2016)

If you have that fork issue solved, you probably can get those Schwinn wheels to work. Schwinn and Raleigh used proprietary threadings, so you need some Schwinn lightweight axle nuts/spacers. If the rear is a Sturmey Archer, that actually makes the back easier and you just get the Sturmey nuts and spacers. Schwinn lightweight parts, especially 1960s and later 3-speed stuff is pretty cheap still.

You're not far off with the Schwinn rims, actually. Schwinn's S5 and S6 rims actually impersonate English lightweight rims: the S5 impersonates the Raleigh Westrick and the S6 impersonates the Endrick pattern. The Dunlop rims are a little lighter, but not a big deal.

I'd get the spacers and nuts for the wheels you have and build it with that. The wing nuts you can save or re-sell.  Build this up as an 'in the spirit' type production and make it how you want to ride it. Rather than building an exact copy, this is your chance to build your own, hand-made Raleigh Record to ride for yourself.


----------



## wrongway (Jun 10, 2016)

Gasbag said:


> This is the simplest route to getting what you want: http://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1937-raleigh-speed-sports.91580/
> 
> Not exactly what you are gunning for, but very, very close. Authentic and certain to hold its' value.



Oh, believe me I would like to have that, but I ran out of play money unless I get some other bikes sold soon. We have a swap meet coming up and I'm going to put a couple of my early 50's bikes out to see what happens.


----------



## wrongway (Jun 10, 2016)

SirMike1983 said:


> If you have that fork issue solved, you probably can get those Schwinn wheels to work. Schwinn and Raleigh used proprietary threadings, so you need some Schwinn lightweight axle nuts/spacers. If the rear is a Sturmey Archer, that actually makes the back easier and you just get the Sturmey nuts and spacers. Schwinn lightweight parts, especially 1960s and later 3-speed stuff is pretty cheap still.
> 
> You're not far off with the Schwinn rims, actually. Schwinn's S5 and S6 rims actually impersonate English lightweight rims: the S5 impersonates the Raleigh Westrick and the S6 impersonates the Endrick pattern. The Dunlop rims are a little lighter, but not a big deal.
> 
> I'd get the spacers and nuts for the wheels you have and build it with that. The wing nuts you can save or re-sell.  Build this up as an 'in the spirit' type production and make it how you want to ride it. Rather than building an exact copy, this is your chance to build your own, hand-made Raleigh Record to ride for yourself.



I'll need spacers.......?


----------



## bulldog1935 (Jun 10, 2016)

this is a replica bike
It's never going to duplicate an original Record Ace.  But seems to me, the best bike you can build is going to look like a Record Ace but would function best with new parts.  You definitely don't want to strip parts from a RRA to put them on a replica frame.  


 
http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/vo-stainless-wingnuts-mkii.html
btw, you can also get good all-road tires for ISO 559 rims - 26" mountain bike rims.


----------

