1949 Raleigh Sports Refurb

[FICHT 150]

I’m 6’ so this will be fine for me!

That is a 23” model bike, and the old photo shows it with the seat post WAY out of the frame.

I’m 5’ 10”, and I couldn’t ride it like that.

Ted

 

[DrRumack80]

Great bike, and great story! 23" frame is a definite plus. Usually, these turn up in a medium/21" frame.

The Professor must have been very tall to have that much post to be showing on a 23" frame!

 

[Peter-L]

Great find, jimbo53. You’ ll need some elbow grease…
Yes, that basket and alloy rack spoil the looks of it.

1953 Raleigh Sports Tourist. Note locking fork, AM hub, brass faced shifter, full chain case, old style caliper brakes on Westwood rims.

The Sports Tourist came with full chaincase, fork lock and “dyno-three” for several years.

@FICHT 150 : I don’ t think the frame of your Raleigh is from 1953, by the looks of those lugs.
It should have the brazed-on pulley boss under the seat tube lug, as seen in this image.

Peter

 

[FICHT 150]

The brazed on pulley was not universally used. My Dawn Tourist, 1950 didn’t have it. My 1951 Clubman, does. And, this 1950 Lenton demonstrates why it is sometimes tough to put an exact date on Raleigh bikes. Exactly as it came from the factory.
My bike was pulled from a dumpster, and put back on the road by me. Some of the stuff is original, some, not.
Ted

 

[HARPO]

Great story and bike! I love the enclosed chain guard on that.
I'm 6' also, so it would fit me perfectly. Shorter frames for me would mean putting the seat way up in the air as well as the handlebars. Not the way to ride. I have long legs, so this seat post would only be lowered a little for me.
All of my Road bikes are 24'' and 25'' frames.

I bought this '65 from the original owner (as found photo) the owner day because of its condition (not size... to short), and because it's 100% original. He added the light and changed the seat when he got it, but is looking for the original B72 to give me. And this also has the locking fork, with the key! I did a photo barrage on here if anyone is interested.

 

[DrRumack80]

@HARPO - same here. I'm 6'1, and could ride your red Raleigh, but the seat would be jacked up quite a bit. I tried making a medium-frame (22") Schwinn Suburban fit, but the seat was up way too high. I traded it for a 24" frame Suburban - huge improvement. Yet, I have no issues riding a 21" - 22" mountain bike.

The tall-frame 23" bikes are rarer and seem to command higher prices in general

 

[marcos]

@HARPO --and same for me, too at 6'0. my gold raleigh 21" is too small and the post are up, cant bear to part with it though....

 

[Peter-L]

The brazed on pulley was not universally used. My Dawn Tourist, 1950 didn’t have it.

Hi Ted, it' s not only about the pulley boss. The Sports/Superbe models prior to 1955 had the straight seatlug as in the left (1950-1955) example in my photo. The frame of your '53 seems to have the post-1960 lugs ?
I don' t know in what month in 1950 Raleigh added the pulley boss, so Your Dawn might be an early 1950 bike.
The 1950-1955 picture is from my own 1953 Sports Tourist, btw

Peter

 

[HARPO]

Just came back from picking up the saddle. Original owner took it off after 6 months because of it being to hard. It spent the last 60 years in a box and looks almost NOS.

 

[SirMike1983]

One of the best preserved 72s I have seen.