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1950 Raleigh Clubman

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slowride

Finally riding a big boys bike
Lighting has struck twice in one week! (Last week was Rudge Pathfinder ).

This looks all original down to high pressure Dunlop tires still being present.

4speed FM hub dated September, 1950

Can someone point me in direction of procedure for FM overhaul if greatly different than AW?
Any advice on how to remove remains of grips from bars? Source for replacements?
Saddle has superficial cracks but no tears; an age old question but only proofhide or some other process ? (I have heard of localized sanding to remove cracks; is this heretical?)
Would like to source correct wing nuts as outfitted on non export versions. Anyone know which are correct ones? Appreciate any advice!
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Congratulations on yet another most excellent find! ;)

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Saddle -

you need a consultation with member @rhm (Rudi)
he visits here only intermittently so your fastest way to contact would be a PM over at BF

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another Lucas cyclometer!

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what is the stem on this machine?

are you able to make out the writing on the shop transfer?
appears it may be one of the type shops could order from trade associations.

IIRC GB may have offered a hood to fit this model of lever.

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do you know if clip style headset comes from Brampton or from T.D. Cross?
IIRC it takes 26 5/32" balls per race.

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shall look forward to following along as your work progresses with the new arrival. :)

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Grips - the old ones are shot. If they'll come in one piece, I use a utility knife to make a slit in the grip, then pull off each half. If it's beyond that point, then I usually remove with a putty knife if I can chip them away. Any remaining "goo" from the grips is wiped clean with acetone or rubbing alcohol, whichever I happen to have on hand. Don't get any solvents on the paint - they won't hurt the plating, but they can pull paint if you are sloppy.

With an old saddle like that, I use a Proofhide. I haven't ever tried sanding surface cracks, and I don't think it is necessary to do so. Check around the rivets (especially the nose ones) for deeper tears. If the saddle is structurally OK, apply proofhide per the usual instructions. It may be necessary to do a second coat after a couple of days if the saddle is very dry. But the second treatment should be more sparing. You want to get a little bit of moisture into the saddle, but not so much that you over-soften it. Do not tension the saddle while the leather is very dry, or right after proofhide treatment. It may distort or damage the leather.

The FM hub should get fresh grease in the bearing races and fresh oil in the core of the hub. You may need to blow it clean with WD-40 before re-lubing. General maintenance is somewhat different from the AW. Some of the FM series hubs have a fault with the left-side ball cup whereby the ball cup teeth break off and destroy the hub if the rider attempts to ride the bike after the tooth has broken free. (see http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/sa-maintenance-blakeley-rest.html ). You'll want to check closely for rattling or play in the hub that indicate something would be wrong. I'd clean the hub first and then see what turns up. Sturmey materials are online here: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/sturmey-archer/fc.html .

The purpose of the FM is to give four gears in relatively close (the FC is even closer) ratio. This gives the rider a good chance at accelerating through the gears quickly from a start and then hitting a desired cadence. The trade-off is you lose some of the overall range that you get on the general-purpose AW and FW hubs. I like the FW better for hills but the FM is good if you're a stronger rider or have a flatter area where you're riding.
 
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(My thanks to Roger for alerting me to this thread! :thumb:)

Beautiful bike!

Your saddle looks like it's in excellent cosmetic shape. I would have no hesitation letting it soak up as much pure neatsfoot oil as it will take (not to be confused with neatsfoot oil compound), or rubbing something like Proofide on the surface. You can do both --but do the oil first, the paste second. But you should face the fact that as sporting equipment this saddle has no future. It is a lovely antique, and may tolerate a few miles of riding, but if you treat it like a new leather saddle it will be a broken leather saddle before long. I would find another seat post and another saddle and use those for riding, keep these for when you display the bike (I suggest a new seatpost because it's easier to change seat posts than saddles, and 25.4 mm seat posts are a dime a dozen anyway).

The original fenders are pretty lovely too! And sadly they are just as fragile as the saddle, at this point. Don't ride this bike in cold weather, it makes the fenders really brittle, and they can shatter.
 
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Wonderful post Maestro Rudi, much appreciated! ;)

With neatsfoot oil treatments do you have any recommendations for seasoning/weathering post treatment to get saddle to where it does not stain clothing? Appreciate one can always use a plastic cover... Do not plan on riding in me white cricket trousers!

Very minor pillar note - since frame is Reynolds plain gauge would expect a pillar waistline of at least 26.2.

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Nice looking bike and really cool find. That roached Brooks bag is somewhat of a piece of art, a true wall hanger.
 
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Congratulations on yet another most excellent find! ;)

---

Saddle -

you need a consultation with member @rhm (Rudi)
he visits here only intermittently so your fastest way to contact would be a PM over at BF

---

another Lucas cyclometer!

---

what is the stem on this machine?

are you able to make out the writing on the shop transfer?
appears it may be one of the type shops could order from trade associations.

IIRC GB may have offered a hood to fit this model of lever.

---

do you know if clip style headset comes from Brampton or from T.D. Cross?
IIRC it takes 26 5/32" balls per race.

---

shall look forward to following along as your work progresses with the new arrival. :)

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From Jack’s Bike shop Det,Mi ; same shop my ‘73 Comp. came from...

Not sure about headset; still doing research. Here is ‘50 catalog.

@chughes1 recently sold a ‘51 ; might you know sir the maker of the headset /clip?
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/classic-1951-raleigh-clubman-reduced-500.128924/

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Thank you Rudi for advice on saddle ! ; will only use for display; looks like someone tied a rope around saddle to secure bike off the ground there was a rope around stem in front ...
I believe they called these fenders “quick-fit” because of wing nuts affixing the braces.

EDIT: thanks Mike and Andrew for feedback on celluloid repair below; I will attempt to repair at minimum the front fender hairline but regardless fenders will join the saddle as display only...
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