1979 Raleigh DL-1 Tourist - 22" Frame

[bikemonkey]

These roadsters are tedious to clean up and tune, and most of it is Whitworth standard, but finding it in the 22" frame size tipped me over the edge. Finally spiffed it up a bit and the old boy rides like a dreamboat. The hub dates 78-12 so 1979 should be the catalog year.

 

[SirMike1983]

These later DL-1s are a little plainer and had some cost-cutting applied compared to earlier bikes but they retain the traditional, open frame roadster feel. It really is something different from the Sports type bikes. I have one with a 2/78 AW hub. I prefer the 22inch frame. I'm not tall enough for the 24 on 28 wheel size.

 

[bikemonkey]

These later DL-1s are a little plainer and had some cost-cutting applied compared to earlier bikes but they retain the traditional, open frame roadster feel. It really is something different from the Sports type bikes. I have one with a 2/78 AW hub. I prefer the 22inch frame. I'm not tall enough for the 24 on 28 wheel size.

View attachment 1542967

That is a very nice example!

 

[blackhawknj]

An excellent find!

 

[sykerocker]

Would love to find one of those, as my 24" frame allows me to clear it, but just barely. Knew about their existence back in the day when I was working at the shop, but we never had one come in. Pretty much, if you could fit a 22" Tourist, you bought a 23" Sports.

 

[blackhawknj]

Got my two off Craigslist.

 

[HARPO]

Great find. I've owned three over the years, all from Craigslist, but eventually sold them. The oldest, 1955, was a burgandy 22'' that was short for me. The other two were black in the 24'' size. Hmm, time to find another I guess.

 

[FICHT 150]

There are 4 Roadsters around the place. A men’s 1969 24”, has the long crank arms, a 1973 ladies 22”, a 1980 men’s 24”, and a men’s 1978 24”, that I converted to 5 speed. My son and I did the Lake Pepin Tour on Roadsters, last year. A 24” would have been perfect for me as a young man, but, 22” would be closer for the current, older version of me. Keeping the ladies for when an even older version of me has trouble with a men’s frame.
Love ‘em. The boy and I at the old stone wall in Frontenac, 2021 Lake Pepin Tour, our 10th year.