More Spring Cleaning

[SirMike1983]

More dusting off bikes in storage, airing up tires, tweaking seats/posts, etc. After that, I get to ride each a bit, which is the fun part of the exercise. 1958 Raleigh Sports and 1946 Hercules Model C:

https://bikeshedva.blogspot.com/2017/04/english-three-speed-bikes.html

 

[SirMike1983]

Finishing touches on the Hercules and refreshing a 1947 Schwinn New World:

 

[SirMike1983]

A couple from this weekend:

Sports 4-speed:

Sprite 5-speed:

 

[SirMike1983]

Raleigh Sprite 5-speed and Grand Prix 10-speed.

 

[morton]

Beautiful bikes......and if the backdrop means anything, you have a beautiful place to ride!

Here in central PA there aren't many flat spots. Used to ride to work as it was only 3 miles but had to climb 1 very steep and 2 long hills so you were either coasting at 30 mph or pedaling your guts out to go 5 mph.

 

[SirMike1983]

That's my favorite area to ride. The few miles around my house are mostly flat in that direction - in the 1700s and 1800s this was a Virginia tidewater plantation where corn and tobacco were grown. It's very warm and very humid here from late May through late Sept or early Oct. The downside is that the streets here are deteriorating somewhat. We have more pot holes than ever it seems.

 

[WVBicycles]

I live in Massachusetts theres more potholes then people living in this state when I go ride New Hampshire the roads are like glass so smooth no potholes or moon craters.

 

[usarnie1]

All the bikes in your stable look great! However, your '46 Hercules is my favorite!

I still have not successfully been able to identify and date the frame on my Tourist. I think it may well be a 1959 or 1960 transitionary frame, as it has the early bosses brazed to the frame for the SA 3 speed pulley, a boss to mount a fully enclosed chain guard and a Kingfisher Leads metal flip top oiler cap on top of the bottom bracket. Additionally, my Tourist has the post 1960's Raleigh Industries front sprocket and rear fender stay holes behind the rear axel's drop out.

The only original parts on my bike are the frame, fork, 3 piece bottom bracket, front stem, and handlebars. Everything else are replacement parts, that I added.

The other confusing issue with my frame is that it has a Tourist decal, on the head tube, instead of the usual brass Hercules Tourist shield. Can anyone help me identify and date the frame on my bike?

 

[SirMike1983]

1947 Schwinn Continental 3 speed last evening.

 

[SirMike1983]

1974 Raleigh Grand Prix: I really, really like some of Raleigh's plain jane 20-30 steel frames (this Carlton-Raleigh Grand Prix and my Raleigh Sports are great riders). Raleigh is sometimes criticized for it's 1970s-era products in terms of quality control and cheapening components. But I honestly have had good luck with all of my 1970s-era Raleighs, and they run the range from the Grand Prix road to the Sports utility to the DL-1 roadster.

Short comparison of my 1972 Schwinn Super Sports and 1974 Raleigh Grand Prix projects:

https://bikeshedva.blogspot.com/2017/07/raleigh-grand-prix-vs-schwinn-super.html