Need help with a date on a Raleigh built Hercules Royal Prince

[1959firearrow]

Need help with a date on a Raleigh built? Hercules Royal Prince

Alright I'm trying to date this Raleigh built Hercules Royal Prince it was the first bike my grandfather ever bought brand new and the only bike he owned up until a couple of months ago. He says he can't ride anymore and wanted me to have this and my grandmothers first bike. The hard part is he couldn't remember the year he bought it, all he said was sometime in the 50s. Well this may be just about the nicest quality bike I have ever ridden and I would like to put date on it. It has a Sturmy Archer 3 speed hub and shifter the only number I found on the was 5. Its got a miller headlight and generator setup also. Any help would be appreciated. The precision built quality of these bikes is awesome!

 

[Andrew Gorman]

What model is the SA hub? According to the intertubes Raleigh bought Hercules in 1960. Here's more info from this very board:
http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?5141-Hercules-Raleigh-Roadster. That search button is a handy gadget!

 

[1959firearrow]

I'm not sure what that it is Raleigh built I was just told that it was by someone, could be a Hercules built bike but I don't know what to look for.

 

[ducnut]

That's definitely a Hercules-built bike. The dropouts and lugs are not RI stuff.

You can find more info on dating the hub here.

 

[sailorbenjamin]

Naw, that's a Herculese Herculese. Compare the fuller chainguard, different fender contours, and lugs with little ornamental eyes to this Raleigh. Also, there is the chainring and the different handlebars.

Raleigh and Herculese joined hands in about '59 so I'm guessing that this is a pre '59 bike and it's not from Nottingham. I'd say late 50s but what do I know?

 

[sailorbenjamin]

BTW, is that Findlay, Ohio?

 

[1959firearrow]

Yes it is findlay ohio(im from pandora my grandfather has lived his whole life in findlay) There are two tags on it from 75, a normal state issued tag and a round tag my grandfather made that mounts between the fork and wheel with the license number and findlay ohio on it. Do you live around here? I do see alot of differance between the raleigh and the hercules now.

 

[sailorbenjamin]

I'm in NY these days but my best college buddy moved out to Findlay about 10 or 12 years ago. I make it out to visit maybe every 5 years. I'll have to look you up next time. He's into older VWs. Maybe you've seen his silver bug around town.
Here's a link for us old 3 speed fans. They'd love to see this bike;
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/623699-For-the-love-of-English-3-speeds...

 

[1959firearrow]

You should look me up! By the way guys I made the mistake of thinking the Sturmey Archer shifter meant it had a Sturmy 3 speed, Instead it has a Hercules B type 5. Somewhere I red that Hercules used Sturmey hubs and shifters until they started making their own. So I'm gonna guess this is between the years they switched over which would be????? Called my Grandpa to ask if he ever changed the shifter he said "no I only changed the rear tire and tube once" so that led me to believe the switchover theory?

 

[sailorbenjamin]

I've heard that, too but I don't know any specifics.