Raleigh Enclosed Chain Guard Years...

[HARPO]

Does anyone out there know when Raleigh stopped making the enclosed chain guards for the SPORTS model with the Dynohub? I'm thinking late 50's.

 

[redline1968]

1952 and earlier had them

 

[dnc1]

If you look in the 'paper archive' subsection of the 'bicycle restoration tips' page, you can see the whole of the 1957 UK Raleigh dealers parts catalogue, posted Nov 2016.
They were still offering full gearcases in the UK then, may be different for U.S. models though.

 

[HARPO]

Thanks guys!

 

[SirMike1983]

If you look in the 'paper archive' subsection of the 'bicycle restoration tips' page, you can see the whole of the 1957 UK Raleigh dealers parts catalogue, posted Nov 2016.
They were still offering full gearcases in the UK then, may be different for U.S. models though.

The U.S. models gradually lost the chain case in the1950s (1953-54 seems to have been when it was being gradually dropped), though the braze-on stayed on the Sports frame so that you could mount a chain case if you wanted to do so until some time in the early 1960s. A full chain case on any of the Raleighs prior to the braze-on being deleted would be a "period upgrade", in my book. They look nice, but I prefer the hockey stick chain guard for ease of maintenance and ease of gear set-up. If you go for the chain case, make sure you have a "GC" spindle in the bottom bracket. Set up can be really problematic if you don't have the extra clearance of the #16GC spindle.

The British kept the chain case as an option later, if you wanted it. I've seen 1970s-era Superbe-type British market bikes with chain cases, and certain export model Sports-type bikes to Europe still had it as late as the 1980s (I've seen Danish market Raleighs like this), when the Sports was eventually retired in its "old type" form. Raleigh offered different parts and configurations for different markets throughout the world.

[As an aside, the Danish today actually have a Raleigh bike that is a mix of Sports and DL-1 elements, completely with chain case and cable-drum brakes. http://raleighbikes.dk/herre-2 I wish we had them in the US ].

 

[HARPO]

I recently spotted one in nice condition, and it was the burgandy red color (no, NOT the brown). What year was this color made up until? I've actually only seen this one "in the flesh".