1978 Raleigh DL-1

A few more pictures of my 1978 Raleigh DL-1 Tourist. This is a relatively 'late' model DL-1, with no reflector and no white rear fender tip. While there were some changes made to the DL-1 over the years, this bicycle is still very much like the earlier models dating back to the early 20th century.

The original shifter had a plastic face plate. I tried replacing it, but the replacement also subsequently cracked. I opted to put an earlier, all-metal shifter on this bike. It does function better than the later one.

1978 Raleigh DL-1 Tourist on the Farmington River Trail

Another day, another set of repairs, and another bike trail. This time involved a tune up of a 1978 Raleigh DL-1. I bought this bicycle for around $100 on a classified between 12 and 13 years ago.

Eventually I shipped the bicycle to my family's home and it has remained there since. Today I re-greased the bearings, changed the tubes and tires, changed the shifter cable and housing, and put on an older, better shifter.

I then took the bike to the Farmington River Bicycle trail. It performed well. The Farmington River Trail in Collinsville, Conn. is an outstanding place to visit for a ride. The pavement is smooth and new, and the trail is quite flat. There are no serious hills and there is plenty of parking if you bring the bicycle by car.

Mt. Vernon Bike Trail

A visit to the Mt. Vernon trail with a 1946 Hercules. This bike is 70 years old this month.

This is a relatively nice trail that is pretty flat. The pavement and some of the wooden bridges have gotten a bit rough, but it's still a decent riding trail. You don't have to be a powerful cyclist to ride the trail, but do pay attention to pedestrians and narrow spots.

Losing Daylight

 This is the time of year where we start losing daylight, or at least start noticing in earnest that we are losing it. It is now dark here about 8:00-8:15 in the evening, so I can still get my post-work ride in, but there is not a lot of room to spare. The weather is reasonably good, and the Schwinn World Traveler is performing well.

 I'm definitely starting to get some use of the old Miller electrical system.

Better Weather

This was the first truly 'cool' evening in around a month. We have had a great deal of hot, humid weather lately. It was a very nice evening for a ride, and the 1954 Schwinn 3 speed did not disappoint.

The contrast with the Hercules Model C from Saturday night is pretty marked, despite both being 3 speed bikes. The Hercules rights almost completely upright. It's a bit like taking a walk. The Schwinn has a bit more zip to it, but is still a comfortable ride.

 The Miller generator set is a nice period piece, but it's pretty anemic and inefficient. It works well enough "to be seen" by motorists, but if you really want to see well in the dark, you need to upgrade to a more modern light set. But on this bike, I have the Miller set for now and it does OK when I can still see the road, but want something a little stronger than a reflector to ensure that motorists see me.

The all the original brightwork metal on this bike doesn't hurt either.

Brooks Honey versus Brooks Brown

For those of you considering a new Brooks saddle, here is a look at two of the common colors, brown and honey. Obviously the new black is dark, black. Here is a look at brown and honey. The honey is the light color, but hopefully these pictures will give you some idea of what they look like.

The brown is a nice, mahogany color.

1946 Hercules Model C

Another summer ride today, this time with a 1946 Hercules Model C. This bicycle rides very much in the upright position, and is generally a pleasant rider.

 It is not very fast, being considerably slower than even the Schwinn 3 speeds. However, it has very pleasant handling characteristics and soaks up the bumps pretty well. It's a fun bike.

Brooks B66 Honey and Schwinn Traveler

One of the areas where British 3 speeds tended to exceed American ones is in the use of leather saddles. Raleigh often used Brooks saddles, whereas Schwinn and other American manufacturers often used early mattress saddles made from thick leather topped with fabrikoid, hammock springs, or horse hair.

But you can certainly use a Brooks saddle on an American three speed. In this case, I bought a new Brooks B66 for my 1954 Schwinn World Traveler. The lighter 'honey' colored Brooks goes well with the green paint and chrome. I wanted something a little brighter and more '50s-ish for this bike. The honey accomplishes that.

The Brooks B66 is probably my favorite of all saddles. It has been made for most of a century, provides ample adjustment through its slide clamp, and provides just a little cushion going over bumps. I'm glad this saddle is still being made. There really is no equal for a good Brooks for a three speed bike.

Brooks Honey B66 for Schwinn Traveler

I received a new Brooks B66 honey colored saddle to put on the 1954 Schwinn Traveler. The tan goes well with the green, and the B66 is a reliable saddle. I do think the English 3 speeds had an advantage over the American bicycles in the sense that many used B66-type saddles instead of mattress saddles. The B66 is a winner in my book.

Heat and Humidity

Weekends are my time to get work done on projects around the home and on my bicycles. My workshop is a 1940s-era cinder block garage with no heat, no a/c, and no running water. It does have electricity and, in the winter, a small space heater.

That doesn't mean I stop working in adverse conditions. Our temperature here today was nearly 100, with oppressive humidity. I worked all afternoon on projects, taking breaks and drinking lots of water.

I finished off with a ride on the 1954 Schwinn World Traveler. I stayed in the cooler areas and near the shade, which made the ride actually pretty tolerable. It wasn't bad at all on the bike.

1947 Schwinn New World Revisited

Over the weekend, I revamped my Schwinn New World with some really nice, period parts.

I replaced the later, S5 wheels I had been using with a set of deluxe, stainless S6 wheels from 1951. The Sturmey hub runs smoothly and the front hub is made of aluminum. It has an oiler port. The rims are both very clean and true.

Interestingly, the entire front wheel weighs slightly less than a standard S6 rim, alone. They ride great.

I also added a period 1930s-40s Sturmey quadrant shifter, which really goes nicely on this bike.

I'm very happy with the way this has turned out.

Schwinn Traveler

A few weekend ride pictures of the 1954 Schwinn Traveler.

Schwinn World Traveler on the Road

Here are a few more shots of the 1954 Schwinn Traveler. The bicycle makes a fine summer ride: its bright, watery, blue-green really goes with summer weather.

Tonight was warm but less humid, which is always a plus. The days are still long enough to ride well into the evening. Have to enjoy it while it lasts.