Classic Raleigh and Schwinn Bikes - Memorial Day Weekend

The weather has been summer-like this weekend: hot and humid. But that has not stopped me from getting plenty of ride time. I took out several bikes this weekend - a 1958 Raleigh Sports; a 1947 Schwinn Continental and a 1941 Schwinn New World.

1958 Raleigh Sports 4-speed bike:

1947 Schwinn Continental 3-speed:

 1941 Schwinn New World 3-speed:

The only concern this weekend has been fast-developing thunderstorms each afternoon. I use a phone app radar/forecast program to check hourly forecasts, and I keep an eye on darkening skies as I ride. But so far... so good this weekend. Summer is arriving.

Traditional, New Pedals for 1/2 Inch Spindles (U.S. Size)

 I'm a big fan of traditional rubber block pedals made without reflectors. While reflector pedals have a little extra safety element, they are not correct for older utility bikes, such as 1940s-50s era bikes.

So when I found out that MKS is making a traditional pedal in both 9/16 and 1/2 inch spindle sizes, I jumped on some. These are the MSK 3000S pedals - they've been made for decades, but are now becoming more readily available online thanks to sellers in Japan.

I recently bought a set of 3000S pedals in the 1/2 inch spindle size. This size is particularly difficult to find high-quality, traditional pedals. This is the size that old, American-made bikes take, both those with one-piece cranks, as well as 1940s-50s Schwinns with cottered cranks.

The 3000S pedals have arrived, and the quality is very good. They also fit perfectly in these Schwinn cranks from the 1940s. They will be a welcomed alternative to using old-stock pedals, which often are bent or worn. I'll keep riding my old Torrington #8 pedals, but I will have a ready back up set of MKS 3000S pedals for them.

A Nice Evening

After many inches and several days of rain, we finally have had a nice, dry day here. I took the 1958 Raleigh Sports out for a ride. It's a little dusty from all the pollen, but that's no big deal.

A Bonus Ride - Raleigh DL-1 Export Model

 Originally, this weekend was supposed to be very damp. The forecasts called for rain Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday. So it was a pleasant surprise when Saturday was mostly dry, and the rain held off entirely today. The result was that I was able to get in two, full-length rides this weekend.

Today's ride was on this early 1960s-era Raleigh DL-1 Export Model. If you have never ridden a rod brake roadster, it really is an experience that is unique. The slack frame angles, wide tires, and rod brake set up all contribute to a ride that is different from any other type of bicycle. This Export DL-1 is no exception.

Spring Weekend Ride - 1947 Schwinn New World

A cooler, nicer day today, at least before it rained in the evening. I love riding when it's just a little on the cool side - around 70-75 or so. I took a nice ride on this 1947 Schwinn New World. I took lots of detail photos of the interesting touches Schwinn put on this bike. The old French light set and North Star bell were my own additions.

1941 Schwinn New World - Warm Weather

Another warm day - 90+ and starting to get a bit more humid. We seem to have skipped from March weather to June weather in the course of 2 weeks. Maybe no spring this year... We shall see though.

I swapped a set of "AS&CO" Schwinn cranks onto the 1941 New World. I previously had a Schwinn cloverleaf set from the later 1940s, but this earlier set is perfect for a 1941 bike. This sprocket and crank set is exactly what I needed to bring this bike even further back to its original 1941 form.

I even found a correct, original Schwinn spindle and cup set from the early 1940s to complete this set up. The cranks are nice and straight, and everything is running smoothly. It's a great bike, even after 77 years.

Spring Rides: 1958 Raleigh Sports 4-Speed and lots of Pollen

This time of year is usually tough to ride if you have any issues, at all, with pollen. This particular year is worse than usual: we had a cold start to spring, but now it is warm and all of the plants are coming out at once.

Riding lately has meant being inundated with pollen - it covers the bike, covers you, gets into your nose, and gets into your eyes. My eyes actually start to burn about 15 minutes into my ride - pollen everywhere.

But that does not stop me - I still love riding. The last of the bikes to require its first ride of the seaons is this 1958 Raleigh Sports. It's a first-rate bike and probably one of the two nicest bikes I have in the collection.

Schwinn Superior Cranks - 1940s Era Find of the Week

I recently picked up a "relic" condition set of Schwinn cranks from a 1940s Superior bike. These are a three-piece crank set with "AS&Co" chainring. The set even came with the complete cotter pins. The cosmetic condition is pretty well-worn, but they should be perfectly workable on an old Schwinn 3-speed type bike from the 1940s.