1958 Raleigh Sports 4-Speed Ride

After several months of sitting in storage, this 1958 Raleigh Sports is back on the road. This was one of the bikes I moved before winter set in, so that it would not be exposed to road salt while transporting it to my new home. The bike then sat in storage for the winter, and into May, when I finally got around to pulling it back out and putting it back on the road.

One of the good things about the Sturmey Archer gear systems is that they tend to store well - that is, they are mostly closed systems that aren't prone to rusting or getting damaged in storage. All this bike needed was a good dusting and a little air in the tires. Then it went right back on the road as if it had been running right along.

This is probably the last season for these Duro white wall tires. My experience with the Duro tires is that quality is hit-or-miss. I had a set on a Raleigh Sprite that seemed to last well - not prone to separately or fading. The set on this 1958 Sports is starting to separate where the wall and the tread meet, never a good sign. But I think they have one more season in them before a change is needed.

The local nature preserve is White Memorial in Litchfield, Connecticut. White Memorial is a well-known wildlife refuge in our area, and is well-regarded as a place where people can walk, run, bike, snowshoe, and cross-country ski. The roads in White Memorial are paved, but there are also dirt paths through the woods, as well as a few dirt roads to other areas. There are lots of opportunities to see wildlife and many types of birds.