Raleighs on the Road - August 2025

 Not much to report this week. I've had a chance to do some more riding. This week I have a few photos of my 1947 Raleigh Model 35 and my 1958 Raleigh Sports. They're both great riders. The Model 35 is a little lighter because it is lacks a chain guard and has a smaller bag. The Sports has a FW four speed hub. I love a classic FW, even if it lacks the top gear of the later five speed hub. But they're pretty similar, and that's a good thing.

1947 Raleigh Model 35

The Model 35 is a clean design - very basic but well-constructed

1958 Raleigh Sports with FW four speed hub

1958 Raleigh Sports

Classic Raleigh Sports 

 

 

A reproduction cushion grip - wonderfully made

The 1958 Sports has what I consider to be a very good reproduction set of hand grips. A fellow collector of Raleighs had a run of these grey, cushion grips done. They are the closest I have seen to 1950s era sponge grips. The originals always seem to be totally deteriorated. Those familiar with the cushion style grips know they have a unique, semi-soft feel to them. It's not like silicone or a modern grip. It has a unique "spongy" feel that also is not too soft. They're comfortable but still give you some road feel through the bars, which is a good balance. These reproductions were a small run done by a fellow collector, and I only have this set, plus a spare set left. I doubt they can be purchased anymore, but if you come across a pair, they're worth trying. Note that these are VERY different from the grey reproductions made in the far east, and which are very hard, thin, and a bit uncomfortable. 

Good Weather, For a Change

 This summer has generally oscillated between two extremes - very hot and humid, or cool and rainy. We haven't had very many "pleasant days". That changed this week. Although we had some Canadian wildfire spillover smoke, the weather was dry and generally quite pleasant. That is a welcomed change. It gave me a chance to take out a few vintage bikes.

 The week started off suitably warm, with lots of wildfire smoke in the air. This 1947 Raleigh Model 35 bicycle is one of the best-riding bikes I've ever owned. I'd put it in the top-3 - very comfortable, reasonably light, and pleasant all around. 

Typical of 1940s Raleighs, this bike has cloth-covered brake cables. These covers add character to the bike, but are often somewhat dry and fragile today. This has a decent set of covers. Some areas have been patched with matching, black heat-shrink tubing.  Other areas, such as the one below are still in really nice shape.

The smoke haze is visible in the sky, at the top of the photo below. It has some smell to it, but conditions still are not too bad for riding.

 As the week progressed, the temperatures dropped a bit, it stayed dry, and the smoke subsided. I took out this beautiful 1959 Schwinn Traveler. While the Raleigh Model 35 is a basic bike that was meant for everyday work, the 1959 Traveler is more ornate and decorated in the "American" style of the 1950s. The Traveler is a heavier, more deluxe bike.

 I love the winged-oval badges on these Schwinns.

 Period touches include a 1950s style "Cadillac" emblem pin.

 

 

Later in the week, I took out this 1970 Raleigh DL-1. The DL-1 is unlike anything else on the road. It has a heavy frame, large wheels, and a very long wheelbase. Full-sized, rod brake roadsters are in a league of their own.

 

All of my rider bikes have LED lights on them. I ride on the local roads, and these help with visibility. I use the lights even during the daytime to help myself be seen. Safety is always a concern on the public roads here in the USA these days.

 

 

 

Summer Rides - 1947 Schwinn Continental Three Speed

 

Today we have a few photos of a very nice 1947 Schwinn Continental. This early version of the Continental, unlike the later 10-speed bikes, is a hand brazed frame of Cr-Mo tubing with a premium paint and decal finish. It has very nice, stainless steel rims and a good set of hubs. 

Sometimes I meet other collectors/riders who want a premium three speed, but also something out of the ordinary. One of the bikes I often recommend is the 1940s-50s Schwinn Continental. These bikes are reasonably light weight for their time, and ride very nicely once property set up with a good saddle. The only drawback are the 597mm rims, which have limited tire choices today (Kenda tires mainly). 

These Continentals are handsome bikes made to a high standard, roughly equal to a mid-range Raleigh of the same time period. They're certainly a step above the basic models, though perhaps not quite as high in performance as a Raleigh Clubman. They have a certain cachet, being an old, Made-in-USA product.

There are other options for "unusual" three speeds for the person who wants an out-of-the-ordinary bike. But the Continental is certainly something to add a little variety to the more usual Raleigh Sports and similar bikes from England. 

 

 

July 2025 - Some Ride Photos

 A few ride photos from this week - 1970 Raleigh DL-1 and 1960 Schwinn Traveler. 

This 1970 DL-1 is in excellent shape. I did most of the refurbishing last fall, but finished things up this spring with some final changes and adjustments to the bike. It came to me in decent shape through a Craigslist sale. It rides very nicely and, I think, came out beautifully.

 

The 24-inch frame, 28-inch wheel DL-1 is a big bike. It towers over most others on the road. It is not an agile machine, but it is certainly a durable and steady one.

 

This bike has some beautiful decals by H. Lloyd in England. Their graphics are very close to the originals and of very high quality. I recommend them for any quality restoration of a vintage bike.

 

This 1960 Schwinn Traveler came in this spring as a tire, old newspaper or mail bike. But these bikes are so durable and well-made that refurbishing still brought out the best in it. This Travelers have a little extra showiness, typical of mid-century American design. It's also a great rider.

 

Matching green dice valve caps round out the classic, 1950s-60s American look.  

 

 

Mid-Summer 2025 (1959 Schwinn Traveler)

We're well into summer now, with suitably summer weather: warm and humid with the occasional thunderstorm. I have been dividing my ride time among my various Raleigh and Schwinn vintage three speeds. 

 

1959 Schwinn Traveler three speed

I take a little different approach to each. I like my bikes to be very "traditional" overall, but I have always felt a little freer to put a little "bling" on the Schwinns. For whatever reason, I like my Raleigh very much in the traditional, British style. The Schwinn three speeds have more of that "mid-century American" type style: lots of stainless steel, chrome, and bright colors. I've had people stop and take pictures on their phones of some of these Schwinn bikes because they stand out from the crowd.

I have even thrown a set of matching dice valve caps on a few of the Schwinns I own. 

 

Lastly, I love these old Schwinn "winged oval" badges from the 1950s. They're just ornate enough to stand out, but not so over-the-top as to distract.  I will admit I'm partial to the winged motif. Even the Bike Shed logo has wings.

 

Keep on riding... it's that time of the year. 

1938 Raleigh Bicycle Catalogue "The All Steel Bicycle"

 Over the years, I have accumulated a few old Raleigh, Schwinn, and Torrington Co. catalogues. For your enjoyment today is this beautiful 1938 Raleigh Catalogue. This is the British version, with prices in the old British money system. Enjoy. [Click on the image to enlarge]

 

Ride Time as Diagnostic Time - Finding Small Issues on Vintage Bikes (1960 Schwinn Traveler content)

 

Sometimes a thorough test ride is the only way to shake out minor issues on a bike. There are certain issues that only appear once you put some miles on the bike. Such has been the case with this 1960 Schwinn Traveler.

This 1960 Traveler came from Missouri, where it was in a large bike collection that was auctioned off in summer 2024. As auctioned, the bike had been serving as a newspaper or mail delivery. It was in decent condition, but the rear newspaper baskets had taken a toll on the back fender. Over the course of a couple months, I repaired and refurbished it. The whole process took a little over two months. I work pretty slowly.

This bike now has a fair number of miles on it since being refurbished. One thing I noticed is a cyclical thumping and bumpiness, which is indicative of a wheel issue. The most common cause is that the tire is not quite correctly mounted, or an imperfect tube or tire, or the rims is slightly out of round. It doesn't take much to have this issue, and its one that you need to ride the bike to fully notice.

 

So I put the bike back on the stand and started with the basic fixes: put on a better set tubes (Schwalbe in, Kenda out), re-mount the tires to and check for seating, and then some more fine truing of the wheels. The result of these three basic fixes, which took only a couple of hours one evening, is a much improved ride.

So the 1960s Schwinn Traveler rolls on this summer. It's a comfortable bike, and it's yet another case where riding the bike, feeling out an issue, and then making conservative and careful repairs make a difference.