I recently had a chance to scan in an interesting consumer mini-catalogue from Raleigh. This is a 1936 consumer mini catalogue showing the various models and specifications of Raleigh bikes for that year. What is interesting about this particular booklet is the that it was specifically adapted for use in the USA.
This booklet shows that by 1936, Raleigh had expanded outside of Boston and into New York City. East Coast cities like NYC and Boston were ideal places for Raleigh, given their proximity to Atlantic ports, large populations, multiple universities and colleges, and bike shops with the expertise to deal with English-made bicycles.
Of particular interest in this catalogue, the models offered by the Raleigh Cycle Agency are marked with dollar currency stamps. The English money entries are blank. This catalogue shows the particular models this shop was selling at this particular time with the dollar stamps, though they undoubtedly sold different models at different times and during different years. The variety of models offered was much more limited in the USA than in England.
This catalogue was originally a British offering adapted for American usage. It does not appear to have been a dedicated booklet for the US market, as some of the Raleigh USA Boston brochures and catalogues were in the 1930s.
These bicycles were expensive in their day. For example, the Sports "C" Tourist above was $55.00 at this particular shop in 1936. Using US Government inflation statistics, this would be about $1,330 today. The Tourist rod brake model was $48.75 then, which is about $1,180 in today's money.
Looking back at the 1935 California Services catalogue from my previous entry, we find the Raleigh was a bit more expensive in some cases, but close in others. The basic Royal Enfield roadster sold for $40.00, versus $45.00 for the Raleigh (about $120 difference today). Royal Enfield's smaller roadster was $42.50, very close to the Raleigh Dawn's price at $42.25.
Parts were also available, including a small array of Sturmey Archer hubs. The choices were more limited in the USA than in England, but at least some hubs were offered.
In these early days, English-style, modern "lightweight bikes" were somewhat exotic machines in the USA: costly, available from East Coast city shops/dealers, and not available in all parts of the USA. The post-war era would change all that, with the influx of English bikes in the latter half of the 1940s.
