The ride season is coming to an end here. The clocks have changed, so limited daylight in the evenings. The colder weather is also starting to move in. The past week or so has been unseasonably warm, which has allowed some additional ride time at the end of the season. I view these rides in the closing weeks to be a kind of "bonus". Given the limited daylight and the colder weather that typically comes in early November, being able to ride after October 20 or so is not a given.
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| 1958 Sports with a restored train caboose |
Rides this past week were the 1958 Raleigh Sports and the 1948 Raleigh Sports Tourist. These are nicely preserved bikes from Raleigh's "golden age" of production quality. Raleigh was at the top of its game between 1946 and the early 1960s.
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| 1948 Sports Tourist |
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| Handlebars, bell, and headlamp on 1948 Sports Tourist |
These old Raleighs do pretty well in the limited daylight this time of year. The white on the rear fenders helps make them easier to see. Both bikes have fender reflectors and light sets. The Sports Tourist has a traditional incandescent set with a dynohub, while the 1958 Sports has a retro LED light set.
The Sports Tourist in particular has the classic "old school Raleigh look", with its glass-lens headlight, chain case, and quadrant shifter. The 1958 Sports has a little more modern look. Both are great riders. I especially love the 1950s FW four-speed hub on the 1958 Sports.
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| New England "Burning" Bushes - turn deep red in the fall |
I've enjoyed this riding season. I lost a few days to an unusually damp August, but it still has been pretty good. I count myself lucky to have so many chances to ride.
