Late August Rides - Raleigh, Schwinn

This week's rides are the 1947 Raleigh Model 35, 1958 Raleigh Sports, and 1949 Schwinn New World.  

August is usually a hot, dry month, but this August has been fairly damp. Even the lawns here are still green and needs to be mowed at least once per week: June weather more than the usual August. A damp August has also produced a strong population of mosquitos. They find you quickly and bite in numbers if you stop to take photos... I got plenty of bites trying to get these...

1947 Raleigh

1947 Raleigh

1958 Raleigh

1958 Raleigh

1949 Schwinn New World

New World

1949 Schwinn New World

 

Raleighs - Comparing Sports Lugs from the 1940s and 50s

Raleigh made a number of subtle changes to their famed Sports bikes in the 1940s and 50s. This included improved front fork ends, frame-brazed pulley bosses, more modern frame graphics, improved dynohub systems, rubber rather than cloth-covered brake cables, improved shifters, and more ornate frame lugs. 

I've talked earlier about the subtle evolution of front forks, so let us take a closer look at frame lugs. In this case, I'm comparing a 1947 Sports frame and a 1958 Sports frame.

 

Plain lug (1947)

The 1947 Sports lugs are the old lugs, which are quite plain and are described variously as "fish tail" or "fish mouth" (depending on which side you are looking at) lugs. This are traditional lugs that are very functional and understated. They go perfectly with the old-style graphics and paint schemes of these bikes.

Plain lug (1947)

The seat cluster lug of the old style is particularly plain, and has a very substantial appearance. It is straight-cut and extends fairly deeply into the top tube. It certainly is built for durability before style. A separate, clamp-on Sturmey Archer pulley is used for the shifter cable.

Old-Style (1947) Seat Cluster Lug

 

In the early 1950s, the old-style seat cluster lug gained a directly-mount boss so the pulley wheel could be mounted to the frame without a clamp. It is a hybrid of the pulley boss shown below on the later 1950s bike, but with the old-style lug of the late 1940s bike. These are transitional lugs because they combine the direct-mount pulley with the old style seat lug.

 

 

During the 1950s, Raleigh changed the lugs to be somewhat more ornate. The lugs are not as ornate as those found on the Clubman, but the Sports bikes did get a bit of embellishment. These lugs go nicely with the more ornate frame graphics of the later 1950s. 

Later 50s Lug (1958 Raleigh Sports)

 

The later 1950s seat lug is very different from the old-type. It has a deep cutaway with an ornate hook pattern. It also has a pulley boss mounted to the underside of the lug. A special pulley axle/stud is used to mount directly to the lug boss. 

Later 1950s Ornate Lug with Pulley Boss (1958 Sports Bike)

 

 

Bottom brackets also change a bit. In this case, the oiler port moved and settled on a more user-friendly, flip-cap type top. The spring-ball oiler does seal a bit better, but it is notoriously more difficult to use with a common oil bottle today. At the time, there was a thin-tip, needle oiler meant to go with this spring-ball oiler, though I don't have one in my tool bin. I prefer the flip-cap type for adding oil. The bottom bracket lug shape was largely the same, plain type. 

 

Late 1940s bottom bracket (1947)

 

Later 1950s Bottom Bracket (1958)

 

These kinds of changes show the subtle evolution of the Sports-style Raleigh frame. It's not that one is better than the other. Rather, they form a nice variety in the bikes from a collector and historical standpoint. Both of the bikes used in these examples, a 1947 Model 35 Sports and a 1958 Sports, ride beautifully and are representative of their particular eras of Raleigh history. I enjoy both. 

 

1947 Raleigh Model 35, and Saddle Position Talk

 

I took out the 1947 Raleigh Model 35 for a ride this week. The 1949 Schwinn had a successful, first "real" ride, so I changed it up later in the week and went with the Raleigh. The Model 35 was Raleigh's pre-war and early post-war "budget" version of the popular Raleigh Sports. The Model 35 came with minimal extras but still offered the great performance and handling of the Sports.

 Riding them back-to-back gives an appreciation that the Raleigh and the Schwinn handle differently. The Schwinn has a more relaxed, cruiser-like feel, versus the sportier and crisper handling of the Raleigh. The Raleigh is also lighter, owing to the brazed frame, and lack of chain guard and kickstand. Both are well-made, durable bikes. 

 

The Raleigh Sports family of bikes is probably the most "well-rounded" and versatile of all the vintage utility bikes.  It's stable enough to be comfortable in traffic, durable enough to be a commuter or grocery-getter, low-maintenance enough to be a daily rider, agile enough to handle narrow roads, and light enough to give lively performance when pushed. If you are limited to "just one" vintage bike of this style, the post-war Raleigh Sports and similar would be my suggestion. I know the rod brake roadsters and club bikes are also excellent machines, but nothing serves as the "jack of all trades" like the Sports family of bikes.

 

Some Talk About Saddle Position

I also have put up a new page with my notes on saddle position, including excerpts from an old Raleigh manual for how to set up a saddle. The basic lesson is use the manual as a "starting place" and then adapt the saddle position for what works for you. Don't be wedded to the manual if you need to fiddle with the saddle position to be comfortable. More on that discussion HERE. 

1949 Schwinn New World

 

The opalescent blue Schwinn New World is well along. It performed nicely during its first full-length ride. I added an Origin8 brass bell and did some very small adjustments on the brakes after the ride. But everything worked nicely and smoothly. It should be a good rider.

The paint is opalescent blue, which is a common color on Continentals from the late 1940s, but is very unusual on a New World. It was an added-cost option for the New World. The frame graphics are also in excellent shape. 

 

 

1949 Schwinn New World - Rare Color

 I've finally refurbished the 1949 Schwinn New World that came from Facebook Marketplace back in January. This is a bike that was originally from NYC and moved upstate with a collector, from whom I purchased the bike. 

The bike had a later stem and handlebars, and some later tires, but it was otherwise pretty much original. This made it a good platform to refurbish, add a three speed hub, add brakes, and remedy the stem and handlebar setup. 

This bike has passed its "shakedown" ride and is ready for its first full-length ride. 

Here are the changes made:

• Long "AS" Schwinn razorback stem to give more handlebar adjustment.
• Correct Schwinn tourist bars
• Period Sturmey Archer AW three speed hub.
• Addition of correct "Schwinn" brake levers.
• Addition of correct "Schwinn Built" brake calipers
• New cables and housings.
• Correct (and scarce) 1949 "silver face" Sturmey Archer shifter.
• Addition of correct metal fulcrum clip and shifter pulley.
• Cr-Mo 7/8" top seat post.
• Gyes leather tourist saddle (three spring)
• Acorn Made-in-USA saddlebag.
• Koma fender-mount LED rear light.
• Old stock British-made reflector
• Kiley LED front head light
• MKS 3000S pedals
• Clean and re-grease all mechanical areas.
• Patch paint with matching enamel as needed.  

This bike uses a little different tail light set up than I typically use. I normally mount the reflector in the reflector hole on the fender, then clamp a tail light onto the seat stay. This is typical of old-time lightweights. In this case, I thought I'd try something more streamlined. The loose fender brace rivet is removed and replaced by the reflector. The LED light is then mounted directly to the rear fender in the former reflector mounting hole. It gives the safety of a reflector and LED combo but without the need for any additional clamps on the frame. Everything mounts neatly to the rear fender. 

 

The full-length test ride is next for this bike. After that, I'll pick a nice bell out of my collection and mount it to the handlebars. I'll probably use an Origin8 brass striker bell, which is a simple and effective bell that looks nice on these bikes.

 

 

August Rides, and Sturmey Archer Shifter Talk

Here we have a few photos from this week. I rode the 1950 Schwinn Superior and the 1947 Schwinn Continental. 

 

The Continental had to be pulled from the basement for its first ride of the season. Refreshing these bikes is not a particularly onerous task if they have been stored reasonably well. These bikes are pretty low maintenance: dust, oil in a few places, basic safety check, air-up the tires, and go. If you have battery lights, check the batteries too...

The early post-war Continental is a definite step up over the Superior in terms of quality (the opposite of the later, derailleur era bikes). The frame is lighter, but the better rims on the Continental make a big difference (stainless vs chromed steel). 

 

The Superior is a good bike, but in terms of equipment, is closer to the New World than the Continental. It's nice to have at least one example of each model...

 

 I am occasionally asked whether the top-tube "quadrant" shifter on the older bikes is difficult to use, versus the more-familiar handlebar shifter. The top tube shifter is not especially difficult to use if it is in good working order. The flat spring will tend to "find" the peg holes and set the bike into gear. Most of the problems with top tube shifters that people report are the result of worn shifter pegs, worn shifter springs, or improperly adjusted cables. The handlebar shifter is a bit easier and faster to use because your hand stays on or near the handle bars. But a properly set up top tube shifter works quite well and just takes a couple short rides to get used to.

The other question I am sometimes asked is about the "odd" position of pre-1960 handlebar shifters, which is to say "upside down". Most riders today are familiar with twist grip shifters, brifters, or prominent handlebar shifters that stick up. 

Why would anyone want a shifter set downward like you see in the photo above? As strange as it sounds, this position is actually "faster" and more convenient to use than the more-familiar shifters that stand up above the handlebar. With this old-style, low position, you can shifter with a flick of your finger and never have to move your hand from the grip. The brake lever stays in close reach as you shift, in case something runs into the road in front of you. I will admit the first bike I had with this style of shifter, many years ago, felt odd to me. But once you are used to this low position shifter, it will become second nature to you. 

Some people like the higher, standing shifter because they can see what gear they are in at a glance. But the fact is that once you become used to the bike and your riding cadence, you will know what gear you are in just based on the feel and speed of the bike. There's also the steady "click" sound the AW hub makes in Normal (2) and High (3) gears. 

Hard to believe it is already August. Keep the rides coming... 

 

 

Cleaning and Stocking Parts

 I wrote previously about "smart stocking", which is the practice of buying and stocking the spares you are most likely to need. There's certainly a line between hoarding unnecessary items and targeting your spare parts stock to those items that always seem missing or damaged on your new project...

 

Here is another round of parts: good fenders and brakes for a 1940s-50s Raleigh, and a mixture of Schwinn bottom bracket parts. I'll find that often you need that nice, spare fender to substitute a missing piece, or to replace a rusted, worn, or abused bottom bracket or brake part on a project bike. I'm trying to take in fewer projects these days, but it's nice to have the parts when I need them.

My process for cleaning and storing the parts is simple. First, I inspect the parts and decide if they need cleaning. Small, plated parts are cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner mixture of Simple Green and Warm water. Sometimes a little purple degreaser is added if the parts are particularly dirty. Vintage painted parts are gently cleaned with an old tooth brush and some Dawn Powerwash or some Simple Green/water mixture. 

Rust is then addressed if it is a problem. Chrome plated parts may be put in Evaporust if rusty enough. Otherwise, they are cleaned with a brass wire brush and WD40. Painted parts are gently cleaned with 0000 steel wool and WD40. 

Storing the parts is also simple. Small and medium parts are placed in ziplock bags with a little WD40 to deter moisture and rust while in storage. The bags are labeled and put in metal tins or plastic tubs with similar parts. Large parts are labeled with a little masking tape and put in a large, plastic storage tub with similar parts. They may receive a light rub-down with WD40 to deter rust while in storage. 

Keep everything you store dry and out of the dampness if you store in your basement or garage. I especially like plastic or wooden storage pallets to keep the tubs of parts up and out of the water. Each large storage tub has a masking tape label on the side with a list of the parts in the tub. I prefer clear plastic tubs over opaque ones so I can see what's inside. 

My favorite sources for parts:

• The CABE/BikeForums websites
• Ebay
• Facebook Marketplace
• Talking to other collectors 

I've had less luck with Craigslist for parts. I haven't used some of the other sites, such as "OfferUp". 

Don't underestimate the power of conversation. Sometimes just talking to another collector, you'll learn they're looking to sell a bike or parts that you want or need. Don't be afraid to make a reasonable offer or keep talking to see if there's potentially a chance to buy or sell something at hand. Sometimes the best stuff changes hands starting by word-of-mouth. 

 

Humid Rides...

 

Not much in the way of heavy-duty heat here lately, but plenty of humidity. I guess it's that time of year... I'll put up a few photos of the 1948 Raleigh Sports Tourist and the 1950 Schwinn Superior. They both ride nicely. The Sports Tourist is a little heavier with its chain case and dynohub system, but no complaints about either bike. 

I've probably written this before, but chain cases are great looking and great from a collector standpoint, not so much from a mechanic's standpoint. They're a pain to get "just right" so nothing rattles or rubs. This one is a good one: no real dents and very straight. It has all the covers, sliders, etc. I still prefer a hockey stick style chain guard for riding and repair purposes. But the full chain case sure does look the part...

 

 The Superior has a more American flavor to it: lots of chrome, heavy gooseneck stem, louder paint scheme and decals... 

The Superior has a 22-ish inch frame, versus the 23-inch of the Raleigh. I am 5ft 8in or so tall, with long legs for my height. I can ride either frame comfortably, though perhaps the 23 is a little better fit. 

One trick with the smaller frame is to use a better seat post and a little longer stem to get the bars and saddle into place. BMX seat posts are a good source of longer, stronger posts for these welded Schwinn frames. This is a Cr-Mo post that is quite long. The taller "AS" razor stem also helps get those bars into place and more adjustment range. I hate a bike with too much or too little reach to the handlebars. For whatever reason it's among the first things I notice riding a bike. I hate feeling like I'm straining to reach the bars especially... So a taller stem and a little more range of adjustment is in order on these 22-inch frames. 

You can only do so much though with the stem and seat post. If you're 6ft 3in tall, a 22-inch frame on 26-inch wheels will not cut it. Then you would need the taller frame. But if you're at the edge of the frame size in terms of fit, the stem or seat post can make the difference in getting comfortable.

I notice the days are starting to get a bit shorter again... too bad. Keep on riding. 

1936 Raleigh Mini Catalogue - Adaptation to the US Market

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.

A Window into Early Modern Bicycles in the USA: 1935

I recently purchased a wonderful catalogue from 1935 from a company known as "California Service Inc.". The company had a shop on Long Island, New York, and apparently focused on quality bicycles for adults. 

I've written in the past about the arrival of the early "modern" lightweight bicycle in America in the 1930s. From the 1910s through the early 1930s, bicycles in the US market tended to be aimed at children and teens. The adult bicycles that were made and sold in the US tended to be aimed at couriers (such as Western Union) or dedicated racers (tending to have fixed gears or single-speeds, and wooden or wood-clad rims). 

In the early 1930s, a few companies began importing English-made bicycles to the USA, exposing Americans for the first time to what we would consider the "modern" bicycles: diamond and step-over frames with steel rims, clincher or wire bead tires with inner tubes, rod or caliper hand brakes, and multi-speed gear or hub options. American manufacturers fought to catch up to the imports in the second half of the 1930s with models such as the Westfield/Columbia Sports Tourist and the Schwinn New World.

This catalogue gives us a window into the state of affairs for adult bicycles in the USA in 1935. At that time Raleigh (through Hamilton Osgood's firm in Boston), BSA, Royal Enfield, Aberdale, and Hercules Cycle/Motor were exporting bikes from the England to the USA. The numbers of these bicycles were tiny compared to the youth-oriented balloon tire bikes made in the USA. 

 

California Service focused their sales on Royal Enfield and, to a lesser extent, Aberdale bicycles. The Royal Enfield offerings were much like the Raleigh offerings from around that time. Models fell into three basic categories: sporty drop bar bikes, all-purpose cable brake bikes, and heavy-duty rod brake roadsters. 

 The offerings from Royal Enfield were even a bit more extensive than those of Raleigh in 1935, and included tandems and even a tradesman's basket bike.

 California Service evidently went beyond just dealing in bicycles. They also sold high-end tubing, forks, lugs, and the other components of bicycle construction. Interestingly, this included hiduminium alloy parts and Reynolds tubing, exotic stuff for 1935.

 All manner of hub could also be purchased: drum brakes, high-flange hubs, coaster brakes, multi-gear hubs and components, and the fittings to go therewith. 

 Handlebars and stems also were available. The venerable Sturmey Archer Model K three speed could be purchased.

 Saddles, tires, pumps, and other accessories were available. There were even child carriers if you wanted to commute or go grocery shopping and carry your child with you in the British and Dutch fashion.

 Saddle bags, rear racks, and a wide variety of tires could be bought. Saddles included both leather typs and mattress saddles.

 Even shop tools could be purchased. 

 California Service in Long Island had a key advantage: access to both British-made products and the New York City area market. A family-owned bike shop in the midwest at the time might feature only a few, domestically-produced bicycles for the youth market. But being on the east coast of the USA near a major city and port, California Service would have been on the cutting edge of bicycles, parts, accessories, and tools for the adult rider who wanted to tour, commute, or just have a bicycle for recreation. The offerings in this catalogue probably seem kind of pedestrian compared to the extensive offerings in the British catalogues of the day, but this would have been a standout in the US bike market of that time. 

Conclusion

In this catalogue, along with the 1934 Raleigh Brochure, we again see proof that the adult bicycle was not "dead" in the USA in the middle 1930s. Even though the American manufacturers had not yet responded to the early British imports, quality bicycles with multiple gears and hand brakes were available to adults who wanted to cycle in the USA. 

This California Service catalogue is all the more interesting because it offers something to both the consumer and the retailer: a source of components, accessories, tools, and complete bicycles from Royal Enfield and Aberdale. The retailer-oriented sales are especially interesting because they go beyond the shorter, consumer-oriented brochure that Raleigh produced in 1934. 

Five years after this catalogue, on the eve of the Second World War, American manufacturers would be trying to compete with the imports. But this 1935 catalogue and the 1934 Raleigh brochure give us a window into the early days of "modern", quality bicycles in the USA.