1975 Raleigh Flyer restoration project

[vaeske]

cant wait to see the end result, no doubt you will be very satisfied when all done.

thanks mark!

1 more update I guess before I'll relaunch her onto the street. Unsure if I should use the old chain or not, its still pretty rusty. Any thoughts? I mean a new 10 speed chain will only be around $25 from the LBS, brakes and cabling for next week.

[WyvernRH]

Okay, so I haven't made any progress yet with that freewheel, but:
- I have a spare Araya 27 X 1 1/4 wheel with a shimano 5 speed cassette spare so replacing a few spokes shouldn't be too hard. But then again putting on a jap part along with all the Huret doesn't make too much sense either. Why did Raleigh have to go to the Froggies for parts FFS! Damn the Frogs!

Forget trying to save/find a French freewheel go Shimano! The twisted cogs make old derailleurs change much better and who is going to look that close?
Cheers
Richard

[vaeske]

Wow, what a relief. After a month of dillydallying, I've finally put her together.

Cables went in last night, new oversized shifters were incorrectly installed so going to try again tonight, left my originals in the vinegar for too long so it started to take off the chrome bits too But overall its complete.

Took it for a test run and a few things need further work:

- gears keep skipping so will need to fix the shifters, tighten the cables and then start tinkering with the high and low adjuster screws afterwards.
- wheels definitely need truing, but shouldn't be too big of an issue.

Overall not unimpressed with my first rebuild job, after countless hours of youtubing and watching mechanics and asking everyone on here, throw on some bar tape and she'll be good as new.

[pentlandexile]

What a great looking bike, and after all that hard work. Congratulations.

[WyvernRH]

Wow, what a relief. After a month of dillydallying, I've finally put her together.
snip
Overall not unimpressed with my first rebuild job, after countless hours of youtubing and watching mechanics and asking everyone on here, throw on some bar tape and she'll be good as new.

Well I think that looks really good! Nice to see bicycles from this era getting he TLC they deserve
Cheers
Richard

[vaeske]

thanks guys, appreciate the kind words.

I owe it all to you guys i guess. Black bar tape should do it. i currently have the old dunlop gumwall slicks on them and they look just like this one. I'm quite pleased, i'll have to find a 70s outfit and do the same pose!

[HappyHumber]

trouser clips must've been extra heavy duty in them days to contain the flairs!

[rebilda]

That is a WICKED shirt!

[mark field]

That is a WICKED shirt!

it suits the fancy pants with the pastel blue pockets. sadly if you went to an upmarket clothes shop today you could still get that whole bike riding outfit for $600.

[mark field]

thanks guys, appreciate the kind words.

I owe it all to you guys i guess. Black bar tape should do it. i currently have the old dunlop gumwall slicks on them and they look just like this one. I'm quite pleased, i'll have to find a 70s outfit and do the same pose!

i tell you what, and i mean this with 100 percent strength of conviction- if you can come up with the same outfit and pose with it and post the pic, there's $50 bucks in it for you.

[HappyHumber]

Oh yeegads... I just noticed the button up fly. The 1970s were closer to the Dark Ages than I realised.

[vaeske]

i'm hitting the thrift stores this weekend but i gotta tell ya, i don't like my chances of finding blue pastel pockets! I'll try my best though

[mark field]

you can do it, dont go forgetting that the slip on shoes are part of the outfit too. ching ching $$$$$

[HappyHumber]

you can do it, dont go forgetting that the slip on shoes are part of the outfit too. ching ching $$$$$

I think most thrift stores have been for the most part already stripped bare of such "wonderfuly daggy" clothing. These clothes are now all languishing in hipster boutiques at grossly inflated prices. Unless vaeske stumbles upon a near equivalent forgotten warehouse full of NOS 70s Merckx or Colnago frames I don't think he's gonna get much change out of $50 collecting them anyway.... but far let it be for me to rain on the parade

[mark field]

this will no doubt end in tears......of laughter. and me greasing someones palm,its all in the name of cycling and good spirited fun.

[trouserlord]

thanks guys, appreciate the kind words.

I owe it all to you guys i guess. Black bar tape should do it. i currently have the old dunlop gumwall slicks on them and they look just like this one. I'm quite pleased, i'll have to find a 70s outfit and do the same pose!

Maybe I'm blind or something, but what is that thing coming out of shirt-guy's armpit? Is it a pink manbag? Some sort of webbing? Or is he wearing a short pink plastic cape??

[vaeske]

thanks guys, appreciate the kind words.

I owe it all to you guys i guess. Black bar tape should do it. i currently have the old dunlop gumwall slicks on them and they look just like this one. I'm quite pleased, i'll have to find a 70s outfit and do the same pose!

Maybe I'm blind or something, but what is that thing coming out of shirt-guy's armpit? Is it a pink manbag? Some sort of webbing? Or is he wearing a short pink plastic cape??

okay I don't know either, but maybe its apart of the background that the photographer forgot to take out...anyways, i've already got a big job of finding something that is simply impossible so don't make it harder that it already it!

Frankly to tell you the truth. Best I can do probably is to find something that is very very similar to what you see there.

but here is the actualy bike resto photos in case anyone was interested:

[WyvernRH]

thanks guys, appreciate the kind words.

I owe it all to you guys i guess. Black bar tape should do it. i currently have the old dunlop gumwall slicks on them and they look just like this one. I'm quite pleased, i'll have to find a 70s outfit and do the same pose!

Maybe I'm blind or something, but what is that thing coming out of shirt-guy's armpit? Is it a pink manbag? Some sort of webbing? Or is he wearing a short pink plastic cape??

I think its a graphic s artifact created when they scanned in the advert. I have seen other versions of this picture (and I am sad to say an original copy...) and it wasn't in those pictures.
Cheers
Richard

[HappyHumber]

The bloke with the Flyer model looks a smarmy git*. It's like he's saying to the other guy with the Rapide;

"Look mate.. let me show you how many ways my bike is better than yours. I mean.. mudguards!? Prssfffft! We'll get to fashion tips later."

* You don't know him do you Richard?

[WyvernRH]

The bloke with the Flyer model looks a smarmy git*. It's like he's saying to the other guy with the Rapide;

"Look mate.. let me show you how many ways my bike is better than yours. I mean.. mudguards!? Prssfffft! We'll get to fashion tips later."

* You don't know him do you Richard?

Nah, I would have been the other one needing the fashion tips back then (and now probably.... )
I can proudly say that for various reasons I got through the 70's without wearing really flared trousers, tho I did have a few loud shirts with wide collars
Cheers
Richard

[LG]

I like what you've done with that bike, it's come up real nice! Can I suggest you put auto wax or something similar over the paint which will help inhibit new rust. Chain could do with some lube too

I know the shimano freewheels are much better, but if you're keen for maillard, I've a couple spare here.

[mark field]

hippy bikie by markfield_32, on Flickr

Photoshop- makes bad things better

[HappyHumber]

Awesome.. I'm on a shirt!

[mark field]

Awesome.. I'm on a shirt!

i cant believe you picked up on that so quick!!! i thought you'd like that one.

[elStado]

Haha awesome work there Mark.