Help identify this vintage Raleigh.

Pedal close-up:
 

Pedal close-up:

StoopidUserName wrote:

StoopidUserName wrote:

Great thread!

So…you gonna restore it?

Plus (including this frame and the Pug rebuild) I am currently at N= M + 3. Where N is number of bikes owned, and M is the number the Mrs knows about.

Update: 

Update: 

So I’ve now found the frame number on the seat lug (silly me looking at the BB and rear drop-outs) it’s 85647A – which based on Sheldon’s page suggests it is from 1956.

Looking at the catalogue for that year ( [url]http://veterancycleclublibrary.org.uk/library/dl.php?doc=Raleigh%20catalogue%201956%20(V-CC%20Library).pdf[/url] ) the frame could be almost any of the ‘mens’ bikes – or the three speed ones anyway.

We can rule out the Super Lenton (doesn’t have chrome fork ends) and we can exclude the Superbes (since the bike does not have the “Raleigh Patent Front Fork Lock” – see page 4 of the linked catalogue).

The frame had the remains of chrome side pull brakes attached, so assuming these are contemporary, and not later additions we can probably also exclude the the rod brake models.

On the chainstay, just next to the BB is a braze on lug which I assume was for fitting a chain guard,so that probably rules out the “Sports” models.

The chainring has the decorative three heron head cut-outs – I suspect they would use either a solid chainring or simpler (cheaper) cutouts if using the full chain guard – why make it decorative if it will never be seen?  

Okay, so I think that leaves the “Trent Tourist” (model 29, page 9), or maybe the “Trent Sports” (model 21, pages 12/13). Both were available in “Flamboyant Electric Blue” so the paint may be original (its darker than what I would call electric blue, but that could be ageing or just what was possible in the paints of the time).

I’m guessing the frame/forks were identical only the fittings differed between the Trent Tourist/Sport…

My bike has contemporary looking quill pedals but not the same design as shown for the Sport – and pedals can be swapped.The tourist came with rubber pedals which probably got mashed or disintegrated with time, so either Raleigh changed the Sport pedal design or a previous owner upgraded the Tourist pedals.

It has a pin brazed on the forks to secure the clamp for the Sports headlamp, but also has the lamp bracket above the crown race as shown in the Tourist illustration – so this nudges me towards the Tourist.

Handlebars – drop bars on the Sport, “all rounder” straight-ish bars on the Tourist but you could get the straight bars as an option on the sport models (no mention of the other way round). I’ve got drop bars, nicely chromed, same shape as in the Sports picture and about a 6 inch drop so look like they may be Raleigh orignals (no markings on them). But like pedals, bars are an item that is frequently changed after purchase.

The brake levers** offer no clue – they were alloy, and clearly a later addition – In 1956, Raleigh was very much the manucturer of  the “all steel bicycle” and made pretty much everything in-house. 

**  Weinmann 144 red dot  — what I actually wanted, cost me a tenner, and came with a free frame detective story!    

FINAL VERDICT: 1956 Raleigh Trent Tourist. 

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