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What I did

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01 / Original postWhat I didbob · 10 Aug 2007 02 / This pagePosts 1–13Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #13Simon Brooke · 11 Aug 2007

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Original section
UK and Europe
Published
10 August 2007
Last activity
11 August 2007
Original author
bob
Posts
13
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Public discussion
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256
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Topics
Wet weather gearCantilever and V-brakes

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  1. Original post
    bob
    Archived post
    #1

    A few months ago I posted asking the question, "what would you do with
    an old Raleigh Royal" which had given many years service? The bits were
    worn out but the 531ST frame and forks were as good as ever, albeit
    wanting a respray.

    Your advice ranged from throw it away and buy something new, convert to
    a cheap and cheerful fixie, to rebuild.

    I have always enjoyed the bike so chucking it was hard. I already have a
    basic fixie so I was left with the rebuild option. So here it is.

    http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/Raleigh/Thumbnails.html

    (Note the 1980's period features: the cantilever brakes & the friction
    shifters.)

    To keep costs under control I reused everything I could (bars,
    brakes/levers, saddle/post, pedals and even tyres). I splashed out on
    the important stuff like wheels and transmission (Mavic Open Pro rims
    and Shimano Tiagra stuff). I then blew the budget on the all important
    "making it look nice" with a respray and new transfers from Bob Jacksons
    (about £150 including carriage).

    In all the rebuild cost was about £450. Was it worth it? Probably. For
    about £650 I could have had a new Dawes Galaxy. So money was saved and a
    good frame kept from the scrap heap. I could have saved about £100 by
    going for powder coating on the frame but somehow that just didn't seem
    right.

    As a final touch am looking for some new pedals. Can anyone recommend
    some which are platform on one side and SPD on t'other?

    Cheers and happy cycling
    --
    geomannie

    Report
  2. Ace
    Archived post
    #2

    On Fri, 10 Aug 2007 09:58:03 +0100, bob

    downiegeon0spam.co.uk@downie#n0sapm#.co.uk said:

    I have always enjoyed the bike so chucking it was hard. I already have a
    basic fixie so I was left with the rebuild option. So here it is.

    http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/Raleigh/Thumbnails.html

    Looks good.

    Quoted message said:

    (Note the 1980's period features: the cantilever brakes & the friction
    shifters.)

    First thing I did when I got my mercian was to replace all that sort
    of stuff with modern (well late '90s) gear. Personally I preferred to
    go for the "Can you tell this was a 1980s bike?" approach.

    Quoted message said:

    In all the rebuild cost was about £450. Was it worth it? Probably. For
    about £650 I could have had a new Dawes Galaxy. So money was saved and a
    good frame kept from the scrap heap.

    I must admit that I tend to feel this way too - somehow keeping an old
    bike going is something of an aim in itself. I've always hated waste.

    Quoted message said:

    As a final touch am looking for some new pedals. Can anyone recommend
    some which are platform on one side and SPD on t'other?

    I recently bought some Shimano PD-M324s. Used them a couple of time
    just wearing trainers for short trips and they seem perfectly fine. My
    main concern would be selecting the right side for clipped-in use, but
    that's proved to be very straightforward.

    --
    Ace in Alsace - brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom

    Report
  3. Dave Larrington
    Archived post
    #3

    In news:Z8j$lsCbiCvGFw7D@downie%23n0sapm%23.co.uk,
    bob <downiegeon0spam.co.uk@downie#n0sapm#.co.uk> tweaked the Babbage-Engine
    to tell us:

    Quoted message said:

    http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/Raleigh/Thumbnails.html

    Looks nice, but your kitchen is lacking in Heinz beans, Colmans mustard,
    Fullers London Pride and an A-Z ;-)

    --
    Dave Larrington
    <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk>
    Whatever it is, I'd like it in mango & passion fruit, please.

    Report
  4. wafflycat
    Archived post
    #4

    "Dave Larrington" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    In news:Z8j$lsCbiCvGFw7D@downie%23n0sapm%23.co.uk,
    bob <downiegeon0spam.co.uk@downie#n0sapm#.co.uk> tweaked the
    Babbage-Engine to tell us:

    Quoted message said:

    http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/Raleigh/Thumbnails.html

    Looks nice, but your kitchen is lacking in Heinz beans, Colmans mustard,
    Fullers London Pride and an A-Z ;-)

    I didn't spot any Marmite...

    Report
  5. Mark
    Archived post
    #5
    Quoted message said:

    so I was left with the rebuild option. So here it is.

    http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/Raleigh/Thumbnails.html

    The extra on the paint job was well worth it, the bike is beautiful,
    stunning even.

    Report
  6. M-gineering
    Archived post
    #6
    bob said:

    A few months ago I posted asking the question, "what would you do with
    an old Raleigh Royal" which had given many years service? The bits were
    worn out but the 531ST frame and forks were as good as ever, albeit
    wanting a respray.

    Your advice ranged from throw it away and buy something new, convert to
    a cheap and cheerful fixie, to rebuild.

    I have always enjoyed the bike so chucking it was hard. I already have a
    basic fixie so I was left with the rebuild option. So here it is.

    http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/Raleigh/Thumbnails.html

    I'd recommend cutting/hacksawing the mudguard stays so that they don't
    protrude. The endcaps will disappear and the stay ends will go for your
    legs. If the mudguard is plastic, bolting the stays to the lowrider
    mountings or using some sort of safety disconnect is recommended.

    Brakelevers with rubber covers would habe been nice 😉
    --
    /Marten

    info(apestaartje)m-gineering(punt)nl

    Report
  7. Helen Deborah Vecht
    Archived post
    #7

    "Dave Larrington" <[email hidden]>typed

    Quoted message said:

    In news:Z8j$lsCbiCvGFw7D@downie%23n0sapm%23.co.uk,
    bob <downiegeon0spam.co.uk@downie#n0sapm#.co.uk> tweaked the Babbage-Engine
    to tell us:

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/Raleigh/Thumbnails.html

    Quoted message said:

    Looks nice, but your kitchen is lacking in Heinz beans, Colmans mustard,
    Fullers London Pride and an A-Z ;-)

    You also forgot the Marmite!

    I don't think the OP is a Londoner so some of the props might be wrong...
    ....mebbe Irn Bru and yum-yums would be more appropriate.

    Nice bike thobut.

    --
    Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
    Edgware.

    Report
  8. Nick Kew
    Archived post
    #8

    On Fri, 10 Aug 2007 09:58:03 +0100

    bob downiegeon0spam.co.uk@downie#n0sapm#.co.uk said:

    http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/Raleigh/Thumbnails.html

    (Note the 1980's period features: the cantilever brakes & the
    friction shifters.)

    Yeah. Why can't modern bikes have such sensible shifters.
    Are they ratcheted for a nice positive feel?

    Don't think much of that cooker, though.

    --
    not me guv

    Report
  9. John B
    Archived post
    #9
    bob said:


    I have always enjoyed the bike so chucking it was hard. I already have a
    basic fixie so I was left with the rebuild option. So here it is.

    http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/Raleigh/Thumbnails.html

    You need to cut down on the salt ;-)

    Nice colour.

    John B

    Report
  10. bob
    Archived post
    #10

    In message <[email hidden]>, Nick Kew
    <[email hidden]> writes

    Quoted message said:

    On Fri, 10 Aug 2007 09:58:03 +0100

    bob downiegeon0spam.co.uk@downie#n0sapm#.co.uk said:

    http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/Raleigh/Thumbnails.html

    (Note the 1980's period features: the cantilever brakes & the
    friction shifters.)

    Yeah. Why can't modern bikes have such sensible shifters.
    Are they ratcheted for a nice positive feel?


    No, not ratcheted but positive to use. I like them for their simplicity.

    Quoted message said:

    Don't think much of that cooker, though.


    Nor does my SO.

    Cheers
    --
    geomannie

    Report
  11. Simon L
    Archived post
    #11


    Quoted message said:

    As a final touch am looking for some new pedals. Can anyone recommend
    some which are platform on one side and SPD on t'other?

    I just got some Shimano PD-M520s off my ebay man, which are your
    classic cheap & durable double sided spds (£15 a pop) and this time
    round they came with a durable platform which had reflectors both
    ends, clipped in securely to one side. I suspect they would hang
    platform down in use, I've taken them off 'cos I don't want them.

    If you do get some and they don't come with the platform email me
    silangdonAThotmail.com and I can pop them in the post.

    Report
  12. Al C-F
    Archived post
    #12
    bob said:


    http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/Raleigh/Thumbnails.html


    Super looking bike. Looks like a the bike a friend used to ride in the
    mid-80s. Very smart.

    Report
  13. Simon Brooke
    Archived post
    #13

    in message <[email hidden]>, Ace

    (') said:

    On Fri, 10 Aug 2007 09:58:03 +0100, bob

    downiegeon0spam.co.uk@downie#n0sapm#.co.uk said:

    I have always enjoyed the bike so chucking it was hard. I already have a
    basic fixie so I was left with the rebuild option. So here it is.

    http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/Raleigh/Thumbnails.html

    Looks good.

    Quoted message said:

    (Note the 1980's period features: the cantilever brakes & the friction
    shifters.)

    First thing I did when I got my mercian was to replace all that sort
    of stuff with modern (well late '90s) gear. Personally I preferred to
    go for the "Can you tell this was a 1980s bike?" approach.

    I've just put a new (second hand) set of downtube friction shifters on my
    Raleigh. They're not as nice as proper Ergos, but they're light and
    elegant and work OK.

    --
    [email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

    ;; It's dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
    ;; Voltaire RIP Dr David Kelly 1945-2004

    Report

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