Old bike maintanence?

HDGuzzi said:

Greetings:
I recently won an early '70s Raleigh Sports on e-Bay which looks to be
in pretty good shape overall. It hasn't been ridden in a long while,
and has what looks like to be some very minor rust/corrosion on some
parts of the frame (near rear drop-outs) and on the 3 speed hub chain
puller thingee. What advice might anyone provide with regard to clean
up and lubrication? Should the cables be lubed? I don't really want to
take the crank off or open up the hub unless absolutely necessary. The
seller told me it pedals and shifts smoothly so I'm hoping that I
won't have to go inside it at this point.
Also, where might I find some original Raleigh color (rootbeer?) touch-
up paint, if such even exists?
Thanks in advance for any help, I'm looking forward to riding this old
warhorse!

Oops. Being new here, I now see perhaps I should have posted this to
the tech group?

HDGuzzi said:

Greetings:
I recently won an early '70s Raleigh Sports on e-Bay which looks to be
in pretty good shape overall. It hasn't been ridden in a long while,
and has what looks like to be some very minor rust/corrosion on some
parts of the frame (near rear drop-outs) and on the 3 speed hub chain
puller thingee. What advice might anyone provide with regard to clean
up and lubrication? Should the cables be lubed? I don't really want to
take the crank off or open up the hub unless absolutely necessary. The
seller told me it pedals and shifts smoothly so I'm hoping that I
won't have to go inside it at this point.
Also, where might I find some original Raleigh color (rootbeer?) touch-
up paint, if such even exists?
Thanks in advance for any help, I'm looking forward to riding this old
warhorse!

PB Blaster on the rust and moving parts.
works good on cables too - you don't want anything that holds dirt.
Colloidal graphite in cables also works.
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

HDGuzzi said:

Greetings:
I recently won an early '70s Raleigh Sports on e-Bay which looks to be
in pretty good shape overall. It hasn't been ridden in a long while,
and has what looks like to be some very minor rust/corrosion on some
parts of the frame (near rear drop-outs) and on the 3 speed hub chain
puller thingee. What advice might anyone provide with regard to clean
up and lubrication? Should the cables be lubed? I don't really want to
take the crank off or open up the hub unless absolutely necessary. The
seller told me it pedals and shifts smoothly so I'm hoping that I
won't have to go inside it at this point.
Also, where might I find some original Raleigh color (rootbeer?) touch-
up paint, if such even exists?
Thanks in advance for any help, I'm looking forward to riding this old
warhorse!

Congrats on your new Raleigh Sports.
You'll find parts, maintenance information and history on these great
3-speed cycles on our site under the English Roadster section:

Vin - Menotomy Vintage Bicycles
http://OldRoads.com

OldRoads said:

HDGuzzi said:

Greetings:
I recently won an early '70s Raleigh Sports on e-Bay which looks to be
in pretty good shape overall. It hasn't been ridden in a long while,
and has what looks like to be some very minor rust/corrosion on some
parts of the frame (near rear drop-outs) and on the 3 speed hub chain
puller thingee. What advice might anyone provide with regard to clean
up and lubrication? Should the cables be lubed? I don't really want to
take the crank off or open up the hub unless absolutely necessary. The
seller told me it pedals and shifts smoothly so I'm hoping that I
won't have to go inside it at this point.
Also, where might I find some original Raleigh color (rootbeer?) touch-
up paint, if such even exists?
Thanks in advance for any help, I'm looking forward to riding this old
warhorse!

Congrats on your new Raleigh Sports.
You'll find parts, maintenance information and history on these great
3-speed cycles on our site under the English Roadster section:

Vin - Menotomy Vintage Bicycleshttp://OldRoads.com

Thanks! Already been there and already ordered the saddle bag! I'll be
looking over the brakes/shifter cables soon, too.

HDGuzzi said:

Greetings:
I recently won an early '70s Raleigh Sports on e-Bay
SNIP

Well, my Raleigh Sports arrived today! Hub says "77", yet there is a
1968 bicycle license from Kansas on the seat tube! So I'm guessing the
hub or wheel was probably updated in '77 or there abouts. I'll check
Sheldon's site for the serial number match as soon as I get enough
grunge off it to see the numbers.

Rims look pretty good and will clean up nicely with some "0000" steel
wool and chrome cleaner I use on my motorcycles.
Brakes are good and cables seem to be smooth.
Hub turns and "ticks" nicely.
Front fender a bit bent, but no biggie.
Going to get new tires and tubes, even though the tires don't look
bad. I want old stock looking gum walls if I can find them.
Will need an old stock seat one of these days, too. (B-70-something?)
The one on it is an aftermarket "CHEEKS" (?) brand. Comfy, but not
correct looking.

All in all, not a bad deal for $100! Especially considering the one I
was bidding on right before this went for...$565.00! OK, it was silver
and pretty cherry, but I believe this will clean up pretty close.