Raleigh Medale

[Winged wheels]

Meeting up with boyhood friends and walking through Buckinghamshire, I paused at a road where a footpath crossed allowing the friends, wives and dogs to catch up.
A cyclist ascended the lane toward me and "I'd rather be cycling thought came to mind.
As the cyclist passed , we exchanged smiles. It was at that point I realised he rode a Raleigh Medaille in gold identical to the first real bike I had and rode solo, age 15 to the Ilse of White37 year ago. How id love to rebuild one. A true first love.
Wouldn't swap it for my Dawes, back then a 5 speed took me every where, even to Europe the following year. There lies a tale

[Ruadh495]

I have a gents Medale in gold in my shed. Belonged to my late uncle, who didn't use it much. My dad was going to tip it, it's too good for that so I "rescued" it. I've other bikes to ride though, so I'd be quite happy to let it go to a good home. Would you be interested?

It's not a five speed though, this one has ten. Later model?

[bovlomov]

..back then a 5 speed took me every where, even to Europe the following year.

Admit it! You've never been happier than you were with 5 gears. How many do you have now? Think of all the worries you've acquired. Responsibility. Unnecessary complications. Front changer. Wife.

Adam and Eve went around on 5 geared bikes. It all went wrong for them - and us - when they moved up to ten. It's not too late for you to return to that perfect innocence. Go on!

[reohn2]

..back then a 5 speed took me every where, even to Europe the following year.

Admit it! You've never been happier than you were with 5 gears. How many do you have now? Think of all the worries you've acquired. Responsibility. Unnecessary complications. Front changer. Wife.

Adam and Eve went around on 5 geared bikes. It all went wrong for them - and us - when they moved up to ten. It's not too late for you to return to that perfect innocence. Go on!

I blame the snake!

[bovlomov]

I blame the snake!

Who else could have come up with the front Derailleur?

[meic]

Who else could have come up with the front Derailleur?

Somebody who lived in a land where there be hills?

[reohn2]

Who else could have come up with the front Derailleur?

Somebody who lived in a land where there be hills?

I believe they even use them in Ireland

[DaveP]

Can't be the snake then!

[reohn2]

Can't be the snake then!

They were imported,the bikes I mean .

[Winged wheels]

Raudh495
Yes possibly. 24"?
I put a front on mine to get 10 gears as was the custom at the time.
Road it to work and "off road" including across lock gates how for the life of me I don't know. I'm near Bristol

On a trip to the Isle of Wight I hammered down a hill to find traffic lights ahead. Brakes worked, feeling good they felt spongy only to find that my new trendy aluminium rims had been cut through by a flint stuck in state of the fashion leather pads. I was leant a wheel to get on. Took it back having bought a new cheap and very serviceable steel rim leaving it for the owner to collect from cycle shop Such was the comrade of cyclists in 1979. Either that or they felt sorry for an over enthusiastic nieve 15 year old lone touring.

5 gears are fine.I have a utility bike now that I would have hidden from at the time 7 speed hub gears hub brakes and no maintenance.
Even road it through the Somerset floods a couple of years back. 18" water 22 mile each way commute in bear feet and SPD sandals.

Still keep a Steel Audax recently upgraded to a 11 speed cassette and a double on the front to give a get me home granny set.

[Winged wheels]

..back then a 5 speed took me every where, even to Europe the following year.

Admit it! You've never been happier than you were with 5 gears. How many do you have now? Think of all the worries you've acquired. Responsibility. Unnecessary complications. Front changer. Wife.

Adam and Eve went around on 5 geared bikes. It all went wrong for them - and us - when they moved up to ten. It's not too late for you to return to that perfect innocence. Go on!

I blame the snake!

Happiest days of my life...Tarp Triangia map compass no cares

[Winged wheels]

I have a gents Medale in gold in my shed. Belonged to my late uncle, who didn't use it much. My dad was going to tip it, it's too good for that so I "rescued" it. I've other bikes to ride though, so I'd be quite happy to let it go to a good home. Would you be interested?

It's not a five speed though, this one has ten. Later model?

Yes please don't tip it it has a soul.
Just found how to reply but have written a bit more too.
Any chance it's a 23/23"?

[Ruadh495]

It's certainly not going to the tip. I've even ridden it a bit, though the wheels (steel) badly need truing. I'll work out how to measure it.

I'm in Southampton BTW, so not too far away.

Your utility bike sounds remarkably like mine, hub gears, hub brakes, comfort bars, chaincase... Mines got a 250W motor as well and is currently wearing studded tyres. Does the job.

[Ruadh495]

Got a chance to measure it last night. It's a 21" seat tube, 23" top tube. 21/23?

[Winged wheels]

Sadly too short mine was a 21/22ish and I replaced it with an Eddy Mercxx 24" tourer, but thanks for the thought. The quest continues

I'm down for a wedding in Feb at Lower Swanswick, any nice routes that way? May stick my bike in the car to escape for a bit