1957 Raleigh Superbe Restoration Thread

For discussions about bikes and equipment.
Suffolker
Posts: 149
Joined: 5 Jul 2014, 7:04am

Re: 1957 Raleigh Superbe Restoration Thread

Post by Suffolker »

Best of luck with the restoration.

I have a later Raleigh Superbe, which I bought new in the early 1980's from a now-defunct cycle shop in Lowestoft. I think it was one of the last sold new. By then, the headlight had changed to a more rectangular plastic model, the battery backup had gone, and it has a rear rack. It came with a Brooks B33 in brown with black paintwork, a modest toolkit and a decent frame pump.

At the time, I had a difficult decision, as I had to choose between the green Superbe, which fitted me, and a brand-new black Raleigh "police" cycle, which did not.

It's a very nice cycle to ride, and I like the "stately progress" it makes. Just the thing for summer days.
iandusud
Posts: 1577
Joined: 26 Mar 2018, 1:35pm

Re: 1957 Raleigh Superbe Restoration Thread

Post by iandusud »

Suffolker wrote: 6 Apr 2021, 10:42am Best of luck with the restoration.

I have a later Raleigh Superbe, which I bought new in the early 1980's from a now-defunct cycle shop in Lowestoft. I think it was one of the last sold new. By then, the headlight had changed to a more rectangular plastic model, the battery backup had gone, and it has a rear rack. It came with a Brooks B33 in brown with black paintwork, a modest toolkit and a decent frame pump.

At the time, I had a difficult decision, as I had to choose between the green Superbe, which fitted me, and a brand-new black Raleigh "police" cycle, which did not.

It's a very nice cycle to ride, and I like the "stately progress" it makes. Just the thing for summer days.
I actually sold a few of those in the eighties and everyone had a rubbing chaincase and they were b*ggers to set up so that they didn't rub somewhere (which is presumably why they didn't do it properly at the factory). Weighed a ton and unless the rims were built up totally concentric the brakes would snatch. But they are lovely :D
Krashper
Posts: 84
Joined: 4 Apr 2021, 8:33pm

Re: 1957 Raleigh Superbe Restoration Thread

Post by Krashper »

Today I was at work so less time but I managed to remove the majority of the dry rust seen in the last photos from the pitted areas, sanded all the tubes and hard to reach spots with P120 grit and applied Hammerite Kurust rust converter to the whole frame to stabilise any remaining rust. That's it for the frame for now, I'll need a sunny day to lay the primer. I don't know how long that will take here in Wales, we had hailstones today... :shock:

Most of that Kurust will probably have to come off anyway before the primer, I hear Zinc182 looses some of its adhesion strength when used on other products as opposed to bare metal:

https://passionford.com/forum/restorati ... ectly.html

It's no problem I only needed it to kill any remaining rust in unreachable areas i.e in the scars and lug joints, I'll might do a quick test of Zinc182 on Kurust on some scrap pipe tomorrow but if its no good I'll just sand it off...

Great post there by @iandusud, indeed I have checked the RH cup and I was lucky as this bike's bb was well preserved. Heck I might even throw the 64year old bearings back in, there is no pitting in them at all. My model bb is the 26tpi bb so that would cause difficulties, I had a look on ebay out of curiosity and there's none listed now, no wonder the last time I listed a pair they got snatched up real quick despite having a crack in the thread AND pitting AND deep ball wear :lol:

I hear Phil makes a very pricey set of 26tpi adapters for fitting cartridge bb's into old raleighs... Alternatively you could grind the shell down from 71mm to 68mm and face it to fit a threadless cartridge. I've done that once before with a hand file by eye but it's a ball-ache and I'd rather avoid it.

As for removing that cup, I decided I rather leave it frozen. Out of the two I prefer a frozen fixed cup than one that keeps undoing... It's sitting on there snuggly so I'm not gonna disturb it.
Attachments
DSCN0255.JPG
DSCN0252.JPG
Krashper
Posts: 84
Joined: 4 Apr 2021, 8:33pm

Re: 1957 Raleigh Superbe Restoration Thread

Post by Krashper »

Also to any future readers struggling with fixed cups, I highly recommend looking up the nut and bolt removal method. All you need is a 14mm - 17mm right hand threaded nut and bolt and you just screw it on around the cup. Because the fixed cup is left threaded (British) tightening the nut and bolt will undo the fixed cup. Just be prepared to have a pain removing the bolt from the cup...

Also this only works on British thread so shouldn't be attempted on vintage French and Italian frames as they are right hand threaded on the fixed side.
iandusud
Posts: 1577
Joined: 26 Mar 2018, 1:35pm

Re: 1957 Raleigh Superbe Restoration Thread

Post by iandusud »

Good news about the fixed cup. Definitely better left in place if it's in good nick. If you think that the cups are difficult to get I can imagine that a replacement bb spindle for one of those would be very rare these days. As you point out the bb shell is wider than non-Raleigh and with GCC (Gear case clearance). Probably like hen's teeth - and I used to have loads of them!
robc02
Posts: 1824
Joined: 23 Apr 2009, 7:12pm
Location: Stafford

Re: 1957 Raleigh Superbe Restoration Thread

Post by robc02 »

If you do come across a Raleigh BB spindle for sale, identifying it correctly, especially via ebay emails etc., can be tricky. This info should help:
RaleighBB1.jpg
EDIT: They do seem to go on and on. They normally had a simple pressed steel sleeve* protecting the bearings from debris falling from the frame tubes. At the same time it allowed lubricant from the grease/oil port on top of the BB shell to get to where it was needed. Simple but effective.
* It was hardly a sleeve, more of a strip of metal folded into a roughly tubular shape and left unwelded so that it would spring into position.
jb
Posts: 1782
Joined: 6 Jan 2007, 12:17pm
Location: Clitheroe

Re: 1957 Raleigh Superbe Restoration Thread

Post by jb »

And a plain bearing option for those who find the hills just not difficult enough. :D
Cheers
J Bro
Krashper
Posts: 84
Joined: 4 Apr 2021, 8:33pm

Re: 1957 Raleigh Superbe Restoration Thread

Post by Krashper »

That's really good info there, diagrams and old paper manuals like that become rarer and scarcer to get a hold of. Also I do still have the bb sleeve. I just took it off to clean the shell out and to take the snap but it's definitely going back in as I plan to run the original oil setup. :D
iandusud
Posts: 1577
Joined: 26 Mar 2018, 1:35pm

Re: 1957 Raleigh Superbe Restoration Thread

Post by iandusud »

robc02 wrote: 7 Apr 2021, 12:33pm If you do come across a Raleigh BB spindle for sale, identifying it correctly, especially via ebay emails etc., can be tricky. This info should help:

RaleighBB1.jpg

EDIT: They do seem to go on and on. They normally had a simple pressed steel sleeve* protecting the bearings from debris falling from the frame tubes. At the same time it allowed lubricant from the grease/oil port on top of the BB shell to get to where it was needed. Simple but effective.
* It was hardly a sleeve, more of a strip of metal folded into a roughly tubular shape and left unwelded so that it would spring into position.
Wow I haven't seen those Raleigh part numbers in years. I used to able to quote loads of them. I remember a lady called Doris who took the orders at a wholesaler who would rattle off the part numbers for every Raleigh part they stocked, and there were thousands. If you asked for an obscure part like bush or something you would hear on the other end of the phone saying RHA652 or whatever as she wrote down the order.
Krashper
Posts: 84
Joined: 4 Apr 2021, 8:33pm

Re: 1957 Raleigh Superbe Restoration Thread

Post by Krashper »

Took a day off today, used the sand blaster at work to strip the forks. Looks pretty neat. The advantage to this is that I don't need to sand prior to primer. Also the abrasion is random and not directional as with sand paper so there won't be any directional weakness in the primer.

As you can see in the photos, at some point in the bike's life someone lost their keys or the bike was stolen and the fork lock was sawed open. You can also see the key hole nickel plate got mangled from unsuccessful attempts at picking it open.
Attachments
DSCN0266.JPG
DSCN0265.JPG
DSCN0264.JPG
DSCN0260.JPG
DSCN0257.JPG
Krashper
Posts: 84
Joined: 4 Apr 2021, 8:33pm

Re: 1957 Raleigh Superbe Restoration Thread

Post by Krashper »

I won't be needing it this time as my fork lock is no longer functional but if anyone else reading this ever needs to remove a raleigh fork lock for painting purposes or to cut a new key, attached is a great resource I found on another bike forum. It's a step by step guide on how to remove it.

If you are missing a key you can still use this method but you'll have to familiarise yourself with the basics of lock picking. It's fairly easy, lots of tutorials on youtube, LockPickingLawyer has some good videos on the subject.
Attachments
raleigh_fork_lock.jpg
rjb
Posts: 7200
Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 10:25am
Location: Somerset (originally 60/70's Plymouth)

Re: 1957 Raleigh Superbe Restoration Thread

Post by rjb »

Krashper wrote: 6 Apr 2021, 10:31pm Also to any future readers struggling with fixed cups, I highly recommend looking up the nut and bolt removal method. All you need is a 14mm - 17mm right hand threaded nut and bolt and you just screw it on around the cup. Because the fixed cup is left threaded (British) tightening the nut and bolt will undo the fixed cup. Just be prepared to have a pain removing the bolt from the cup...

Also this only works on British thread so shouldn't be attempted on vintage French and Italian frames as they are right hand threaded on the fixed side.
And use the same nut and bolt to replace it but use a socket on the end of an extension throught the bottom bracket. clockwise from inside the shell is anticlockwise from outside. :wink:

Can you post a pic of the luv system for your BB. My vintage Raleigh twenty has a hole in the bottom bracket set to the drive side and the axle is visible within. I assume this is to enable one to drop oil onto the drive side balls.
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 :D
Krashper
Posts: 84
Joined: 4 Apr 2021, 8:33pm

Re: 1957 Raleigh Superbe Restoration Thread

Post by Krashper »

Do you mean this? I call it an oil pip... :) Mine is on the drive side but sometimes they are on the ND
Attachments
DSCN0274.JPG
DSCN0273.JPG
DSCN0272.JPG
rjb
Posts: 7200
Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 10:25am
Location: Somerset (originally 60/70's Plymouth)

Re: 1957 Raleigh Superbe Restoration Thread

Post by rjb »

My hole is under the bottom bracket. No flip cover to keep dirt out, just a hole. Is yours a hole too or is there a tube within to direct the lube to where it's needed?
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 :D
rjb
Posts: 7200
Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 10:25am
Location: Somerset (originally 60/70's Plymouth)

Re: 1957 Raleigh Superbe Restoration Thread

Post by rjb »

There's some good advice here from an earlier thread on Raleigh steering locks. viewtopic.php?t=10397
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 :D
Post Reply