Raleigh 1959 Touring sprocket number?

[43576]

Hi, I have an old Raleigh Touring 1959, I was wondering what the original sprocket number is as my 25 seems too high and I am struggling to pedal away from the start, the previous own must have changed the sprocket numbers to greater.

[mattsccm]

You may well find that what you have is close to original. People didn't go in for low gears like we do today. Might I suggest a Raleigh group on Facebook as there you might find those who have the detailed knowledge of such a bike. You may find a copy of a brochure on line but I doubt it would go into such detail.

[Chris Jeggo]

Hi, I have an old Raleigh Touring 1959, I was wondering what the original sprocket number is as my 25 seems too high and I am struggling to pedal away from the start, the previous own must have changed the sprocket numbers to greater.

25 strikes me as a curious number - too small for a chainwheel and too large for a rear sprocket. I would expect a bike like that to be geared to something like 46 x 18.

[Carlton green]

Hi, I have an old Raleigh Touring 1959, I was wondering what the original sprocket number is as my 25 seems too high and I am struggling to pedal away from the start, the previous own must have changed the sprocket numbers to greater.

25 strikes me as a curious number - too small for a chainwheel and too large for a rear sprocket. I would expect a bike like that to be geared to something like 46 x 18.

From what I’ve been reading today it was common to fit a four speed freewheel and the maximum sized sprocket might well have just 25 teeth.

Edit. See: viewtopic.php?t=139173
Bikes as standard were fitted with Benelux four speed freewheel and derailleur, the fitting of hub gears was a chargeable upgrade.
Edit. At that time the largest sprocket available for an SA hub gear was 22 teeth, the standard fit was much smaller than that (say circa 17 teeth).

[TrevA]

Is this a fixed wheel or single speed?

If it’s a freewheel, then 25 could be the biggest sprocket, but that should be OK for starting off unless it’s a steep hill. Or is it a Sturmey Archer hub gear? If it’s a Dawn Tourist or Sports Tourist, then it should be a hub gear.

https://www.icenicam.org.uk/library/Ral ... e_1959.pdf

[Chris Jeggo]

I guessed it is like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125565123458 ... d_source=1, i.e. with SA hub gears.

[Brucey]

photos?

[ANTONISH]

I was touring in the pyrenees in 1967.
I had a 2x10 set up with small chainring of 45t and largest rear sprocket of 25t - at the time it seemed like a very low gear.
I think 25 t is probably the original size of your Raleigh.