Keep Calm and Carry On - an Update on Getting the '52 Raleigh Superbe Sports Tourist Back on the Road
It's becoming one of those projects. I thought I would buy the bike for $120, buy another B-66, (around $100), buy some Busch and Muller LED lights, (what, another $100), and maybe some Schwalbe Marathon tires to ward off goatheads.
That's a lot for an old bike, but it would be fun to get it going.
I got the hub working well, which made me very happy. And I have been going through rebuilding the bearings. Up until yesterday, it was all in surprisingly good shape. There's no rust in the seat and steering tubes. There was some rust on the locknut and cone of the pedals, but the cups and cones themselves are fine.
I'm working my way toward the front of the bike. I have a cotter press coming from Bikesmith, so I can remove the cotters gently in order to rebuild the bottom bracket. That should come this week.
Yesterday, I went to bend some of the dents out of the rim. When I took off the tires, I found the inner part of the rims to be completely rusted away in places. Uggg. I ordered some CR-18 rims, and I'm going to rebuild the wheels, but it's reached the point where the financial brakes are going on. I also ordered a full chain case off a 1950 Raleigh Sports. I wouldn't have done that if I had known I would also be buying new rims.
I am going to have to slow down. I think I won't be buying a B-66 until May. The lights can wait until late summer.
In the near future, I have to polish off my wheel building skills.
That's a lot for an old bike, but it would be fun to get it going.
I got the hub working well, which made me very happy. And I have been going through rebuilding the bearings. Up until yesterday, it was all in surprisingly good shape. There's no rust in the seat and steering tubes. There was some rust on the locknut and cone of the pedals, but the cups and cones themselves are fine.
I'm working my way toward the front of the bike. I have a cotter press coming from Bikesmith, so I can remove the cotters gently in order to rebuild the bottom bracket. That should come this week.
Yesterday, I went to bend some of the dents out of the rim. When I took off the tires, I found the inner part of the rims to be completely rusted away in places. Uggg. I ordered some CR-18 rims, and I'm going to rebuild the wheels, but it's reached the point where the financial brakes are going on. I also ordered a full chain case off a 1950 Raleigh Sports. I wouldn't have done that if I had known I would also be buying new rims.
I am going to have to slow down. I think I won't be buying a B-66 until May. The lights can wait until late summer.
In the near future, I have to polish off my wheel building skills.
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