If you are trying to determine the genealogy of your bicycle by it's features, go to our Vintage Bicycle Price Guide
which details bicycle features, wheel sizes, brake types, etc., as well as showing a price estimate for your old bicycle.
If you are trying to determine the make and model of your bicycle, go to our Vintage Bicycle Picture Database
which details bicycle features, wheel sizes, etc., as well as showing a price estimate for your vintage bicycle.
| I'm looking for info on a relatively obscure frame (almost no info available from Sheldon's site, Google, etc...). Frame is a Raleigh "Gran Tour", built with 531c tubing. Best guess is that frame is several decades old. Color=black w/ gold detailing, chrome fork and stay ends, "Raleigh" and "Gran Tour" in gold script. Did Raleigh ever actually sell a "Gran Tour" model?? Any info welcome! by: 216.113.168.128 |
| Sounds like a '80s Raleigh roadbike - try the '83 and '84 catalogues here: http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/catalogs/ -Kurt by: 64.12.116.198 |
| Kurt -- Thank You! Found that the GranTour was an "off the peg" frameset offered in (at least) '83 and '84, found detail on headset, fork, geometry, etc... Thanks again, Steve by: 216.113.168.128 |
| No problem - glad to help. -Kurt by: 205.188.117.138 |
| Hi I have just bought a Dutch-made gent's Fongers bicycle here in South Africa! Apparrently an old gentlemen brought it over with him from Holland and rode it untill he got too old. It has imitation-leather chain and rear wheel covers and only has a back pedal brakes, which are ineffective. The hub is a German-made Tornado hub. Any ideas on how to tighten up the braking mechanism? I will post a picture on my website www.oldbikes.741.com in the near future. I have no idea on how old this bike is, but my gut feel tells me its a grandpa! :-) Regards Charl by: 155.232.250.19 |
| almost all european coasters are the same. You will need to take it apart and clean all parts.Be carefull and remember how the parts come apart---take your time.European coasters are somewhat more complated than American coasters but still not hard to re-build. To dismantle the brake,put it in a vise sprocket side down.Remove cone lock nut and brake cone.By lifting the wheel,the entire internals of the hub can now be removed. to adjust the brake while the wheel is in the bicycle: 1 Loosen both axel nuts 2 loosen cone lock nut and turn axle by the square on the right end of it. 3Retighten the lock nut--should be just a trace of side play for proper adj. If the hub is dragging eather dirty or over tight cones. If it does not stop--lightly sand the inside of the hub and /or replace the brake band.Pre war torpedos had over-size replacement brake bands---so the hub could be rebuilt almost for ever!---sam by: 69.148.172.76 |
| I would suggest taking the rear hub apart and clean the parts. The brake may work better. The cover for the chaincase is still available at a lot of Dutch bike shops. That style of bike is still made. by: 216.95.55.97 |
| Charl,The german built torpado hub was the longest running coaster(back-pedal)hub built.built from 1905 till the 1980s.It under went changes(got cheeper) as time went along.But it is still a good hub.If your lucky to have a pre-war hub you have a very fine hub.I a day or so I'll find you the info on this hub---get back to you later---sam by: 24.175.182.157 |
| Thanks Sam for all the info :-) Please take a look at the picture of the hub posted on my website http://www.oldbikes.741.com and let me know if you think its pre-war Regards Charl by: 198.54.202.250 |
| Hi, Out of respect for everyone's time and expertise, I have spent quite a bit of internet time trying to find a picture that looks like the cool bike I found by a dumpster. It's rusty and not worth anything, but I don't care about that--I just want to make it rideable (a friend is helping w. that) and to find out where it came from. How do I tell a Raleigh Triumph from a Triumph Triumph?! The bike says "Triumph" everywhere (the down tube and the metal label on the front). The catch is, it's a ladies' bike, and it has coaster brakes. I can't find anything with coaster brakes and don't know much at all about bikes. Any thoughts? Thanks so much, Julia PS: if anyone has ideas, I'll take a pic and post it. by: 64.8.238.115 |
| Another way to see if its a Raleigh is to observe where the rear mudguards attach to the frame. If the eyelets are directly behind the wheel axle, it's a Raleigh. If they are positioned somewhat above or higher than the axle, it's usually not. by: 70.51.124.151 |
| Where the handlebar stem goes into the bike there is a nut on top of another nut that holds the fork into the bike. Take a look at those nuts and see if the one on a Raleig matches your bike. Look at the small nuts and bolts and see if they match your bike. by: 68.41.204.197 |
| I forgot to mention it is a ONE speed, not a three speed. by: 64.8.238.115 |
| Take a look at a Raleigh bicycle. Notice the type of headsset on the Raleigh bike. Now, is this exact type of headset on your bike? If so, then your Triumph is really a Raleigh. If not, then your bike is made by Triumph. Chances are your bike is made by Raleigh. Raleigh took over Triumph's bicycle making activities a long time ago. They stuck the Triumph name on their own bikes. If you are from outside the U.S. and it is an old, old bike then it is possible that you have a real Triumph made bike. Let us know. by: 68.41.204.197 |
| Hi Chris, Thanks for such a quick response! Since I don't know what the "headset" is and it's not in the glossary, I'm going to assume you mean somewhere around the handlebars? In any event, it looks very much like the posted picture of the 1971 women's triumph in the database [http://oldroads.com/pqdb_img.asp?p=http://oldroads.com/z8etr1.jpg&mod=&mak=Triumph] except, here again, it's not a three speed and it doesn't have hand brakes. Other parts have been modified by the previous owner, which doesn't make things easier. Where do I find the serial number? I've looked everywhere on the frame and can't find it. Forgive me for being so slow... (or as we say here, "retahdid"). Thank you for your help! 'J. by: 64.8.238.115 |
| You guys are sooo nice. Thank you for all your help. I think based on the dropout (is that the right word?), that it is indeed a Raleigh. It's been a lot of fun trying to research this poor lonely bike; now I can see why you are all so hooked! Thanks again, Julia :) by: 64.8.238.115 |
| Hi, does anyone have a later-model SA plastic cover for trigger shift they could spare? It's the late 70s cover vintage (the one that has the big SA in red letters and the numbers for the gears are I II and III). It's for a 78 Tourist. I can't seem to find this particular model and I have an early 70s clear model that doesn't fit to great on there now. Thanks for the help. by: 64.252.169.156 |
| I've got a dozen of these new in the pack. $10 gets you one shipped. Drop me a line. by: 70.51.124.151 |
| Most shops that keep a few Sturmey-Archer spares in the back have the black/silver shifters, sometimes NOS. Usually around $10. Although, if you like, I'll trade the black facing from the replacement trigger on my '73 Sports for your clear one (which is what my '73 should have in the first place). Drop me a line at cudak888@aol.com if this sounds good to you. Take care, -Kurt by: 152.163.100.198 |
| I need tips on how to remove a chaincase from a 50's rudge roadster ? thanks Keats by: 66.227.29.201 |
| Hi, This is the way I do it. Remove the Chainwheel cover first. This should slide up and over the pedal, (as long as somebody hasn't fitted enormouse new ones). Remove the quadrant cover from the back of the chaincase, (don't lose the screws). Remove the chain, (find the split link and break it there but don't lose the clip). Remove the chainwheel, (try not to damage the cotter pin.) Undo the chrome bracket from the chainstay. Using a socket undo the bolt from behind the chainwheel. Now with a bit of jiggleing you can tilt the case and slide it off. It is easier with the rear wheel removed. To refit do the whole thing in reverse. You will need a piece of wire to feed the chain back around the chainwheel. I took one off a few days back and it took me about 30 minutes. Hope this helps. Regards, Tim by: 213.249.150.36 |