Sunday, March 22, 2009

The Raleigh folly

Am I crazy? A few weeks ago I sold my four-year-old, spotlessly clean, perfectly good, department store mountain bike for $30, and on Sunday I bought this 36-year-old, dusty, dented, scratched, slightly rusty Raleigh LTD-3 with two flat tires for $15.

Raleigh folly or find? Only time and elbow grease will tell.
Heron head badgeHeron head chainringRear fender-benderSturmey-Archer hub dated "73 2"

Honestly, I didn't think it was still possible to buy an old Raleigh bike in reasonable condition for a mere $15. Low-priced, quality vintage bikes on craigslist seem to be snapped up in minutes, while the lesser quality vintage bikes keep showing up like unclaimed luggage on the baggage carousel. I decided to look a little further outside the big city, thinking there might be less competition from the "bike flippers" who buy and sell for a profit. A few days ago, I spotted an ad for a "Women's Classic Bike - $15". It contained a very brief description, stating that the bike was in good condition with very little rust and had been stored in a basement. Here's the photo that accompanied the ad:

It looked like a Raleigh to me, but I'm certainly no expert. At $15, I was sure it would be gone in a flash if it was a Raleigh, and since it was located quite a distance away, I hardly had a chance at beating anyone to the prize anyway. To my surprise, the ad was still active on Saturday, so I sent an email inquiring about the make and model. The reply was Raleigh, and after debating whether it was worth the drive, I decided to call and get more details. The owner agreed to hold it for me until Sunday, and actually took a half hour off my drive by meeting me at a closer location where she had an appointment that morning.

The exchange was made, and as soon as the seller departed, my daughter (who had accompanied me on my little adventure) jumped out of the car to examine the bike we had come so far to buy. Right away she spotted the beautiful chainring, which I explained was a heron's head, the symbol of Raleigh. She begged me to go for a test ride around the parking lot, but the flat tires made it impossible. I was surprised how small the bike seemed, especially the wheels, compared to the giant 700s on my other bike. I'm really looking forward to the feel of curvy handlebars again (though it may be a while!).

After a morning spent driving through the beautiful countryside of eastern Pennsylvania, I arrived home with my prize. I dreaded the reaction from my husband, thinking he wouldn't be able to see past the scratches and dents, but once again he surprised me. He couldn't wait to get it down from my car's bike rack and have a look at it. "I used to have a Raleigh," he said. I hastened to acknowledge its flaws before he said anything negative about the bike, but when I pointed out the dents, he replied, "I can take care of them." At that point, I knew the bike had passed muster. It was worth $15.

Then he said, "So how much could you sell it for?"

17 comments:

  1. Great find - such a cute bike! Can't wait to see what you do with it.

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  2. This is a lovely bike. I hope you can get it working properly. You surely need to invest some time (or money), but all the more you will enjoy it afterwards ;-).

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  3. @Dottie - The first thing I will do with it is clean it! But I will wait for a warm, sunny day so I can enjoy the labor outside. And a basket is definitely in its future!

    @anna - Yes, if I can learn how to fix it myself, it will mean so much more than if I took it to a shop and paid to have it fixed. I can't wait to put new tires on it so I can take it for a test ride!

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  4. I think it's a good buy. Sure you'll put a little money and some elbow grease into it but ultimately, you've got a prize.

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  5. You have a talent for sniffing out great bike deals, don't you? This could be a beauty and for $15 it was worth the risk. There are no finds like this on Nashville craigslist, that's for sure!

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  6. Don't encourage her please Trisha!!

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  7. @She Rides a Bike - Hopefully it needs more elbow grease than money! One of the reasons I wanted an old bike is that they were "built to last", especially the Sturmey-Archer hub. Replacing derailleurs and more complicated parts can get expensive, so I was hoping for a 3-speed or cruiser.

    @Trisha - Maybe not so much talent as too much time spent on craigslist! This would have been gone in a nanosecond on the Philadelphia craigslist, so I checked other areas of Pennsylvania. It's a good thing I drive a Prius, so the gas only added about $6 to the actual cost.

    @Anonymous - Darling, you gave me all the encouragement I needed by cleaning out the garage and making room for more bikes! Now I'm on the hunt for a vintage men's Raleigh for you, and maybe a cool banana seat bike for my little bike buddy...

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  8. You definitely found a gem! It's always a little bit of a thrill to see someone find such a great secondhand bike and it always makes me appreciate the quality of "yesteryear" as well as the wonderful design of the machine we call "Bike". Great find--happy trails!

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  9. @meligrosa - Thanks, now we both have two blue bikes! How did that happen?? (I was really hoping for something green this time.) But nothing compares with The Frenchie, IMO.

    @smerkinb - Yes, you saw how excited I was about your two great finds! And your experiences have me expecting a few bumps in the road along the way. I'm glad I have my one-year-old bike to ride while I work on this one.

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  10. You done well there,It is a Beautiful Bike a Real Classic.I had a Raleigh Triumph when a Teenager back in 1967 and I think it was the best Bike I ever had. I never ever got a Puncture and it was as Smooth as Silk with Dunlop Tyres and Sturmey Archer Three Speed GEars. I had it for about 7-8 Years and I sold it and got a Peugeot Racer which I Hated,I always had problems with it and I regretted getting Rid of the Raleigh. I would like to get an Old 1960ties Raleigh myself.

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  11. ooh.. there's something addictive about taking some steel wool to the cranks and rims and watching them shine... the raleigh addiction is curable... ride ride ride.

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  12. @le homme - I'm sure there are plenty of old Raleighs hiding in sheds around Ireland. Maybe you just have to ask around or look out in the countryside.

    @Chiara - I imagine it will be as rewarding as when I polished the 1930s chrome chandelier that came with our house. I just love reviving old gems.

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  13. Thats why she married me!!

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  14. Great find. I got a Raleigh 3-speed last fall, and I love it. If it doesn't seem like it's shifting right, have some patience and don't do anything drastic. The guys on the Classic & Vintage forum at BikeForums.net can help if you need it.

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  15. Great deal! I just pulled a men's LTD-3 from the trash and it needs a LOT more work and new parts than yours until it's road worthy again.

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  16. @Doohickie - Thanks for directing me to the C&V forum - I got so immersed in reading old threads that I forgot to thank you! I read all about your Raleigh - it looks beautiful now! Something for me to aspire to, although I move slower than molasses. I'm hoping to get back to working on it this weekend.

    @Minamin - Hey, FREE sure beats my deal! I love hearing about bikes that were rescued from the trash, especially Raleighs - they should never die. Have any photos?

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