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Bicycle identification?


lightweight

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Anybody any good at identifying bikes?

 

Picked one up for £30 at W&P. I thought at first that it was a Raleigh ('cos it said so on the chain guard!) but now I'm pretty sure it isn't.

 

It has a large S on the front lamp holder and the serial number, which is underneath the crank, is S021, and possibly another 1 after that and an R (hidden under brake assembly) - piccies below. You can also just see in the photo JTW to the right of the brake rod if you look - couldn't see it in the flesh but shows up well in the photo.

 

100_0144.jpg

 

100_0145.jpg

 

It's a girly shape frame with rod brakes and no gears. It was originally black but has has badly overpainted (in black). The mudguards and chain guard were originally cream or white - although I don't now think that they are original. Grateful for any help!

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By the mid 1930's many independent bicycle manufacturers had been absorbed into the Raleigh empire and were hardly distinguishable from one another except by the headstock badge or transfer. There were a number of makes starting with S, Swift comes to mind as well as those already mentioned.

 

The problem is the S lamp bracket may well have started life on a different bike entirely and replaced a broken one. What would be helpful would be a few more 'photos including one of the crank design and chain guard.

 

You really need to go pre-1920 for really distinctive features on bicycles. From the little one can see of this machine it looks late 1930's - 1950's.

 

What makes you think it isn't a Raleigh, apart from the lamp bracket ?

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Just woken up long enough to pass this on. Belive it or not, one of the best places for info on old bikes is Harlow Musuem. They have a very good collection. I don't recognise the manufacturesr mark. As for pasties, never turn down free food , free tea or a chance of a P** :-D

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As I understand it, all Raleighs have the frame number stamped on the upright under the saddle. This one is underneath the crank. Also, you can look up Raleigh frame numbers and this one doesn't correspond to the archive

 

100_0146.jpg

 

I think the chain guard might be Raleigh.....

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I have an idea that Raleigh used 26 per inch threads on their bottom brackets and fork stems and most other makes used something coarser. Used to cause us no end of problems putting field bikes together with parts from the dump.

 

We owners of older Nortons have an obsession with cycle threads ! lovely large core diameters and resistance to loosening off.

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