Hi all, i have a '74 Raleigh Superbe that I recently purchased. It looks like it's been stored for most of its life (no rust, barely any scratches, etc), and I was going to give it some TLC to make sure it has a long healthy life. I would venture a guess that the hubs have never been repacked and I'm wondering if anyone has wisdom worth sharing in regards to servicing the front dynohub. I have an exploded diagram of the construction, but a step-step instruction set would be useful. Can anyone help? thanks!! Patrick by: 128.233.48.32 |
Hi patrick, other than lubricating the bearings there's really nothing to be done with the dynohub if it is still working. Stick to the mechanics maxim. Don't fix what isn't broke. Matthew - less meddling more pedalling by: 82.20.56.58 |
Hi Matthew, That's basically what I was referring to. I wasn't sure if I need to take apart the whole deal to get to the bearings. I assume by your response that I don't. Thanks! by: 128.233.48.32 |
No, in fact you don't want to take it apart at all, because then it stops putting out the juice. Read up on it before you take it apart. Google is your friend. by: 70.231.249.104 |
The great mess up that the novices make with the dynohub is (a drum roll)........... They seperate the magnet from it's keeper. This makes the thing worthless, so don't go yanking parts apart. Somebody had this electronic gizmo thing that ressurects wacked dynohubs that suffered from seperated- keeper-itis. We discussed this here before awhile back. by: 205.188.116.134 |
One fellow rubbed steel wool across it and brushed the terminals and shorted his dynohub out. So watch it, keep the steel wool away from dynohubs. Then was running into coconuts that had fallen into the road. Don't know if he took a fall or not. That was interesting, not every day you hear that. Lokking forward to sciencemonster's L.E.D. dynohub light update! by: 205.188.116.134 |
Ok, so I can regrease/repack the bearing without having to take the dynohub apart. Is that right? thanks! by: 128.233.48.32 |
I did, but I got nervous pulling one side off and ended up squirting grease in without removing the side with the contacts. I couldn't see how to get the axle out without the magnet coming with it. I have an old hub, though. If no one answers here, you should go look up an exploded diagram or manual. They are around. Whatever you do, don't pull the magnet apart. by: 70.231.249.104 |
See Sheldon's Dynohub page http://sheldonbrown.com/dynohubs.html about halfway down. by: 209.113.156.138 |
farting around the other day I laced a SA three speed coaster into a wiennmann 700c rim, thought I would make a theftproof coffee shop type bike. grabbed a sports that was sans wheels and put it in there, it fits pretty good with a 1"-1/8" tire, almost hits the rear reflector nut, but not to close. strapped the brake arm, and moved the brake pads to fit the taller rims. it looks really good with the taller tires and seems to handle ok. I like things original and all, but I really dislike rolling up and down on 26" steel wheels. braking is pretty durned good with the three options as well. I think that for my next trick I will make a single speed sports with knobby tires and better brakes. anything to beat back the boredom and enrage people at the next MBT event I go to. jason by: 208.54.198.75 |
I also enjoy "creating" new rides. I have a 50's Dunelt Sports built up as a fixed wheel with all alloy parts including some rare vintage alloy EA3 rims. A great bike. This subject came up as an "american roadster" thread a few years ago. by: 24.224.141.224 |
Skys the limit!Roadster(and sports) are great frames for kustomizing.A cool example from a friend in Dallas. |
And being the show-off I am..... My bike based on a DL-1 frame.V brakes and Winnmann roadster 635mm rims |
I love that modified Sports especially the brandy flask!. Yours is sweet too Sam. The real fun is in the design of these bikes....taking all of your appropriate surplus parts (as well as those already built into a bike ) and "creating" a new bike. You usually end of with both beautiful and practical machines. by: 24.224.141.224 |
those bikes are great, really love the two tone chainring. took a ride for the first time on the new rig yesterday. fenders rock, the wheels are much better for me on a ten plus mile ride, but the riding position will take a lot of getting used to. the sit up and beg thing is totaly new to me, and I did have to walk one hill, cause this is the first time I have ridden rubber platforms since I was about ten. glad to know that customizing does not blow to many fuses, cause Ive got lots of plans and tons of parts. fixed gear here I come.jason by: 4.253.71.227 |
So chaps are you up for the disc brake challenge? Surely it can be done? I wonder whether a Raleigh Activator front fork will fit a roadster frame? Sam I love the Vee braked bike, shame it wasn't hooked up with a four speed hub but I do understand the use of derallieur for the hills. Matthew - more ideas than a robot wars contestant by: 82.20.56.58 |
Raleigh's famed tubular fork crown front fork is not rebuildable. The frame builder handed it back to me advising to go find another fork. Am not familiar with the Activator model so I can't say. by: 66.51.146.59 |
Sam - What bottom bracket and crankset do you have on your bike? Looks cool! -Brian by: 63.150.227.63 |
Since you are accepting of modified British 3 speeds I thought I would try to push the purists over the top. I built a 3 speed tripple butted, track cranked, stronglite headset, 700c wheeled, sturmey Archer 1950 AW and Normandy hubbed, brooks swift seated, 23 pound (by bathroom scale), french racing blue, nitto bared, Nishiki this weekend. It is a lot of fun to ride! Comments. I'd show a picture but I don't have a site. Ron by: 75.67.133.117 |
Gentlemen, I want to buy a mid 50's green 28" fully equipped Raleigh Roadster. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Best regards, Kit by: 64.12.117.13 |
Is Edward still looking for one? I have one---free(U pay shipping)It's used--but should work for a rider---pie plate only---sam by: 68.91.255.32 |
Sick in bed- Looking thru back issues of Cycling and Mopeds back from the 1960's' The article I found mentioned that after consulting with local authorities (and they were mentioned) at the end of the year 1961. That Brampton fittings that already was a member of the Tube Investments group of companies would be closing down. The article went on to say that this was due to the previously announced merger of Raleigh and Tube Investments companies. I will bring in the exact article and do another post quoting the article exactly. It was the slickest way I have ever seen of saying: They are all due to lose their jobs at Christmas-time. With this happening across the board and production being shifted towards Nottingham this must have really bit hard. Brampton fittings made a great tremendous amount of things especially parts for a whole lot of bicycles. We know Brampton as the maker of the 3 speed Hercules type rear bicycle hub. The kind with the threaded drivers that Sturmey- Archer moved away from. My question is what happened to all that whole complete machine shop that was already making whole complete assemblies of 3 speed A.W.type Sturmey- Archer pattern hubs, shifters, cables, cable clamp parts, headsets, bottombrackets and all the other products too numerous to mention? Did it go to Austria? Was 1962 or 1963, the year after Brampton fittings closed the year that Steryr- Daimler- Puch set up operations in Graz, Austria in order to make out of Patent A.W. clones? Exactly where did all this tooling go to? What happened to all those decades of back inventory, the collection of historic bicycles, memorbelia, paper information, and things collected over those many years? This is like the Schwinn company being sold and the family selling off the family's cycle collection. Exactly the same thing happened at Brampton Fittings. I can just imagine little 2 year old Hillary Stone being held aloft sitting on his fathers shoulders as daddy bought the remains of a great company at a bankruptcy sale! Oh come on, as good as Hillary is, you know he had one heck of a good teacher! I'm being silly here- but now that I think about this. They were not bankrupt, just quietly closing due to a merger with Raleigh. What a merger, by the way. The parent of the the company you work for swallows up another company namely Raleigh. You would think that then, Raleigh would be the ones being shut down. Swallowed up into T.I. Nope! Just because Raleigh had opened up a new wing of the Nottingham factory they were the newer and better place to centralise production. Does not make sense. And to do such a number on Birmingham, England who was very involved in the cycle trade. It all hit the brick wall, really, back in the early 1960's. by: 66.51.146.59 |
We will study all the other companies that closed down, suddenly,and really soon after this merger of Raleigh, T.I. and what all was the British Cycle Corporation. Finding out what happened to all of it, where it went and where it is today. by: 66.51.146.59 |
I only have 1 hub from Brampton. That one I won't let go. Very smooth. I also have a Steyr hub very nice. This was my favorite era. BCC is sought after by collectors that have many Raleigh Bicycles. by: 68.69.73.213 |
1852 Frederick Brampton started his own business in Birmingham..... |
second try |
Thanks Sam! That makes it over One Hundred years of back inventory, collected cycles, historical objects, paper notes, the real estate, must have been a sight to see it all come tumbling down. Gee, Where it is all now? by: 66.51.146.59 |
I have two Brampton 3-speed hubs. One is in use as a component of a ladies' Royce Union (made in Holland) bicycle. The other is on the shelf as a spare, in my barn at 678 Blunk Ave., Plymouth, Michigan, USA 48170-1163. If anyone needs it, I shall make it available. by: 4.229.21.5 |