Bad news from the shop: lady Raleigh needs a new rear wheel.
Oh lady Raleigh, you're suddenly so much pricier.
Siiiiiiiiiiiiiigh.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
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12 comments:
Was it the hub, or just the rim?
Oh, I feel your pain. I bought a '72 Raleigh LTD-3 back in March...and I was *so excited* by my wicked deal (ha) despite the fact the bike was fairly decrepit. "How expensive can it be to fix her up? She'll still be a bargain," I thought.
Welp--I've now invested about $250 in her so far...and the wheels should definitely be replaced. Plus the gears still aren't working right, despite an overhaul by some local mechanics...it feels like there's no end in sight for repairs.
I do love vintage bikes, but the cost to get 'em rideworthy? Not so much.
(PS I recently found your blog...and I'm enjoying it very much! :)
Oogh. Dented or cracked? Not much else will kill one of those rims.
Good luck finding a donor rim (or wheel). Honestly, it's about the worst thing that can happen to the bike, and it'll probably never happen again.
If you don't mind the upgrade, see about a new Sun CR-18 alloy rim; you can re-lace the front one with a matching new one later this summer when you have the funds. Maybe make it a Boston Reto Wheelmen group project.
Then you'll have the added bonus of a 2 lb. lighter bike, and much better stopping in the rain, even with generic brake pads.
And you'll know how to lace a wheel!
Feel better, poor ladies!
portlandize: Not sure exactly. I got a voicemail this afternoon and haven't had a chance yet to call back or stop over. They said that a few of the spokes had broken off when they were working on it, and upon closer inspection, there was some serious rust damage. I guess I should take some comfort in the fact that they also thought it looked okay initially and were predicting just a half tuneup? Guh.
DAM: Thanks. I knew I wasn't totally sure what I would be getting myself into with this, too; but I was just like, oh the little old lady who sold it to me seems so sweet and interesting, and oh, check out this vintage Brooks saddle, and oh, I'll just learn so much! That last part may be coming true at least!
Corey K: Hm, maybe. I was thinking that maybe this would be a good excuse to install a coaster brake hub? I really like to be able to slow or stop without using my hands, and also I kind of hate the way rear brake cables have to snake all over the frame on a bike like this. And ah-- I had been hoping to take the Raleigh on the Boston Retro Wheelmen's wheel truing workshop this weekend! Oh well.
If you want some unsolicited advice, take the bike back as-is and take some time to decide exactly what kind of wheel you want to replace the old wheel with. Otherwise they might install something not ideal for you.
...and if it's just the rim and spokes that need replacing - get an alloy rim, as you'll get better braking than with the (probably) steel original rims.
I second what Velouria said. There's no hurry. It's had that wheel for 40 years already... so a few more days won't hurt!
One thing with old English bikes -- they have 40/32 spokes rear/front and new 40 spoke hubs can be hard to come by. So be prepared to stick with your old hub, spend a lot of time looking for another one, or make the big switch to 36/36.
Oh no! Hopefully this can be fixed easily and inexpensively.
Velouria and Herzog: Thanks for the advice-- I'll gladly take whatever I can get! I think it probably is wise to just hang tight on this, as impatient as I am to be riding the new bicycle. I think the prospect of figuring out what to do with the rear wheel is just a little overwhelming at the moment. On the bright side, this should give me plenty of time to give everything else a nice cleaning!
i also agree with the notion of just taking it back as-is and figuring things out. if it's a decent bike overall, you will have several options for replacing/upgrading the wheel.
Velouria and Herzog speak wisdom. As long as it's not going to crumble, see about getting the broken spokes replaced, and take your time to decide where to go next with her.
Corey K
Um, Margonaute...
I am connecting with a guy on the local C-list who has listed a chromed Sturmey-Archer AW hub laced to what looks like a Raleigh or Dunlop rim. It's cheap- $15. *If it's an actual English 26 x 13/8 rim, and in good shape*, it might be a good solution to the Lady's woes. A replacement wheel for $30-35 surely can't hurt, and I'd be pleased to do it.
If you are interested, ping me at coreyk_01 (AT) comcast (DØT) net and you can have it for purchase cost & shipping from Santa Cruz CA to Cambridge. It shouldn't be more than $20 to send via UPS or USPS.
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