Something to fix up for my wife

[sekaijin]

My wife said she'd be willing to try riding a bike ... she has not owned or ridden one since she was a kid. So I've been looking for a vintage step-through to fix up for her.

I pulled over at a church garage sale, on a hunch they would have old bikes. They did - though the bikes were not for sale. But the priest agreed to sell me this one they weren't using, for $20.



October 1973 serial number






I wonder if the seat tube decal will survive, if I take off the stickers.









I hope the saddle will clean up ... WD-40 with a lot of elbow grease helps a little, but it's slow going. Any other suggestions?



The other grip is rotated the wrong way, and I can't budge it ... any ideas?






It has these Miller generator-powered lights ... kind of cool looking, but I guess I'll be taking them off since the bike won't be used at night.

I also plan to take off the rack, and look for a wire basket for the handlebars.

[Sixty Fiver]

What a great find...

I'd really leave the bike as is because your wife mind find herself riding in the evening and a rear rack is a better place to put things than a front mounted basket.

And the bike is cool.

[sekaijin]

What a great find...

I'd really leave the bike as is because your wife mind find herself riding in the evening and a rear rack is a better place to put things than a front mounted basket.

And the bike is cool.

Thanks - I see these bikes coming back into style lately, with the new retro cruiser trend. It makes sense for adults who are non-riders, to get them back on bikes.

I could keep the lights, though it would be more for style than practicality ... as for the rack, I think a basket will be more useful. Wife would most likely be carrying a purse, shopping bag, water bottle, loose items etc., easier to plunk them in a basket than secure them to a rack. Also from a pure nostalgia angle, wire baskets are what I remember from this era.

[Sixty Fiver]

This is one of my favourite rides of all time and great bikes like these never go out of style.


1978 Raleigh Superbe 3 speed

I picked this bike up as half of a men's and lady's set and the lady's bike now belongs to a dear friend.

Sometimes the old bikes even get together to go for rides.

[fbagatelleblack]

Wow! What a cool project. Does the generator light system actually work? If so, you gots to leave it on, just for the looks.

Let me know if you need a leather saddle or a bell, or stuff like that:

www.cyclesvalhalla.com

But it looks to me like the bike is fairly complete and won't need a bunch of new accessories.

NICE FIND!

- Forbes Bagatelle-Black

[sekaijin]

Wow! What a cool project. Does the generator light system actually work? If so, you gots to leave it on, just for the looks.

Let me know if you need a leather saddle or a bell, or stuff like that:

www.cyclesvalhalla.com

But it looks to me like the bike is fairly complete and won't need a bunch of new accessories.

NICE FIND!

- Forbes Bagatelle-Black

Thanks Forbes. The light system does work - sort of. Both lights work. They go on once you get the wheels spinning fast enough ... the circuit seems flaky, they pop off and back on ... and they fade off while the wheels are slowing down.

I hope to stick with the original seat, which I hope will clean up somewhat. But I will keep Cycles Valhalla in mind - is that your business? Looks cool. I don't even know what kind of tires this bike takes - the rims say S-5? (I don't recall) Tubular but I assume they are not sew-ups?

[fbagatelleblack]

don't even know what kind of tires this bike takes - the rims say S-5? (I don't recall) Tubular but I assume they are not sew-ups?

According to Sheldon:

http://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html

the S-5 tires are 24X1.3/8" (547mm). Tubular probably means that they have inner tubes, as opposed to being solid rubber.

Yes, Cycles Valhalla is me. I'm starting it up slowly. Wish me luck!

- FBB