[38eighteen]

I know this is not strictly on-topic, but it is as close as I could find.

I picked up this bike at a Salvation Army store because I thought it looked "interesting". Now that I have it home I can't find any information about it at all. None of the retro sites I can find have any information about kids bikes at all...

If anyone has any information at all, including a possible manufacture date, it would be very welcome. I am guessing 1974 because the rear hub is a '74 AW.

Thanks,

Brian

PS. Ignore the back wheel in the photo. The original was badly crumpled. I have since used the rim from the front wheel to re-build the back and am using a non-original wheel on the front.

 

[Dave_Stohler]

Yikes! That geometry looks like a nightmare! Looks like you'll end up riding it like a "krate" bike with that seat leaning so far back.

OK, what I see is cottered cranks (cheap), single ring, cheapo stamped pedals, and those awful early-70's 1/2 fenders. Add to that the non-standard threading common on Raleighs of the period, and you end up with .......a $20 piece of wall art.

I certainly hope you didn't pay more than $20 for this bike. It probably isn't even worth that. don't even consider trying to "restore" it-it just ain't worth it. I remember bikes like this one being sold for about $100 back then-it's nothing more than a bottom-line kids bike. Probably hasn't been maintained, and parts are nearly unavailable for it today.

 

[Spirito]

au contraire ....

I certainly hope you didn't pay more than $20 for this bike. It probably isn't even worth that. don't even consider trying to "restore" it-it just ain't worth it. .

if it's a genuine kiddie or midget sized bike its worth way more than $20 - especially if it has small wheels, original parts and finish.

they are oddities and their age makes them rare - well heeled collectors and vintage bike junkies like nothing better than to start their kids on a similar path as they can tolerate its genre and appearance. ive seen midget italian racers like masi's draw as much attention as full specced NOS full size one's at bike shows.

it's rare = it's intersting.

my fave at the moment is chicks bikes - but with high end parts and from legend framebuilders. its kinda loopy as chicks that raced rode small "men's" bikes so when i see a no-top tube one like the one below i just drool.

from the excellent site

http://www.speedbicycles.ch/




ciao

 

[Dave_Stohler]

Notice, though, that the geometry of that Masi is pretty 'normal', wheras the Raleigh looks just awful. I'm assuming that this Raleigh kid's bike was just a cobbling-together of off-the-shelf tubes, somewhat resembling a real road bike.Maybe unusual, but hardly worth restoring. Might as well put a banana seat on it.....

BTW, is that rear brake cable correct there? Looks like it's gonna go into the spokes pretty easily.

 

[Spirito]

psst ....

the Raleigh looks just awful. I'm assuming that this Raleigh kid's bike was just a cobbling-together of off-the-shelf tubes, somewhat resembling a real road bike.

aren't all raleighs made that way

i have seen very ordinary workmanship on almost every raleigh i have seen - and im only talking about the high end one's. i oke about them all being made on friday afternoons when the workers have grudgingly come back from the pub after lunch and pop a few out before they takeoff for the weekend. having heard countless horror stories from resellers having to straighten almost all the frames before selling them - sometimes rebrazing and repainting them. i guess charm goes a long way and they make most italian builders seem like dedicated artisans

yes the frame angles look evil - but even today most small frames are an afterthought with respect to making them work and look elegant as limits of wheel size, toe overlap and balance are all but thrown out the window. back when this looks to have been made im sure they thought of little but standover height and reasonable reach. i agree with you but its hard to tell from the picture and i dont think its poster would be curious enough to warrant it much thought if it was an obvious lemon. i dont think its worth millions but i think if it rides fine, has original parts and is up to a standard build quality for raleigh then its worth much more than $20. i recall on another list a mother looking for a vintage junior roadbike for her 10 year old - most offers she had were above $200 (albeit nicer spec than the one above) and some with nice period correct parts and fancy builders names on the tubes went as high as $600. it is what it is i guess - old, odd and rare.

re: the rear bake cable on the masi - its correct and holds fairly tight. its slightly looser than the arc/loop a derailleur cable makes after the chainstay cable stop and before the rear derailleur. as there is no top tube its threaded this way and is slid through the brake caliper in reverse. they work fine and a mate has a mixte frame peugot for his chick with the same feature. i agree in it being an akward looking place for a cable.

ciao

 

[WalterJ]

Kid's "10 speeds" typically with 24" wheels were fairly common in late 70s. A friend of mine received one for Christmas probably around 1976 or so. Pretty in white that bike was. Unfortunately it attracted a thief in short order and his parents didn't replace it.

Most of them, in fact all I ever saw, were pretty lowline but I wouldn't mind finding a clean one for my 8yo daughter as such bikes are pretty much extinct today.

Hey Spirito, long time no "see."

 

[cheaperthancarsdear]

kid's bikes

I found a new in box 70's Peugeot 10 spd, 24" that I paid $25 for last year (along with its twin, that had no rear wheel). Let my daughter pick out some bar tape, (pink/orange/yellow, on a yellow bike), and I can't wait until she's tall enough to feel comfortable on it. Haven't seen anything like it in a long, long time.