Hello All,
I have a late model (I assume its a late model as there are various plastic parts on the bike which I believe were not on earlier models) Raleigh produced BSA Tour de France in Silver - £100 collection only, located nr Weybridge, Surrey.
I know it's not a 'premium' model but I fancied a vintage bike and I rescued this 'pub bike' locally and completely stripped it to every last nut and bearing and rebuilt it. I wasn't holding out much hope for what lay beneath the decades of grime and copious lashings of think chain lube, but once cleaned up, it was remarkably tidy and fantastic condition for it's age, save for a few marks here and there (see pictures).
I added a new set of ITM bars, alloy ITM stem and new seat post to replace the corroded chrome plated originals, as well as fitting new inner cables (gear and brake) to the original blue ribbed outers, Spa Cycles leather bar tape and a Spa Cycles Nidd leather saddle. I also added new brake blocks with leather inserts and a new chrome plated headset.
I cleaned and polished the original Malliard alloy hub/Raleigh chromed-steel 27-1/4" wheels but they could either do with re-chroming or replacing. I gave them a rudimentary truing, but they need a proper job doing on them. It looks like the original fitment Raleigh Racing tyres on it and amazingly they still hold air albeit they are pretty perished and cracked.
I still have the original saddle, stem, aluminium mudguards and rack that came with it, as well as a side stand that was also fitted when I bought the bike.
Although I would love to keep it as I have used it to go to commute to work, I just don't want to spoil it by using it in winter, so I'm going to buy a winter bike.
It's a 23.5" frame (C to T of seat tube) and has a Sachs Huret groupset, Silstar Chainset and Weinmann levers
Now for some pictures (and it will be cleaned prior to being handed over to the buyer as I noticed some grunge at the top of the forks when taking pictures).
I have a late model (I assume its a late model as there are various plastic parts on the bike which I believe were not on earlier models) Raleigh produced BSA Tour de France in Silver - £100 collection only, located nr Weybridge, Surrey.
I know it's not a 'premium' model but I fancied a vintage bike and I rescued this 'pub bike' locally and completely stripped it to every last nut and bearing and rebuilt it. I wasn't holding out much hope for what lay beneath the decades of grime and copious lashings of think chain lube, but once cleaned up, it was remarkably tidy and fantastic condition for it's age, save for a few marks here and there (see pictures).
I added a new set of ITM bars, alloy ITM stem and new seat post to replace the corroded chrome plated originals, as well as fitting new inner cables (gear and brake) to the original blue ribbed outers, Spa Cycles leather bar tape and a Spa Cycles Nidd leather saddle. I also added new brake blocks with leather inserts and a new chrome plated headset.
I cleaned and polished the original Malliard alloy hub/Raleigh chromed-steel 27-1/4" wheels but they could either do with re-chroming or replacing. I gave them a rudimentary truing, but they need a proper job doing on them. It looks like the original fitment Raleigh Racing tyres on it and amazingly they still hold air albeit they are pretty perished and cracked.
I still have the original saddle, stem, aluminium mudguards and rack that came with it, as well as a side stand that was also fitted when I bought the bike.
Although I would love to keep it as I have used it to go to commute to work, I just don't want to spoil it by using it in winter, so I'm going to buy a winter bike.
It's a 23.5" frame (C to T of seat tube) and has a Sachs Huret groupset, Silstar Chainset and Weinmann levers
Now for some pictures (and it will be cleaned prior to being handed over to the buyer as I noticed some grunge at the top of the forks when taking pictures).
From those angles it does look rather bland doesn't it! I can assure you it's more colourful as a whole!
