Jonny69
Senior Retro Guru
Update 25/01/2023: the original photo hosting is long dead but I've done my best to put the original pics back in place. The bike eventually looked like this, and the original story is below...
May 2014: An eBay scoop at the right price. It was up as a 1960's New Hudson but I think some or all of that isn't right. Start with some pics:
(Edit 25/01/2023: these images are on a hard drive somewhere and I'll reinstate them when I find them)
So normally I'd stick a date on these by using the Sturmey Archer hub, but I couldn't spot a number. The SA shifter is a 1950-1953 3-4 speed model and the AW-8 hub appears to be 3-speed and the same vintage, based purely on the script. The drive-side crank is a chrome Raleigh one while the non-drive side is not chromed, so one of those doesn't belong. I think it's the drive-side which has been replaced, because the handlebars are not chromed and appear to be wearing what's left of their original paint.
Three things that make me think it's a New Hudson are the fork crown which matches all the pictures I've found New Hudsons from that era, there is a little cable guide wheel where the top tube and the seat tube meet and all the New Hudsons seem to have this; also the bakelite pump is engraved New Hudson.
Two things, maybe three, don't seem to be quite right. First is the brakes - surely it would have had stirrup brakes in the 50's? I had pondered if maybe it had been treated to an upgrade in the 60's with Raleigh brake components, but there isn't any evidence of it ever being fitted with stirrup brakes and no hole or mounting point for the rocker pivot which carries the rod to the back brake. Third are the mudguards which look later era and are Raleigh items. I could be wrong, but they look like they fit the bike a bit too well for them to be aftermarket. All else I know is that Raleigh bought out New Hudson in 1953 and killed the brand off in 1957-58, but I can't seem to find any evidence of NHs wearing Raleigh components like the BSAs and Triumphs did.
So who knows? Everything works. SA hub shifts fine despite not looking like it's ever been adjusted, Dynohub works fine and both lights light, brakes seem to be fine too. Even what's left of the brightwork seems to be ok and it's just buried under a layer of grime.
If you've got a better idea then please let me know
Current plans are just just give to it a once-over, wire it up properly, pop my Brooks on it and lose the guards. I might flip the bars because I think they're upside down and I'll get a bit more reach with the stem the other way round, but this appears to be how they came with curious geometry with a 57cm top tube and 50cm seat tube to compensate.
May 2014: An eBay scoop at the right price. It was up as a 1960's New Hudson but I think some or all of that isn't right. Start with some pics:
(Edit 25/01/2023: these images are on a hard drive somewhere and I'll reinstate them when I find them)
So normally I'd stick a date on these by using the Sturmey Archer hub, but I couldn't spot a number. The SA shifter is a 1950-1953 3-4 speed model and the AW-8 hub appears to be 3-speed and the same vintage, based purely on the script. The drive-side crank is a chrome Raleigh one while the non-drive side is not chromed, so one of those doesn't belong. I think it's the drive-side which has been replaced, because the handlebars are not chromed and appear to be wearing what's left of their original paint.
Three things that make me think it's a New Hudson are the fork crown which matches all the pictures I've found New Hudsons from that era, there is a little cable guide wheel where the top tube and the seat tube meet and all the New Hudsons seem to have this; also the bakelite pump is engraved New Hudson.
Two things, maybe three, don't seem to be quite right. First is the brakes - surely it would have had stirrup brakes in the 50's? I had pondered if maybe it had been treated to an upgrade in the 60's with Raleigh brake components, but there isn't any evidence of it ever being fitted with stirrup brakes and no hole or mounting point for the rocker pivot which carries the rod to the back brake. Third are the mudguards which look later era and are Raleigh items. I could be wrong, but they look like they fit the bike a bit too well for them to be aftermarket. All else I know is that Raleigh bought out New Hudson in 1953 and killed the brand off in 1957-58, but I can't seem to find any evidence of NHs wearing Raleigh components like the BSAs and Triumphs did.
So who knows? Everything works. SA hub shifts fine despite not looking like it's ever been adjusted, Dynohub works fine and both lights light, brakes seem to be fine too. Even what's left of the brightwork seems to be ok and it's just buried under a layer of grime.
If you've got a better idea then please let me know
Current plans are just just give to it a once-over, wire it up properly, pop my Brooks on it and lose the guards. I might flip the bars because I think they're upside down and I'll get a bit more reach with the stem the other way round, but this appears to be how they came with curious geometry with a 57cm top tube and 50cm seat tube to compensate.
Last edited:
