Rudge Ulster Sports bicycle, how old and what to do with it?

[mikeyboyo]

If it's a Sturmey Archer 5 star, I literally would not spend the price of the spokes on it. A terrible, terrible hub.

The newer 5 speeds are OK though, as is your 3 speed.

And do the wheelbuilding. It is not hard, so long as you build your first wheel with new bits. People think wheelbuilding is tricky because they start out with worn out bits that aren't quite the right shape anymore.

Just checked it, it is a 5 STAR I shall look around for something else or maybe just settle for a 3 speed, though the spare I have is a dynohub and would be looking to build a lightweight classic racing machine here so would look around for something without the extra weight, thanks for the advice I shall check out video tutorials on wheelbuilding and see what I can do

 

[mikeyboyo]

Re: Re:

You have a low end standard Raleigh from probably mid 1950s.
Beware of non-standard 26 threads per inch forks and bottom bracket.
Keith

thanks for the identification Keith, will this be a Raleigh frame that they slapped a Rudge badge and crankset on? If so what Raleigh model will this be?

Thanks
Michael

 

[oonaff]

If it's a Sturmey Archer 5 star, I literally would not spend the price of the spokes on it. A terrible, terrible hub.

The newer 5 speeds are OK though, as is your 3 speed.

And do the wheelbuilding. It is not hard, so long as you build your first wheel with new bits. People think wheelbuilding is tricky because they start out with worn out bits that aren't quite the right shape anymore.

Just checked it, it is a 5 STAR I shall look around for something else or maybe just settle for a 3 speed, though the spare I have is a dynohub and would be looking to build a lightweight classic racing machine here so would look around for something without the extra weight, thanks for the advice I shall check out video tutorials on wheelbuilding and see what I can do

i recently took some wheels to be re laced at a place where one bradley wiggins used to get
his done..3 months passed when i enquired they had misplaced them..forgot about them.
and i was upset that some one there might have stolen them.
i told them not to bother and that i would pick them up.
when i turned up to my horror they had built them !with p gauge not db spokes. :facepalm:

 

[barry2017]

Wow. Did they charge you?

I started to learn my own spannering because the shops around me were no bloody good.

 

[oonaff]

hi chris,on reflection i should have kicked up.because i tend not to answer strange numbers
and voice mails they kind of threw that one on me.
but they still should not have built them after i said not too.
£90 they charged.inc velox rim tape.
i mean supposing you get a good bargain on hubs and also rims .
one needs a bargain to complete the set, surely ?
£90 pounds or even £70 becomes the bulk of the wheel build

 

[barry2017]

I'd have told them to give me my hub back!

 

[oonaff]

i know your right !! i declined her offer of a loyalty card

 

[spark303]

Most 3-speed hubs manage 30,000 miles without maintenance.

On the other hand, 4 speed hubs are terribe. Get used to a lot of neutral gears with your 4-speed. They're collectors pieces nowadays.

I've run (and still use) Sturmey 4 speed hubs (FW's, FG's )and FM's) for many, many miles on several bikes, and that's certainly not my experience. The hubs may be slightly more sensitive to correct cable adjustment than an AW, but once correctly set up, they're no less reliable than a 3 speed IMO.

 

[spark303]

Re: Re:

thanks for the identification Keith, will this be a Raleigh frame that they slapped a Rudge badge and crankset on? If so what Raleigh model will this be?

Thanks
Michael

I'm pretty sure that the Ulster Sports was based on the Raleigh Trent Sports - similar to a Lenton, but built with 2030 hi-tensile tubing throughout instead of the 531 main tubes on the Lenton.

 

[mikeyboyo]

Thanks for the horror story oonaff In that case I don't care how long this build will take, I WILL learn how to build my own wheels

Thanks spark303, I shall compare it next to my 1963 Trent Tourist when I have them both in the same place