My New Adition (1959 Raleigh Wayfarer)

[The_Cycling_Scientist]

Yesterday I collected a bike I was not expecting to win on the bay of E. a last minuite bid sealed the deal at £40 and promptly collected on my way home from work....
it was a bit grubby and has a few marks and imperfections but still rideable and all the gears and brakes work and every bit un-does like seat and stem post. The plan is to give it a good clean up and a fresh coat of paint when I've the time to take it apart for a general service and freshen up.
Here's the bike as I collected it...


I have given it a good wash and carefully sanded some of the drawn on yellow numbering as it stood out too much (believe it may of been an old police auction bike at some point) it's been poorly hand painted in the past it seems in a slighly lighter blue than it should be. (that'll be changed back when I get round to it) Also need to get the original details put back on once painted!

this was it all cleaned up (quick de-grease and wipe):


I took it to work today and it needs a new front bearings or axle as the bearings crunch and grind but there's only play when turning at the moment. pedals are a bit worn and bearings have also started to deteriorate but otherwise a bit of surface rust is all there is!

 

[biggs682]

looks good and nice to see a bike like that being used a lot of people overlook them for what ever reason

 

[raleighnut]

Nice, my (delayed) project is a 86 version of a very similar bike.

 

[Soltydog]

I had a Wayfarer as a teenager, although mine was a single speed & funnily enough, saw an old guy locally riding one last Sunday. Good to see there's still plenty around Mine ended up as a 5 speed & sprayed black!

 

[The_Cycling_Scientist]

My plan is to get this one looking as original as possible. the next task I have is to get it working properly. (gears and bottom bracket are sound) I love the fact it's got the accesses to oil all the moving parts like bottom bracket and the rear hub (front has too but I have a feeling the fact it's got that it's a sealed unit and I'm not sure how to replace the bearings?)

Future plans is to get an old set of lights and covert them to battery power as the originals were dynamo powered. I should have the original wayfarer and raliegh painted onto the frame/chain guard to compliment the original looks