Raleigh Lenton

[ren531]

My Raleigh Lenton ,I have just bought going to do a oily rag restoration I think its called .

 

[Hugh Manatee]

Have you found a date on the hub? Someone I used to do the occasional ride with had one of those and was devilishly fast on it as well.

 

[raleighnut]

Time to post my favourite video again, that's a Lenton hanging up in the shop but with the early 'ultra-close' SA hub.


View: https://youtu.be/VEfWWmQhWLk


BTW John has built most of my wheels and I've known him since 1976 when I worked nearby.

 

[ren531]

Its has a alloy rear sturmey hub 1952 fm 4 speed but seems to have the internals of a 3 speed that work fine but I may see if I can find the correct internals for it .

 

[raleighnut]

Its has a alloy rear sturmey hub 1952 fm 4 speed but seems to have the internals of a 3 speed that work fine but I may see if I can find the correct internals for it .

I seem to recall stories of the 4 speed internals being a bit fragile.

 

[biggs682]

Its has a alloy rear sturmey hub 1952 fm 4 speed but seems to have the internals of a 3 speed that work fine but I may see if I can find the correct internals for it .

I have a complete 4 speed fm hub that has failed come of my Lenton
Looks a nice original example @ren531

 

[ren531]

I am a bit dutiful of the reliability of the 4 speed the hub casing has a slight bulge and crack in it suggesting the 4 speed may have exploded inside and been replaced with a 3 speed and the big strong point of the 3 speed is strength and reliability so I may leave it as it is

 

[biggs682]

I am a bit dutiful of the reliability of the 4 speed the hub casing has a slight bulge and crack in it suggesting the 4 speed may have exploded inside and been replaced with a 3 speed and the big strong point of the 3 speed is strength and reliability so I may leave it as it is

My lbs replaced mine for a 3 speed for similar reasons

 

[Windhover]

My Raleigh Lenton ,I have just bought going to do a oily rag restoration I think its called . View attachment 436448 View attachment 436449 View attachment 436450 View attachment 436449 View attachment 436450

I like the condition of your Lenton. Looks like a more viable project than mine. My frame number is 356121T. Based on Old Bike Museum’s extract 356121 T dates my bike as 1952. My hub is stamped 1954 so something's happened.

 

[raleighnut]

I like the condition of your Lenton. Looks like a more viable project than mine. My frame number is 356121T. Based on Old Bike Museum’s extract 356121 T dates my bike as 1952. My hub is stamped 1954 so something's happened.

The hub type could have been changed from the one fitted as standard i.e. from a close to a wide ratio hub.

People used to tinker with their bikes back then too, 'upgrading' is not just a modern phenomena.

 

[rogerzilla]

If the hub has bulges, you might as well re-shell it. Any A-series 3-speed internals will fit into any A-series shell*, or the current SRF3 alloy shell. Obviously you'll need to rebuild the wheel, but you can re-use the spokes and rim.

*early shells have a screwed-in left ball cup (with a LH thread; it gets VERY tight in use as it takes the drive in low gear), later shells have a pressed-in LH cup with a different ratchet pitch, but they all work the same. I have AM internals in a 70s steel AW shell, a new alloy SRF3 shell and even a wafer-thin 1950s AM alloy shell - made to the same dimensions as the steel shell, and 4 oz lighter. It hasn't cracked yet!