Raleigh Misty - bargain?

[wheres_my_beard]

Mrs WMB has been liking the idea of getting a mixte framed bike for a little while, and looking more seriously the past week or so. She has been watching a few for the past few days (not literally) on ebay, and one was coming into it's last 30 minutes. With a starting price of £45, it seems a reasonable price, so we put a bid in, and waited. No one else bid, so we won/ bought it. This is it:

Its a poor pic, but it looks in good nick, and shouldn't need too much attention to get it into a nice shape.

One of the things that attracted us to this was that the seller was apparently based in Norwich, where we live. However, once we contacted him to arrange collection, it turns out he lives 25 miles away. Which was an annoying surprise, especially as we have a tiny car which will not fit a bike in it, without it being disassembled (wheels, mudguards and probably the rack off).

Ah well, it seems a bargain, and we'll get to go to the seaside to collect it!

 

[chillyuk]

That looks OK for the price compared to some of the old junk people spend a lot more for. A lot of ladies bikes are not as abused as men's bikes so you may well have bought a good'un. My daughter had a Raleigh Mixte some years ago, one with drop handlebars. and she had no problems with it during a few years.

 

[Camrider]

it turns out he lives 25 miles away. Which was an annoying surprise, especially as we have a tiny car which will not fit a bike in it

Sounds like a nice opportunity for Mrs WMB to do a 25 mile test ride

 

[wheres_my_beard]

I did suggest that especially as it comes with lights (we're collecting tomorrow evening), but all I got back was a withering look

There's no pleasing some people...

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Speaking of lights, those bring back some memories...

 

[Camrider]

You could always be the mug gentleman and ride it back for her

 

[wheres_my_beard]

They are very nostagic lights. Can you even buy those massive batteries anymore?

I would ride it if she drove in front to reduce drag.

Like a budget version of this:

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

They are very nostagic lights. Can you even buy those massive batteries anymore?

No, I think Sizewell wanted them back.

 

[wheres_my_beard]

LMAO. These look nice & retro and may fit the bill perfectly:

http://www.amazon.com/C-sized-Adapter-Shells-AA-Battery/dp/B000855034

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Raleigh Misty?

Shimano Positron pre-select gears, 5 speed. Original price was about £120 in 1986 I think.
It was in the brochure on the next page to the Raleigh Merlin I got for Christmas. They share a lot of parts (in fact probably everything except the frame).

I've still got the Merlin and apart from a bent crank from an altercation with tarmac and cracked tyres it's still good and solid. You sir have got a bargain


PS Does anyone know if you can get replacement cranks and cotterpins for these critters?

 

[porteous]

You got a bargain, these are nice bikes and the model you have (Badged "Misty"?) usually fetches £120+ of FleaBay. We have three, a Raleigh Richmond (Built by Carlton) in 531 tube, and two TI era Raleigh drop bar versions converted to flat bars for my daughters ( One at £10 and one at £23, but both needing quite a lot of work). The picture you show looks as though this one is pretty sound and might just need a good clean and a service. Keep the big lamps, they work just fine and are collectors items these days and right for the bike. Alternatively flog the lamps online and use the money to buy LED ones. Pop the front wheel off and you should find the while lot fits in the car quite easily with a bit of thought. Good Luck

 

[wheres_my_beard]

We picked it up this evening and we're both quite taken with it to be honest. It seems mechanically sound and the gears and brakes are still tuned up and working well. The frame has some signs of wear but no significant paintwork damage. It came with some very strange black plastic, self righting Shimano pedals, which we are going to change for some older ones we have knocking around. Unfortunately the front lamp has lost the locking mechanism that keeps the top half pushed down onto the bottom half, so may be unuseable, for now at least - they came with some fantastically corroded batteries that must have been in there for a decade or so.

The only things we will need to purchase, I hope are some new tyres as the current ones are really badly perished, and some spongy grips for the same reason. Can anyone recommend a cheap amber walled 27 x 1 1/4 tyre? *

I'll hopefully post some pics on Sunday when we've had a proper look at it and given it a thorough clean.

I don't think I have confirmed yet, that it is Raligh Misty. I'm not sure of it's age though.

* Edit: we have just found some on ebay and have ordered a pair. They are an exact match for what is already on the bike and look like a lovely tyre (a bit like the Grand Boise Hetre tyres Mrs WMB has on her Post Office bike).

 

[porteous]

Well done! Happy pedalling

 

[lpretro1]

Michelin World Tour come in 27 x 1 1/4". Expect to pay £8-10 each for them. Not many places will have them in this size - I have seen them on ebay before now.

 

[Cheradenine]

You could keep the lamps as fitted and pop some if these in them.

http://www.thetorchsite.co.uk/TTS-3WCR30_3_Watt_Cree_Low_Voltage_Bulb.html