Raleigh Misty - bargain?

[biggs682]

looks ok and should do the job

 

[alecstilleyedye]

a bit like my daughter's raleigh rhapsody, probably the same frameset…

the saddle isn't original but it's the one from her old bike that she likes.

5-speed indexed sachs gears.

paid £46 for the bike on the bay…

 

[wheres_my_beard]

Cheradenine: It would be great to have some upgraded original lights, however, the fittings that keep both light's cases together are missing or broken, and Mrs WMB has thrown them out already. I am tempted to get a set off of ebay though, as they are cheap, and bring back loads of memories of early cycling for me.

Alec: I think you're right about the frame; it looks identical to the Misty, and the rack is the same oddly too. It looks like the brake arrangement is different though, as is the gear shifters. Do the rims on the Rhapsody have a pattern of tiny indentations running the whole way round? I assume this is for better braking, but I've not seen rims like it before.

 

[yello]

I don't know if it's a bargain or not but I think you've got a good bike there for not a lot of money. I'd be pleased with it too.

 

[porteous]

I must stop reading! A little more about the mixte frame:​

A mixte is a specialized form of step-through frame. In a mixte frame, the top tube of the traditional diamond frame is replaced with a pair of smaller tubes running from the top of the head tube all the way back to the rear axle, connecting at the seat tube on the way. The normal seat stays and chain stays are retained. This provides the greater standover clearance of a step-through frame bicycle while avoiding some of the additional stresses the step-through frame bicycle places on the seat tube.​

Mixte is a direct appropriation of the French word meaning “mixed” or “unisex”, “mixte” is pronounced “MEExt”, although the standard North American bicycle industry pronunciation is “MIX-ty”. Both pronunciations are widely used.​

Originally designed to be applicable for both men and women's bikes they are almost exclusively regarded as "ladies" bikes'​

Source: Adapted from Wikipedia ​

Raleigh & Carlton both made Mixte frames for many years. Raleigh Richmonds (and perhaps ladies Royals) were actually made by Carlton on 531 tube. I'm not sure when the first Raleigh group MIxtes were made, but they came in both racing/touring (drop bars) and flat bar (town) bike forms. Originally the non indexed gear controls were on the head tube or stem. Later bikes moved to more recent components and flat bar models came with thumb shifters. We have three of these in the family, two converted from drop to flat bars, and all are light bikes which are really nice to ride. They seem to have been built by Raleigh from 1983, when a lady called Yvonne Rix, the new marketing manager, decided to make more of a bid for the ladies bike market, introducing the mixte frame Wisp (later joined by the Misty and Cameo as production models.). I suspect all the Raleigh group mixte frames are identical with the exception of the tube switching from Reynolds 531 to TI lightweight after the take over. The frames themselves may well have only been made by Raleigh after this (The Carlton built frames have a different prefix letter / number combination under the bottom bracket ).See Tony Hadlands article here: http://www.hadland.me.uk/raleigh.htm​

​

Peugeot made a lot of mixte frames, and, since the word is french, the frame may well have originated with them or, at least, with another French manufacturer. Mercian apparently listed a mixte frame in their 1951 catalogue (Miss Mercian), and still list the model, I believe.Claude Butler listed mixte frames from the 50s and most top end bespoke builders also offered them.​

​

Does anyone on here actually know who designed the first mixte frame??​

​

 

[alecstilleyedye]

Alec: I think you're right about the frame; it looks identical to the Misty, and the rack is the same oddly too. It looks like the brake arrangement is different though, as is the gear shifters. Do the rims on the Rhapsody have a pattern of tiny indentations running the whole way round? I assume this is for better braking, but I've not seen rims like it before.

yes, the rims are steel so that's exactly what they're for. make sure you've got leather-faced blocks for wet weather riding. what brand are the gears?

 

[fruitshoot88]

Hi all,
I know it's a late reply to your thread; but I have a 1982 tourer misty, mom's rejected bike when she got children :-) I have noticed I don't really stop in the wet and think I need new brakes. Does anyone know what the brakes are and how to get some more?!
The bike is all original, no changed parts only a tesco shopping basket cable tied on my rack.

 

[Cyclopathic]

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

Worth keeping on the bike to use as ancillary panniers.
I remember when they were about the only lights you could get. And they weren't very good.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

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?

You most certainly can - but alternatively you could swap the bottom bracket for a cartridge type and update it with a cotterless crankset.
If you want to keep it original try here http://stores.ebay.co.uk/bankrupt-bike-parts?_rdc=1

I have used them for parts for a number of restoration projects.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Hi all,
I know it's a late reply to your thread; but I have a 1982 tourer misty, mom's rejected bike when she got children :-) I have noticed I don't really stop in the wet and think I need new brakes. Does anyone know what the brakes are and how to get some more?!
The bike is all original, no changed parts only a tesco shopping basket cable tied on my rack.

Steel rims and water = crap braking. The remedy back in the day was to use mixed rubber/leather brake blocks.....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-LEATHER...K_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=ite


Cheap and will improve things.....but the best solution is to replace the wheels with alloys - although admittedly that would be a lot more expensive!

 

[stevevw]

I fitted some BMX super soft pads on one of the kids steel rimmed bikes. Worked a treat wet or dry but not exactly retro looking.

 

[Davidc]

I reckon you've got a bargain there.

The lights look right but the back ones of those were only visible for about 50 metres in clear weather and you could just about make out a brick wall as the front wheel hit it with the front ones. If they stay as ornaments you'd do well to also use some modern LED ones for lighting.

 

[tyred]

You most certainly can - but alternatively you could swap the bottom bracket for a cartridge type and update it with a cotterless crankset.
If you want to keep it original try here http://stores.ebay.co.uk/bankrupt-bike-parts?_rdc=1

I have used them for parts for a number of restoration projects.

Just be careful. It probably has Raleigh threading.

It shouldn't be too hard to find a replacement crank of Ebay or ask in an LBS if you know of any that have been around for decades. Cotterpins are easily available too although quality varies.

 

[ianjmcd]

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

haha yeah ever ready lights they were so crap circa 1980

 

[wheres_my_beard]

As this thread seems to be experiencing something of a revival, I might as well join in! Has anyone had any experience of upgrading those old style lights with an LED bulb? I'm really tempted to try getting some retro (old/knackered) lights and update them but as the bulbs are £12 each it seems an expensive punt just to see what happens.