Say hello to my new best friend :D

[shadaboot27]

I found a picture of a Lenton from the same year, and it has the grips mine should have. They are perished but at least i now know roughly what they look like. I'm going to get some cloth bar tape as a temporary measure, but I am going to keep hunting and hopefully i will find some original grips in good condition. After looking at old catalogs, it seems that lots of models of bicycle came with those grips as standard for at least 10 years so there must be a fair few of them still out there. The most likely case will be me finding a whole bike with a pair on, hopefully I can buy the bike take the grips then sell it on again. I want this bike to be exactly like it was when it was made. Some Dunlop red wall tyres will be the next near to impossible thing on the list to find! But it's all good fun, it's part of what I like about bicycle collecting.

 

[User42423]

Yeah, it's probably going to be impossible to find genuine replacements so I think i will go for something like this, just plain thin bar tape. I'm not sure what kind of tape this is though?

I think Raleigh used thin grey tape, rather than actual grips. Grips were used more on roadsters.

 

[shadaboot27]

I think Raleigh used thin grey tape, rather than actual grips. Grips were used more on roadsters.

After a few hours of searching google and old catalogs, I think they did use extra long grey rubber grips on the racers during the 50's. They were used on many models and makes of bikes under Raleigh Industries so hopefully I shouldn't have to much trouble trying to find some.

 

[shadaboot27]

I'm undecided what tyres to get. I'm thinking either all black or amber walls? What do people think would look best? Out the factory it would of had Dunlop red walls but I'm never going to find those so I'm leaning more towards some Raleigh amber walls?

 

[Daddybus]

You'll probably have just as much trouble with ambers if they're 26" x 11/4" I wanted some but could only find white or black wall ....never seen (or heard) of red wall ... Is it a wall or stripe like a chopper?

 

[shadaboot27]

You'll probably have just as much trouble with ambers if they're 26" x 11/4" I wanted some but could only find white or black wall ....never seen (or heard) of red wall ... Is it a wall or stripe like a chopper?

Yes they are 26 x 1 1 1/4. A bit of a nightmare size I know. This is from the 1956 Rudge catalog, It has Dunlop Speed tyres which look like they have red walls? Unless that's supposed to be amber?

 

[Philh]

Oh you bugger, id love that!

Exactly the same from me

 

[Daddybus]

Look very cool if you can get 'em ...

 

[shadaboot27]

Look very cool if you can get 'em ...

Looks like I'm going to have to get all black for now, then just keep looking for some amber or reds.

@Daddybus on your Rudge Aero what size is written on the tyre? Should be something like 37-597 or 32-597? Because Yours will have the exact same size wheels as mine and I don't want to order the wrong size.

Cheers

 

[Daddybus]

Mine are 32mm but the wheels are 80's? rigida

 

[shadaboot27]

Mine are 32mm but the wheels are 80's? rigida

Oh yes I forgot you put new wheels on it. Cheers anyway.

 

[stevevw]

I saw on Velosolo site earlier that they had some grey longish grips that may tied you over. They are 135mm - 5" 5/16 worth a look.

I am 99% certain that the tyres should be gumwalls. there should be an advert in the news & views classified section for some. I have bought some in the last couple of years so should not be too hard to find.

 

[shadaboot27]

I got the bike today in the post. It's all in good order with no damage. I'm chuffed to bits with it and I can't get over how good the condition is. I couldn't resist taking some more pics for you all. I can't wait to crack on after Christmas, clean it up and get it on the road.

 

[shadaboot27]

You can just about see the Rudge logo on the rear mudguard, it's a shame it's mostly gone though. I think you can get replacement stickers, im going to try and find one to go on there. Also it has flared handlebars, almost kinda like lauterwasser bars, i've never seen bars like that on one of these so I'm not sure if there are original or not? Also shouldn't the lamp mount have an "R" on it?

 

[Daddybus]

Very nice.... I got a mudguard sticker (listed as n.o.s.) from the bay £5ish? think they still list 'em. My lamp bracket was the same as yours btw but that may mean nothing as the bars had been changed.