His & hers Chrome Raleigh Superbes

[heyslugger]

I son't know much about them but I know I like those Brooks Saddles with the twisted coils and Bags! Anyone have these? Know about them? I felt like $50 each seemed fair. He wouldnt sell me the Dog Town or the BF Goodrich he had there!
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[heyslugger]

Sold new at the Ye Olde English Bike Haus in Merced CA. I love that sticker.

 

[CCR]

Round here a rod brake bike is an easy $100 ... those look cooler than any $100 rod brake bike around here too

 

[heyslugger]

The guys battery tube is a mess but the girls is nice. Then she has the better chain guard and he has the pump. Think I should keep them together as is or take the parts off the girls to make the guys rock solid?

 

[Spokeshave]

Those bikes are big bucks here in NYC. All the hipsters want Raleighs.
Very nice find.

 

[Wildcat]

I've never seen them in chrome, very nice.

 

[Hsean]

Should let me have the mens one... lol I've never seen chrome superbe before let alone one with rodbrakes, Ihave a few rod brake bikes just not chrome lol, My collection of raleighs it itching for something like that

Edit: also They seem to be 1978, or close to that models, I thought it was older but it's not lol the rear hub will tell you the date.

 

[Road Master]

The men's frame looks like it's for a tall dude and the tail lights I've never seen before plus all chrome - fantastic score!

 

[MplsCoaster]

2 Chromies with cool parts and sweet price! Can't beat that, Congrats!

 

[soulshine73]

I had a pair of chrome Raleighs a few months back. I was told they were special issue and given only to bicycle dealers that made high sales for Raleigh. Which made them rare but I had a hard time selling them. Turns out that at the time I was selling them that three more of them popped out of the woodwork on craigslist and made my bikes seem not so rare. Mine were made in 1966 according to the rear hub date stamp. Yours were probably made in the early 50's since they stopped making that enclosed style chain guard in the mid 50's. They switched to the hockey stick guard (like seen below) for the later 50's and beyond.

 

[heyslugger]

Thank you for sharing your bike story and info on them. Here is where I got a bit of background on mine and the 79 date. I havent checked the hub yet.
http://oldbike.wordpress.com/1979-all-chrome-raleigh-superbe-african/

here is the original 50s bike. note the lack of reflectors on the pedals. I know that pedals can be added later but I feel like mine may be original equip. based on these sites.

One more with an encorouging price tag!!
http://blog.publicbikes.com/2010/05/public-vintage-raleigh-dl-show-bike/

 

[heyslugger]

The seats really came back to life too! Thanks everyone for the great comments and feed back. Not my usual bike but it's the unusual ever so often that keeps a lot of us looking!

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[kingsting]

here is the original 50s bike. note the lack of reflectors on the pedals. I know that pedals can be added later but I feel like mine may be original equip. based on these sites.

Nice find! I don't think they are Superbes but DL-1's. This is the first matched pair of chrome Raleighs I have seen.

The bike in the picture above is mine at The British Invade Gettysburg car show in 2010. A similar bike to yours with the big exception being the 26 x 2 tires instead of 28". It's a single speed and I can't find any way to date it but I'm guessing it to be early to mid 60's.

 

[heyslugger]

I just let the pair go this past weekend to a Liquor Distributor here in Oregon. He promised they would get the attention they deserved, re-chrome and parts. I was sad to see them go. I have yet to see a matched pair either! I wished I could have kept them but the return was worth sending them on down the road! Your bike is one seriously clean machine!

 

[heyslugger]

major major score !!!!!! :mrgreen: good for you man :!: :!:

Coming from you TM that is a real compliment! You get a nice one now and then too! :shock: HA!

 

[kingsting]

Sad to hear you let them go. I would like to know the real story behind these as I've heard several different ones so far and have seen a number of these bikes over the years. (Mostly DL-1's and Sports models) Mine was in about the same shape as yours when I found it. It spent a number of years living on the Florida coast. Raleigh chrome is pretty tough and it cleaned up OK. I try to take all my pictures of it from a distance... :roll:

 

[heyslugger]

Sad to hear you let them go. I would like to know the real story behind these as I've heard several different ones so far and have seen a number of these bikes over the years. (Mostly DL-1's and Sports models) Mine was in about the same shape as yours when I found it. It spent a number of years living on the Florida coast. Raleigh chrome is pretty tough and it cleaned up OK. I try to take all my pictures of it from a distance... :roll:

I didn't know if I should go with the 'You've got something British stuck to your bike.' Or riff off your personal quote with, 'There's ONLY room for one more bike.' - Either way I like what's in your drive way. Looks like you have a Special Relationship with all things Anglo-Saxon!

 

[kingsting]

I didn't know if I should go with the 'You've got something British stuck to your bike.' Or riff off your personal quote with, 'There's ONLY room for one more bike.' - Either way I like what's in your drive way. Looks like you have a Special Relationship with all things Anglo-Saxon!

Either one works...

I usually have a Raleigh Chopper on the roof rack but the huge roadster looks a lot funnier up there.

 

[heyslugger]

I didn't know if I should go with the 'You've got something British stuck to your bike.' Or riff off your personal quote with, 'There's ONLY room for one more bike.' - Either way I like what's in your drive way. Looks like you have a Special Relationship with all things Anglo-Saxon!

Either one works...

I usually have a Raleigh Chopper on the roof rack but the huge roadster looks a lot funnier up there.

AS the notification for your reply came in I am watching Rowan Atkinson at the Olympics opening ceremony, somehow very appropriate! Next time you have the Chopper up, send a pic!

 

[kingsting]

I didn't know if I should go with the 'You've got something British stuck to your bike.' Or riff off your personal quote with, 'There's ONLY room for one more bike.' - Either way I like what's in your drive way. Looks like you have a Special Relationship with all things Anglo-Saxon!

Either one works...

I usually have a Raleigh Chopper on the roof rack but the huge roadster looks a lot funnier up there.

AS the notification for your reply came in I am watching Rowan Atkinson at the Olympics opening ceremony, somehow very appropriate! Next time you have the Chopper up, send a pic!

We can do that...