The Raleigh Retro Direct

[highwheelerboy25]

A customer brought this bike into the shop two Saturdays ago and it was covered in dust and animal hair (sorry, no before pics!). she didn't want it, so I got it for free!! I cleaned everything up and replaced the wheels, tires, tubes, bottom bracket, crankset, two new chains, new(ish) felt road saddle new cables/housing, new bartape and shimano pd-m324 pedals so I can either clip in or just use my regular shoes if im not going too far. then I removed and polished the brakes a little bit. here ya go!!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Wow! Nice work getting that for free!

Luke.

 

[deven_science]

I'm so going to build a retro direct drive some day.

 

[MeanOldManMike]

I built one but couldn't stop the chain from rubbing the stay somewhere no matter which way I ran the chain. I works the leg muscles differently when you peddle backwards. Very good looking bike. I like the adjustment bracket for the idler gear.

 

[highwheelerboy25]

it rubs a little on the bottom bolt head of the idler wheel bracket. im just going to use a carriage bolt in place of a hex head so it doesn't wear the chain out.

I built one but couldn't stop the chain from rubbing the stay somewhere no matter which way I ran the chain. I works the leg muscles differently when you peddle backwards. Very good looking bike. I like the adjustment bracket for the idler gear.

 

[rubsterob]

This bike is awesome. I've never seen anything like that before. What type of rear hub is it?

 

[highwheelerboy25]

It's a standard freewheel wheel with a cassette spacer on the threads then a 22 tooth freewheel then a non drive side bottom bracket threaded cup then a 15tooth freewheel. That's it!

 

[rubsterob]

Sorry I'm still a little confused. Could you take a picture or two of the hub? Or show me a thread about it. It's a very cool concept.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

It's a standard freewheel wheel with a cassette spacer on the threads then a 22 tooth freewheel then a non drive side bottom bracket threaded cup then a 15tooth freewheel. That's it!

wait...what?

 

[oldcruiser26]

Nice work

 

[highwheelerboy25]

wait...what?

you take a wheel that has a freewheel threading on it, and put a 5mm spacer on it so that it leaves half of the threads exposed so you can mount the first bmx freewheel. after you thread on the first bmx freewheel there should be some thread left inside it since the spacer offset everything. i used a wald threaded non drive side bottom bracket endcap and threaded it into bmx freewheel number 1. then i installed bmx freewheel number 2 and tightened everything down.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

Wow that's crazy. And cool. Thanks for explaining.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rubsterob]

Go it! I didn't understand where the bottom bracket piece went

 

[highwheelerboy25]

gotcha, I didn't either at first. lol.

 

[deven_science]

That tensioner is made for, like, a motor kit, right? I've seen those on ebay, but didn't know if they would work for this application. I'll keep this in mind if I can't get the one I bought working right on my retro-direct.

 

[highwheelerboy25]

That tensioner is made for, like, a motor kit, right? I've seen those on ebay, but didn't know if they would work for this application. I'll keep this in mind if I can't get the one I bought working right on my retro-direct.

yes, they do, although after you get it in the right position, I would would place clamps on both sides of it or tack weld it in place to prevent from moving under load.

 

[todhunter]

So...essentially it's a 2-speed because of the different size freewheel sprockets, but you pedal forwards for one speed and backwards for the other? That's crazy and cool!

 

[highwheelerboy25]

yup

 

[deven_science]

So...essentially it's a 2-speed because of the different size freewheel sprockets, but you pedal forwards for one speed and backwards for the other? That's crazy and cool!

Very cool, right? And the truly crazy part is that this is over a century old technology.

 

[highwheelerboy25]

this one is in Murfreesboro, TN at Lanes Motor Museum