1935 Raleigh Sports path racer - a reluctant sale

But I am tempted. Just need to offload my Superbe.

We're all tempted :)
I'll see what @MatMabe does and see.

glad people are tempted at least! I've had a look and, interestingly, the frames on the town and path racer versions are exactly the same. The town one (Sports Light Roadster) shall be offloaded at some point too, if one were in the market for a 23 inch 30s frame

Same as in construction and geometry?

Oh I was tempted from the very beginning!

indeed - the oil port is in the same place and the tubing appears to be the same gauge. I will take measurements tomorrow to be sure, but Raleigh had a habit of using the same frame for multiple products. The gold head tube is even the same!

Does it fit differently due to its geometry than say a less slack 22-23 inch superbe?

I think slightly - I have a half inch of extra seat post showing on the Light Roadster than I would on a 50s lightweight. The front wheel is certainly a lot further forward than youd be used to, but that is fun in its own right

It'll be back - and in Fresh paint too. I'm confident it's still sound, just needs an integrity check, then I'm going to have it stripped and machine enamelled... better, faster stronger... eventually ;0)

@anidel @depps If you're interested and can pay the man what it's worth, go for it, I'll not stand in your way... I'd rather @tjkwood got the money it's worth than settle for an offer, just because I got there first. Genuinely, if you want it and have somewhere near asking price, I'd rather you had it.

noble fellow - I'm not adverse to a significant loss, but the gesture is appreciated nonetheless!

Thanks for that, but as said have too many bikes/projects (and still one girlfriend) to take on this one too.
Moreover, financially, I think I am on the same boat as you :)

Cool stuff! Which model is it, then we'll stop stealing the thread from @tjkwood :)

depps, just measured up and the frames are indeed of the same design - the forks are exactly the same and the measurements line up (other than the size difference, of course). As for why Raleigh never specified the Sports in the larger size I don't know! The nub of this is that the Light Roadster frame could be used to produce a larger Sports, should you be so inclined. Thoughts?

Would you part with the 23" town bike?

I would indeed - I had planned to keep hold of it until I got a new bike, but if it would ease the sale of the path racer I'd be happy to. It has the benefit of the original headset, BB etc, and I do have the original Sturmey K5 hub and wheels in storage somewhere.

Could I get a photo of that? sorry to be a pain :(

Here's the best pics I could get in the office - you can see the longer headtube at least. The wheels are custom built and I'd rather sell them separately (might still use them for a time), but the rest is as it is.

Here are the best pics I could get in the office - you can see the longer headtube at least. Paint is an odd one, half rusty and half immaculate. The wheels are custom built and I'd rather sell them separately (might still use them for a time), but the rest is as it is - I have a spare set of original mudguards that would come with it, as the ones on the bike are pretty poor.

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Are you based in London? Would like to try and organise a test ride to see how the 21" fits.

Sadly I'm not - I'm out in Stratford-upon-Avon. How tall are you? I'm 5 ft 10 with a 33 inch inseam, so you can see how high I have the saddle.

just a over 6ft - i think its probably too small.

What sort of money are you after for the 23"?

The 21 would almost certainly be too small in that case. Would you be wanting the pair together, to take parts from the Sports to make a larger path racer? Or would you just want the Roadster?

I'd like to make a larger path racer, ideally someone else would take the smaller frame off my hands straight away as i'll get murdered if I buy two bikes.