Monday 5 November 2012

1975 Raleigh Wayfarer

Hey Everyone

I have just recently restored a Raleigh Wayfarer, I was given this bike by a gentleman who came into the shop i work in and asked if anyone restored vintage bikes.

The bike was in very good condition when i got it but it did require a lot of cleaning and was in need of new tyres and grease.

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Read on to find out more about this bike and for more pictures


I wanted to keep the bike very original and it has all the original components on it. the only things i have replaced on this bike are the tyres inner brake cables and handlebar tape.

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One of the bikes main features is the Brooks saddle and saddle bag. they were not in bad condition so i just gave them a clean up unfortunately the saddle bag is missing its Brooks badge but still suits the bike well and it would not look the same without it.

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The Wayfarer came with all the original Parts on it with the original paint and transfers.




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It also has the original mudguards with reflectors





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The Raleigh has a really interesting looking Sturmey Archer shifter with a plastic cover on it that looks really cool. you can see here where i fitted bar tape to replace the knackered old rubber grips. i used bar tape as it was a lot more comfortable.





Overall This bike is a really lovely ride. all of the components on it are original and have been brought back to perfect working condition or replaced where needed. it really is a good looking bike with the white wall tyres against the royal blue.

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Thanks for looking. keep looking to see my next bikes

Sam

5 comments:

  1. Hi Sam, I wonder whether you could tell me how much a bike of this nature should be worth if you were to re-sell it? I am currently looking at a bike the same as this and don't want to get ripped off!

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  2. HI there sorry it has been such a long time replying to you. The wayfarers are actually not too hard to come by so don't fetch a huge amount. I sold mine for around £100 but I think it is worth more than that. ultimately with bikes of this age it is very condition dependent the better the condition the better the money. i hope this helps

    Sam

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  3. Hi Sam, thanks a lot for posting this. The bike looks fantastic! I just bought the exact same model and would like to restore it for my girlfriend. As it is very rusty (in particular the wheels and handlebar) I was wondering what treatment you would recommend to make it shiny again? This will be my first ever bike restauration project, so any basic tips, links, etc would be immensely appreciated. Many thanks in advance, Sam

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  4. I the chrome is still in reasonable condition then easiest way to remove light rust from the chrome is to rub it off with scrunched up aluminium foil lubricated with water. Then polish with autosol or similar metal polish. To prevent rust again clean with a bit of paint thinners and, spray with clear laquer. Avoid leaving out in the rain and preferably store in a reasonably warm place to prevent condensation.

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