Sun 'Mist'

I'm sure you can't call this bike a 'Classic', not even sure if it's whats nowadays called a 'road bike'. So, if this is the wrong place, sorry
But I'd really like to know a little more about this bike I bought last week, yep I paid good money for this thing so no laughing please

A lot of the original stuff has been changed and I'm not sure if the bike should have Drop Handlebars or not. Someone has suggested that the placement of the gear lever is unusual, and might mean the bike originally came with straight bars. I'd really like to know, even better a picture of the bike in its original state would be great.

Any other comments are most welcome

Thanks in advance,
Mike

Clearly you have a Raleigh mass produced in the Carlton factory. I didn't know they used standard raleigh fork crown. I would not waste money on it, but it may well be servicable.
I suppose a Carlton lover will appear soon and say its marvellous.
Keith

Thanks Keith, yep I think the phrase 'bog standard' was invented for this bike, nothing of much interest in this bike. I think it's from the bottom of the Sun range from the mid '60's to... (maybe the early 70's, not really sure).
But the fact it's an average, 'typical' bike of it's era, the kind that would have been used everyday by millions of people, for either work or recreation, or most probably both. I'm sure the person who received this as a Christmas present, or purchased it from an early wage packet loved the thing

I'd love to know how the thing looked way back then...

Mike

Mike, you are right. I was a cycle retailer 1950's /60's. During that time the commuter bikes like heavyweight raleighs almost stopped selling, and the trade had to focus on schoolboy/teenager market. Under Raleigh, Carlton (and their other makes) concentrated on this. When Raleigh took on Carlton the production was an unsustainable 5000 bikes a year, and in a few years they peaked at 70,000 a year.
They made decent bikes in a saleable price range.
Keith

Not a Sun 'Fan boy' but personally I think thats a good looking bike, I like utilitarian and I like the lug work and that rather cool top tube mounted gear shifter. All old bikes that are still rolling are 'classics' to me, some are more classic than others it is true but thats not an utter BSO

I like this too - think its a good example of bikes of that era. Like the paint work and the head badge. Just clean it and change that saddle - it will look great!

Under all that grime is a great frame and bike waiting to come out.

Thanks for the positive comments everyone, yep I plan to clean the the frame a little and put a shine on the other parts then use it for what it was intended for, getting around town and having a little fun with it on the weekends

@ velomaniac - have to agree with you about the 'rather cool top tube mounted gear shifter' it's one of the things i found cute about the bike.

Also, if anyone knows Bristol at all, the bell should but a smile on your face. I had thought it originally came with the bike but I'm not so sure now, so I'm thinking of moving it over to my Dawes Kingpin '76. Should look even better on there. Here's a pic...


P.S. If anyone does come across a pic of a Sun Misty... please post?

Mike,
I remember Palmer's, on the RH side going down, after city road, Cycle and motorcycle retailer.
Keith

Yep, I bought a nice secondhand bike from them once. They always had a nice collection of them lined up outside the shop. Nice shop.