swebb5039 wrote:
sherlylock wrote:
I paid £50 for two bikes - a '51 Gents Raleigh and a similar age Elswick ladies bike - in better (but not much better) nick than yours around a year ago.
I'd be interested in the gents Raleigh as a spares bike for mine......shame you're a bit far away.......
Do you have any idea about what models they are and what years they are from?
As mentioned, green with gold lining and rod brakes suggests Superbe Dawn Tourist models. I have a 1951 Superbe which has the same bar grips (rare) and frame lugs as the ladies version in your pics. Superbe models usually have a built in fork lock and stainless wheel rims and will be 4 speed.
Rear hub (providing its original to the bike) will be stamped with a date. It'll be 3x numbers like "8 51" This gives you month and year of manufacture. My guess is early fifties. There is a guy on the fb raleigh roadster owners page who can decode the frame number too (stamped at the top of the seat tube) to give you an accurate date.