The Karma Triumph

This was the Karma bike that Piperdave offered up in March. It sat under cover in my dad's garden for months, but I got to bring it home recently and I've given it a good going over in the last week or so while my garage is empty. It's a 1975 Raleigh-built Triumph Ladies Roadster with a 3-speed Sturmey Archer dynohub also dated 1975, twist shift, rod brakes and 26" wheels.

Pics:













I haven't actually done much with it. I gave it a new set of tyres and brake blocks, but the rest has been simply elbow grease, freeing everything off, nipping everything up, true the wheels, fitting and adjusting the brakes and dressing the braking surfaces on the wheels. Other than that I've cleaned the frame and given it a damn good oil! Annoyingly, the ball bearing pinged out the twist shift mechanism and I lost it, so I'm hoping a spare one out a hub or something will do the trick.

These are the 'before' pics that Piperdave posted up:











It wasn't going to be one for the faint-hearted, particularly with the rod brakes, and needed a good few hours spending on it. One of the cotter pins was in the wrong way round which left the cranks looking like this...

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...and it took a bit of hammering to get the old one out, but once replaced it is fine. All three gears work a treat, though I think I could do with drowning the hub in oil. I think it's destined to be a bike that lives at work for getting round the site and to and from town and the station, but it's a wee bit small for me, so who knows.

First ride out today! I did my normal 4 mile commute... it's heavy... it's hard work... but it rides quite nicely. It does feel mighty strange with the handlebar grips behind the stem, but I guess it's the old way. I am really tempted to strip everything off the frame and stick it in a bag in the loft, then build it back up as a heavily patina'd fixed-gear path racer. Must resist...

That looks like you have put in some work to make it look nice. Much better than when i handed it over, well done, and thanks.

D

Excellent, glad you were passing Dave. I was going to drop you line to show you how it came out!

that's a lovely bike, well done!

Looks great! Have been looking for something similar for the wife, any excuse for another project

Thanks for the comments guys. I wasn't sure if anyone was going to reply to this thread, since it's not everyone's cup of tea