Handlebar/head gear replacement for dummies!?

Happy New Year all.

This is regarding a 1935 Raleigh Speed Sports as discussed in a previous post about brakes, which knowledgeable people kindly helped with. I did briefly mention handlebar replacement in one of those posts.

When riding, it feels like all my weight is taken on my hands at the moment as my preferred riding position is not on the drops. It is therefore not very comfortable and the opposite to relaxing - I feel a bit like I am too far forwards, and (if the brakes were any good) about to be launched over them!

I was thinking that if the bars were further forward it may assist, and if they could be higher it would maybe save me dropping the saddle. The current non-original bars feel too narrow, and although I like the lauterwasser style as a 'period' option these also look quite narrow unless using the dropped part - which I wouldn't be much. Maybe an inverted northern road style would be better for comfort/width and suit the period?

Levers would then depend on the type of bar I guess, I don't have the original Raleigh ones unfortunately.

It was my Grandfathers, then my Dads bike and I think at 6'1" I'm a bit too tall really for the 21 inch frame, but I'd like to keep using it and keep it as comfortable as possible. The other question would be what sort of spanner do I need for the weird looking notched nuts on the headset? Looks like I'd need two sizes, and that the upper, smaller one probably locks against the lower...would that be right?

C spanners needed

GTR":3kvbhbz3 said:

When riding, it feels like all my weight is taken on my hands at the moment as my preferred riding position is not on the drops. It is therefore not very comfortable and the opposite to relaxing - I feel a bit like I am too far forwards, and (if the brakes were any good) about to be launched over them!

I was thinking that if the bars were further forward it may assist, and if they could be higher it would maybe save me dropping the saddle. The current non-original bars feel too narrow, and although I like the lauterwasser style as a 'period' option these also look quite narrow unless using the dropped part - which I wouldn't be much. Maybe an inverted northern road style would be better for comfort/width and suit the period?

Click to expand...

I think it sounds like you might be best off with a "standard" Riser-type bar, or North roads as suggested, but maybe not inverted (if they're inverted they will be lower - although I agree they would look "period").

You can buy REALLY long stems (example here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Promax-Extra ... ctupt=true), however it looks like your stem is already pretty long, and if it's a 21" bike, I would imagine you should be able to get the rise you need with the bars as previously mentioned.

Both the risers and north roads would require a change of brake lever from the current ones. It looks like you are currently using the extender arms to brake (dubbed "suicide levers" as they usually don't work very well!) so you would likely be pleasantly surprised with how nice the brakes would feel after the change!

As the above post, looks like you need a C-Spanner for the lock-rings. If you don't have one (and don't have a desire to buy one), you might get them loose by tapping with a screwdriver / hammer, but you'd need to be gentle if you don't want to butcher the lock-ring. This isn't recommended!

Joe

If all your weight is on your hands it may be that the saddle is too far forward. It's counter-intuitive but moving the saddle back centres your weight and reduces that on your hands. Obviously the reach is longer.

Thank you all for the replies.
Joe Rides - very helpful thank you, and yes the extenders do work rather badly so I can understand the term.
Hamster - I hadn't realised that was an option, but it would definitely help the rather cramped position so I'll look at that.
I was a bit worried the spanners may not exist but it sounds like it will be worth spending out.
Cheers

Your brake levers have perhaps 1 inch between the cable end and the fulcrum, the originals were probably less than .75 inch, giving you less leverage than intended.

Keith

If you wish to replace the headset, rather than just overhaul it, you will probably find the steerer is threaded at 26tpi. This means that only a Raleigh headset will work for the top race and locknut, because other 1" headsets are 24tpi. The Raleigh headsets sometimes come up NOS on eBay but they're expensive, heavy, and not sealed.

You can, however, put the bottom end of a modern JIS headset on, which gives you sealing where it counts and possibly more durability. Have the fork crown milled to 26.4mm (it will probably be about 27.0mm, although Raleigh no doubt called it 1 1/16"), and you can put any ISO bottom end in there. Any decent bike shop will be able to mill the crown seat to 26.4mm - a standard crown race cutter will do it.

Getting a bit technical here for a dummy, but many thanks - I get the jist and will seek out a friendly shop as suggested!

As hamster says, ease the seat back along its rails. It will certainly give you a different feel. I’m 6’1” and am most comfortable on a 24” frame although do have 23” and 25.5” in my collection.
The one 21.5” that I did ride needed the seat high and as far back as it would go, and I had a long forward reaching stem (I think the reach was about 110mm). Your stem has hardly any reach at all.
If it was my grandpas bike I’d clean it, show it off, ride it only very occasionally.
I hate it when my back goes! :cry:

Re:

Thanks Peachy...nearly the weekend so I'm looking forward to having a go at the saddle suggestion.

I know it doesn't look like it, but I have given it a good clean but it's had a well used life after all!

I also note you've got a little more choice - currently it's this or my daughters powder blue Pendleton complete with shopping basket