1954 Raleigh Sports

This bike with be auctioned off and will take place between Sept 19 and Sept 26. The auctioon is happening on eBay and can be found HERE. 

It was a crisp morning--the sky was brilliant blue and the air carried that freshly mowed grass smell that you only find in the early days of summer. Toni Lang was a young teen on his paper route in 1954. Cruising down the street, tossing newspapers at people's doorsteps, in these moments the world felt like it was only Toni and his bike.

Except on one fateful day, Toni and his bike met a woman and her car in a head-on collision.

Toni was only mildly injured but his bike was totaled. It lay crumpled in the road. A mangle of metal parts that would surly never be able to carry Toni and his newspapers again. The woman was distraught at the damaged she caused. There is an unspoken understanding that a kid and their bike hold a special connection and she had just ruined that relationship. Instead of figuring out the policies and paperwork of insurance, the woman promised Toni on the spot to buy him a brand-new bike. This is the bike she bought for him.

This Raleigh Spots bike was the top of the line model in 1954. It had dynohub that powers the front and the rear lights (still works today!). This bike was designed for a smooth ride but didn't lack any charm. Toni had fallen in love. This bike went everywhere with Toni, including a European Tour in the 1960s and 1970s. The roads this bike has traversed on, the adventures this bike has carried Toni on remain ingrained in this bike's history.

In the end, the Raleigh Sports bike lives on and is looking for a new rider to love and care for it the same way Toni did decades ago.

This bike shows great patina and is in overall good condition. Both the front and rear lights still work and are powered by the front dyno-hub. All of the other bits and pieces are original as to when Toni purchased the bike in 1954, except for the tires which have been replaced. There are no dents, cracks or bends in the frame. There is rust in some sections but not enough to hurt the structure of the bike. The rear reflector on the fender has a crack in it. The frame pump has a crack in the handle but is still functional. It also feels like the rear hub is a little sticky and can only grab 2 of the 3 gears. This could be fixed by spraying the inside of the hub with a little lube and maybe some compressed air. The fenders have a couple hail sized dents but nothing that stands out too much. There is also some wear on the inside of the drive side crank from rubbing on the chain protector. Finally, the rims have some corrosion on the braking surface.

Please see all photos to get a better understanding as to the condition of this bike. 

Measurements: 

Seat tube (ctt) - 58.5cm

Seat tube (ctc) - 56cm

Top tube (ctc) - 56cm

Standover - 82.5cm

Thank you Katie Burgert for the incredible write up!