# Raleigh Sprite...any info on it?



## strobon (Oct 4, 2005)

Hi,
I think this is my first post on roadbike review, so hello. 

I'm trying to get some info on an older bike I just picked up. Literally, I picked it up off the banks of the Charles River. It's all white, has little "R" logos on some of the nuts, and looks just like the Raleigh Sprite pictured on Harris Cyclery's webpage. I gather it's circa 1968-1974. Unlike every photo I find on the web of a raleigh, this one has chrome dimples on the fork.

It's got some surface rust, and my only interest in it is to use for grocery getting and around town. It's a great size for me and the frame seems pretty solid. I'm not restoring it, just making it single speed and repacking the bearings, replacing cables, etc. 

Like I said, the frame seems pretty solid, but I don't want to invest much money into (like less than $25 to get it running). But can anyone tell me 1) if this is a raleigh sprite, and 2) is it made of good frame material?

I'll bring it in to Harris if I get a chance, but wanted to know ahead of time if it is just junk and not worth even working on it.

Thanks!
Steve


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## Dave_Stohler (Jan 22, 2004)

Gee.....the pic you posted....ummm......doesn't show a bleedin' thing!!

Seriously, a Raleigh Sprite is a town bike. They came in 5 and 10 speed versions, weighed about 30 lbs, and make you sit up straight and tall in the saddle. Makes me want to wear a Harris tweed everytime I ride mine.

Mine is an early 70's "Dutch Roadster" 10-speed version. Metal spoke protector plate, long shift levers on the stem, very little rake, making it an extremely stable bike at low speeds. mine has a Brooks B-72 saddle, but the old Huret derailleur has been replaced by a low-end MTD Shimano unit-which works better and weighs less. It has less than 100 miles on it, even the chain is original. I ride it only occasionally around the neighborhood.

Keep in mind, you'll be hard pressed to find Whitworth threaded BBs, headsets, or even crank cotter pins. Nothing on this bike is of a modern standard. Replacement parts are few and expensive. And, in the end, it's just an old, average cruiser bike.

Post a pic of yours, and I'll do the same.


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## strobon (Oct 4, 2005)

Yes, I suppose a picture would've been helpful! I haven't gotten around to taking one yet and now the bike is actually stripped down to the frame. My intention is to just use it around town--throw the milkcrate on the back and run errands with it. Because it was free, and has a nice blend of white paint and surface rust at the lugs, I won't be so concerned about theft. There's no headbadge on it and no stickers, so i'm no even sure if it's a Sprite, I'm just guessing by the litte "R" logos on the crank bolts. I read that the dimpled forks are also a trademark of Raleigh, but I have yet to see a picture of one. So I'm just curious about the actual ID and year. If someone told me it was a good quality steel, i was thinking i'd spend some time to fix it up cosmetically. But for now, I'm just going to repack the bearings to get it spinning smoothly. For the cranks, it looks like I can keep the original bottom bracket cups and just replace the spindle (according to the harris cyclery website). I should be able to use a set of square taper cranks i have lying around. 

Thanks for your reply. I'd like to see a photo of yours.

Steve


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## mswantak (Jan 21, 2006)

There were Sprites, and there were Sprite 27s. The dimples in the forks would make it the older Sprite (mid to late '60s) with 26-inch wheels. Nice solid bikes; hi-tensile steel frames. The stock Phillips sidepull calipers aren't worth squat, but you can sub in a set of Weinmann 605s easily enough.


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## strobon (Oct 4, 2005)

mswantak said:


> There were Sprites, and there were Sprite 27s. The dimples in the forks would make it the older Sprite (mid to late '60s) with 26-inch wheels. Nice solid bikes; hi-tensile steel frames. The stock Phillips sidepull calipers aren't worth squat, but you can sub in a set of Weinmann 605s easily enough.



Thanks. 
I figured it was late 60's. It was definitely built for 27 inch wheels though not 26. It was recoved from a ditch in the roadside, so no money is going into it. The frame seems solid, but it's a tank. I replaced the BB and HS bearings, but that's it. It rides OK for a free beater. Not nearly as enjoyable as a newer bike, but I'll never take it far.


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