Raleigh Alyeska

The drive side dropout broke. I really love this bike. It was my daily driver for about 6 years.

Currently it is just a frame (and fork) hanging on the wall in my garage.

Now is time for me to learn more frame repair work as I ponder the developing situation with the Rain Bike project.

I plan to replace the dropout soon, see Frame Builder Supply, possibly this one?

Perhaps it's time to put canti posts on the back to match the fork? This old frame does not want disc brakes. Maybe I will add a trailer hitch too. Time to re-evaluate.

I got this bicycle at a garage sale for $15.

It's a touring bike. I think the former owner swapped out a Tange fork for the original.

I love touring bikes, and this one has Raleigh 555 triple-butted tubing.

Touring bikes are all about adventure, even when they are just sleeping in the garage. Even when they are just a stripped down frame hanging on the wall. They wait patiently for you, they know more adventures are coming.

The fork is set up for a 700c wheel and cantilever brakes. The frame was set up for 27" wheels and cantilever brakes. When I got it, it had a a 700 wheel on the front and a 27" wheel on the back. When I swapped a 700c wheel onto the back, the brakes would no longer hit the rim! What a drag.

Since I did not want to be stuck with mismatched rims, I cut the cantilever posts off the frame. At this point I could braze new posts on, but at that time I had no tanks for my acetylene welder. It's not important enough to me to pay someone else to do the work. So I put a centerpull brake on the back. I've never actually toured with it so a centerpull on the back has been just fine.

I had it powder coated at Oregon Powder Coat in Tangent. The work cost <$100 to have the Alyeska and a pair of Blackburn racks done. They are GREEN. It's beautiful.

External links

http://sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/catalogs/1985/pages/07raleigh-alyeska.html