New bike reveal! 1952 Raleigh Lenton Sports Reg Harris vintage bicycle restoration project. Patina!

[@Sam-mv6rp]

Looks like a nice old bike. It is good to see the paint is in serviceable condition.

[@skin150263]

I have a 1953 Reg Harris Lenton Sports. I have kept the paintwork as it is but I have done a mechanical restoration with a few modifications. When I got it the rear wheel was not original, it was a 36 hole Rigida rim with a three speed Sturmey hub. Both wheels had the old quick release (large wing nut) fastenings. I rebuilt the rear wheel with a four speed FW hub and a 40 hole 700C rim. The front wheel I built with a Sturmey Dynohub and a 32 hole 700C rim. I used 28mm tyres - I didn't think I'd be able to fit any wider tyres and clear the frame with mudguards fitted, although of course 32mm tyres would have been closer to the original size. The original type of brake callipers worked OK but as the 700C wheels are slighly narrower than the original 597mm steel rims, this meant that the brake adjusters had to be screwed out as far as possible for the brakes to work OK even with new brake blocks. I decided to fit some vintage GB Coureur hiduminium brake callipers as they have a cable clamp which makes correct adjustment a lot easier. The bike looks OK with the 700C wheels as I used the original spoke lacing pattern that Raleigh used, front wheel two cross on the dynamo side and three cross on the opposite side and rear wheel four cross on both sides. I've kept all the parts that it came with so that I can easily return it to its original condition apart from the non original rear wheel.

[@pokey764ids]

I love the beautiful patina on the frame! Definitely needs to stay original like that with a few coats of clear. Beautiful bike

[@unbalancedcrank]

I have to look at circumstances. If i lived in East London or Manchester, I would have an entirely different attitude to it. If i did the bike like that in Blackpool, I’d be stuck with it or be offered £5 m. .youre welcome to buy it in kit from if you want it 😊

[@pokey764ids]

@@unbalancedcrank I definitely understand that. I'm actually in the US but I do personal bikes for me with the patina but you're right, if you're selling it you definitely want to bring it to a better standard

[@The_Car_Sanctuary]

A typical long-term old boy owner by the looks of it. No doubt his main transport for work and pleasure for a long long time… that’s a well-worn bike.

[@Mick_Holland]

That's a nice old bicycle. It might look good with short aluminium mudguards but I guess that's a no-no if you want to keep it original. Are the forks OK? It looks as though they are pushed back a little ... as though it had a head-on encounter with an immovable object at some time, although this could just be my eyes. Good luck with whatever you decide to do with it. Cheers 👍🏼

[@vintagebikes]

A lovely bike which deserves to show its age and its original look.😊

[@kennethmclaren8064]

Will look good with mudguards and service and clean up will look forward to the videos and the rebuild

[@kennethmclaren8064]

Do the same work as you did with the crown star with the parts you have that turned out a great bike.

[@unbalancedcrank]

If I could ride comfortably with drop bars I would have kept the Crown Star for longer. A lovely bike.

[@Paul-uu5kf]

Lovely ramble about a lovely old thing. Definitely one for preservation only. But we all know this will most likely join the ranks of the bikes ‘to do eventually’ as if I recall there’s Chris’s Superb and a host of other bikes like the Elizabethan all in the recently proclaimed ‘order of bikes I will tackle next’ to do first! Possibly. …. I love it. Oh, and before you get anywhere near this one, another ‘bike I’ve always wanted’ will appear and briefly feature centre stage. As I say I love it. Keep up the good work. I love stories of good intentions!!! Paul

[@unbalancedcrank]

I think you have just summed up my ADHD there😅. Although I think every enthusiast restorer has a queue like that, which is usually quite fluid in nature. I would prefer to linseed oil the Lenton and pass it on to someone who can ride it. It’s a waste otherwise.

[@peterharrer3261]

Quite a find. Rust seems the primary issue, outside the frame and in. I appreciate you will not blast, but that is the only way I know to really stop it. Otherwise, all you can do is slow its progress with cleaning and boiled linseed until you can transfer it to a suitable collector. Might consider spraying inside the tubes with an inhibitor, but we all know that can be messy and dangerous to one's health!

[@julianruneckles2198]

A lot of that rust will probably come off the rims, you could reuse assuming they are structurally sound and then the wheel patina will match the frame! Lot of time involved though. I’m looking for a rear in that size myself for a model 21 in a similar state to this.

[@MUSIKPENYEMBAHAN]

wow amzing...

[@lindajesse8250]

Keep the scratches attack the chrome 😊

[@robflohil774]

The chainring is worn {sharp teeth}. But the crankset doesn't seem particularly exotic, so finding a better chainring should be possible {if the bike is meant to be ridden of course}.

[@unbalancedcrank]

I think I’ve probably got one. I will replace sprocket and chain too.

[@frankthomas8436]

It did come with mudguards. Bluemels “Popular”.

[@unbalancedcrank]

That’s what I have.

[@1961kickboxer]

It’s a nice colour .

[@rainbowhiker]

Strip it, paint it, chrome it. It's too far gone. No Mudgards.