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Robin Hood bike; another old British time machine.

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GTP1960

GTP1960

Jedi Knight
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I picked this 1960's Robin Hood 3 Spd up yesterday at a flea market for $25 bucks.
what a cool old bike!
It's built like a tank, AND everything works and it doesn't leak oil.
(unlike some TR3's I know)

image.jpgimage.jpg
The company was located in Nottingham (go figure) and was acquired by Raleigh (go figure, (almost every British bike company was owned by Raleigh sooner or later)) in 1906.

However, I've discovered only having 3 spds. requires a lot more work than it did in the '60's.
 
Great find! Cool "English Racer" that we lusted after back in the day.
 
Score. Yes year is on hub. With mine I never used third and wanted a lower gears so I put 2 more teeth on the rear, I think from 16 to 18. Can't check, someone stole it out of a closed garage.
 
sail said:
Score. Yes year is on hub. With mine I never used third and wanted a lower gears so I put 2 more teeth on the rear, I think from 16 to 18. Can't check, someone stole it out of a closed garage.
Click to expand...

that's a good idea. I'm going to try and find a larger sprocket.
Stolen right out of a closed garage.....man, that stinks.
was that all they took?
 
Guy, Good buy! Here's a few additional things about your new purchase. Your Sturmey Archer hub also has the month of manufacture (appearing like 9 69) stamped onto the hub shell. Long ago I was told that the actual manufacture of the bike was between 3 to 4 months after the hub date. The brakes, handlebar stem, seat post binder bolts etc. will all be Whitworth tool sized. Here are two things (that I see owners make mistakes on). (1) Be careful not to over tighten the rear axle nuts, they are easily stripped. (2) On the front hub, the axle doesn't use lock nuts. One ball bearing cone has no slots for adjustment and gets threaded fully onto the axle. The other cone is slotted allowing for bearing adjustment. That slotted cone is always installed on the left hand side of the bicycle...if installed on the right, wheel rotation can allow the cone to tighten up on the bearings to a point that it ruins the bearing races. Beyond that there's really no surprises and I'm sure you'll have fun with it.
 
On a lesser note - I still have the Raleigh 10 speed
that I bought back in 1975 - "I bought British!".

- Doug
 
3798j said:
Guy, Good buy! Here's a few additional things about your new purchase. Your Sturmey Archer hub also has the month of manufacture (appearing like 9 69) stamped onto the hub shell. Long ago I was told that the actual manufacture of the bike was between 3 to 4 months after the hub date. The brakes, handlebar stem, seat post binder bolts etc. will all be Whitworth tool sized. Here are two things (that I see owners make mistakes on). (1) Be careful not to over tighten the rear axle nuts, they are easily stripped. (2) On the front hub, the axle doesn't use lock nuts. One ball bearing cone has no slots for adjustment and gets threaded fully onto the axle. The other cone is slotted allowing for bearing adjustment. That slotted cone is always installed on the left hand side of the bicycle...if installed on the right, wheel rotation can allow the cone to tighten up on the bearings to a point that it ruins the bearing races. Beyond that there's really no surprises and I'm sure you'll have fun with it.
Click to expand...


Thx Jay.

the hub is marked 11 - 69. (Actually more like "69 11")
but on the Sturmy archer web page it has this AW 3 sp. hub listed as being a 1972 model.
i think it's an 18 tooth rear sprocket.
(l'm going to see about a 22 tooth)

what kind of oil would you use in the hub? The old manual say's "sturmy Archer oil", but that might be hard to find.

GP
 
Guy, see if your local bicycle shop sells Phil Woods Tenacious Oil....good stuff. If not, try any thin oil you favor...personally not a fan of 3and1 for S/A hubs. And have no knowing why a '69 marking would indicate a '72 build.
 
GTP1960 said:
that's a good idea. I'm going to try and find a larger sprocket.
Stolen right out of a closed garage.....man, that stinks.
was that all they took?
Click to expand...
Yes just the bike which was leaning on a much more expensive one. So it goes. The larger sprocket made a big difference for me, eBay or my local bike shop even had one, less than $10. Might need more/ new chain, might adjust.

Sheldon https://www.sheldonbrown.com has a bunch of bike info/reference.
 
sail said:
Yes just the bike which was leaning on a much more expensive one. So it goes. The larger sprocket made a big difference for me, eBay or my local bike shop even had one, less than $10. Might need more/ new chain, might adjust.

Sheldon https://www.sheldonbrown.com has a bunch of bike info/reference.
Click to expand...

Richard,

thx for sending that link to the Sheldon Brown website. The bike shop "Harris Cyclery" was very responsive & has the parts I need.
I found it very interesting & touching that, though Sheldon passed away in 2008, His comrades still keep his website going, as a kind of memorial to the iconic cyclist/mechanic.
 
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