Normandy Freewheel

[Nukuhiva]

So I finally got the remover tool - only took about 6 months - and was able to wrench that sucker loose. Turned easily after the initial break-free oomph. Have looked around online some, seems like the only place I can find a Normandy/Maillard/Sachs freewheel (5 speed, 14/17/19/21/24) is Fleabay, which I'd rather avoid. Anyone know of any sources I haven't found? I guess I could always go Shimano, Falcon or some other Asian company - provided the threads match - but this is for a vintage 70's (or maybe 60's) Raleigh Sprite made in England, so I'd really like to keep it as original as possible.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

I also hate ePay, but it's the most workable option in this case, sadly.

Searching thru every old bike shop in a 100-mile radius 'might' turn up a used or NOS Normany or Atom....'maybe' with the gearing to match yours (28T were common in my area) . Snapping up garage sale and Craigslist Schwinns or Raleighs and building one or two good freewheels out of a scrap heap of rusty 'parts bikes'...pain in the ass, but an option for those with the time and access to a market of $10-$20 clunkers from the 1970's.

 

[alfeng]

Jump on the CLASSIC RENDEZVOUS mailing list ...

• there is a lot of buying-and-selling of vintage components amongst those who are denizens of the mailing list ...

Go to their website to find the link to join.

 

[Pat Stowe]

I wouldn't worry about originality- in those days and even now mfrs will put whatever was available, cheaper or on hand during the production run of their bikes and it's very possible it wasn't "original" anyway

 

[Nukuhiva]

Considering the fact that this English bike somehow landed in America and that the crushing majority of Americans never even have a nightmare about working on their bikes - they throw it in a dumpster before changing a tire, never mind a freewheel - it probably was original. Even if it wasn't, I would have preferred a European made part. After doing some looking around, I decided to go with a Falcon cheapie for now, $ 16.00 for a Taiwan freewheel is about all that's within the budget for the time being. Will be road tested today.

 

[dhk2]

Originally Posted by Nukuhiva .

Considering the fact that this English bike somehow landed in America and that the crushing majority of Americans never even have a nightmare about working on their bikes - they throw it in a dumpster before changing a tire, never mind a freewheel - it probably was original. Even if it wasn't, I would have preferred a European made part. After doing some looking around, I decided to go with a Falcon cheapie for now, $ 16.00 for a Taiwan freewheel is about all that's within the budget for the time being. Will be road tested today.

Lots of Raleighs made it to the US in the 60's and 70's. I've got one, a 1975 Gran Sport which I bought new from a Raleigh dealer. And yes, I've had it the Normandy freewheel off the bike for cleaning and re-grease. BTW, every cyclist I know changes their own tires, chains and cassettes. Although it may come as a shock to you, many of us actually know how to assemble headsets, BB, and build wheels too.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

During the bike boom of 1970-1972 there were tens of thousands of Raleigh Record and Grand Prix models sold in the States. They were the two lowest models in the drop bar lineup IIRC.

The Record sold for about $100 and the Grand Prix added QR wheels and was $125 in my area. The Sprite model was, basically, an upright version of the Record (although early 1960's Sprites were available as an inexpensive drop bar type).

The Record model did switch to a Suntour 14-34 freewheel sometime in the mid to late 1970's. During the early years of the bike booms (both of them), manufacturers sold their bikes equipped with whatever equivalent components they could scrounge up as suppliers sold out production runs quickly. M. Atom, Cyclo, Maillard, Normandy...all 'could' have been OEM back in the day.

I think my Grand Sport is a 1975 or 1976 model, dhk2. Nice old racing bikes!

 

[dhk2]

Paid around $250 in spring 1975 for my turquoise/white Gran Sport. A premium price for a bike then, but I wanted the famous Reynolds 531 double-butted frame and fork. The gold hand pin-stripping was a nice touch, but the lugs look like they'd been taken to a grinding wheel by a guy who'd had a second pint for lunch and the chain stays aren't stuck on very evenly at the top.

Mine doesn't have many miles on it, but after several moving-van trips and a couple of sweaty winters on the trainer, it's not quite in pristine shape anymore but at least all-original. I need to get it out and clean it up for some winter riding one of these days.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Yeah, the shakey-hand gold pinstripes. Raleigh lugwork and paint were mostly **** in that time frame. Only the Pro and Team showed any kind of care in the frame builds. The Competition and International were usually just so-so. It is obvious they were cranking them out as fast as they could.

Regardless of the cosmetics, they were usually pretty decent rides and the Gran Sport made an excellent day tourer/racer.

 

[oldbobcat]

Yeah, the workmanship in those '70s Raleighs was nothing to get excited about. I still remember the "hairy armpits," the globs of braze under the seatstay caps of my Super Course.

Even back then, specifications were subject to change without notice, and the most changeable features were the freewheels and cottered steel cranks. As long as they had the right number of cogs and teeth was all that mattered. I doubt there are many Raleigh Sprite completists who are will ding you for using a Chinese freewheel.

If your local shop has an account with J&B, they can get you a dandy 14-28t 5-speed freewheel for $10-15.