I went to see the Raleigh Hustler that I had heard was for sale. Not of much interest to me -- it was a rather heavy sports bike with relaxed angles and long wheelbase, everything steel except the Wrights saddle leather, tires and tubes. It had 26" x 1.25" steel rims with wide ratio 3-speed Sturmey-Archer. 36 spokes front and rear which surprised me a little.
What I am not sure of is the probable age of this bike. It had all the traditional Raleigh features: tube fork crown with chrome inserts, bottom bracket width and threading, narrow front hub. My question is, when did Raleigh give up these features and adopt more usual British dimensions? I had always thought it was early sixties, but the bike looks a bit later than that.
Raleigh Professional / Team question: I have a 1980 frame that has been refinished and the headbadge holes have been filled. Did these bikes have the same 3-rivet headbadge as my fifties Raleigh, or did they change the design at any pont in between?
Thanks
Hugh Thornton