Re: [CR]I found a Popular Special, now what?

(Example: Production Builders:Pogliaghi)

From: "ternst" <ternst1@cox.net>
To: "jp080847, jp080847" <julieann@student.fullerton.edu>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <60C40570E2FAA64881DF6937A7B5C7E31465ACC5@e2k2s.Fullerton.EDU>
Subject: Re: [CR]I found a Popular Special, now what?
Date: Sat, 19 Mar 2005 19:35:14 -0800
reply-type=original

Hello and welcome to the club. Your Popular Special was one of several different names on bikes that Raleigh made and exported to various countries for low price competitive marketing. These bikes were sold to compete with the TI English group. At the time your hub was stamped we sold them retail for $32 to 34.95. Then Royce Union came out with the same bike from Raleigh which we could sell for $29.95 and still have a profit after assembly, with good old American dollars. This was before the country was prostituted and our birthright was sold to the lowest bidder. Couldn't resist not making a comment on these things as we're living through them. For the money, they were the best bikes in that style imho ever for quality and riding, old school construction, assembly line production, before modern times came along and we started worshipping at the font of mediocrity. Enjoy that bike. Any long established shop in your area should have parts for it, that equipment was made for years, by the millions, and a lot of it is still around. It was called a lightweight 3-speed English touring bike, as compared to the American cruisers. Many people referred to them as racer bikes because they were thin tired instead of balloon, and had three speeds instead of a simple coaster brake. Ted Ernst Palos Verdes Estates, CA


----- Original Message -----
From: "jp080847, jp080847"
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 6:28 PM
Subject: [CR]I found a Popular Special, now what?


Hello,

First, I know nothing about bikes. Just yesterday I found a bicycle out in a pile of stuff to be thrown away and I knew instantly that I had to have it. It is not in great condition and needs a lot of fixing up. The back wheel axel has Sturmey Archer and the nuber 61 incised in the metal and the 3 speed gear shift on the handlebars says the same. A metal badge on the front says Popular Special. It is orange and white, dirty and rusty-the seat seems to be leather and is split. It is perfect and I want to restore it to at least close to original condition.

Thanks for any advice you can send my way. When I Googled the Popular Special, I only came up with one brief mention.

Thanks and Warm Regards,

Julie Perlin

classicrendezvous@bikelist.org