Simon C’s 1987 Raleigh Kelloggs Pro Tour

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Today’s crappy selection comes to us all the way from Scotland.  This is Simon C’s 1987 Raleigh Kelloggs Pro Tour.  This beauty sports what I believe to be an OTSG First—a homemade leather saddle.  This bike is really what all other bikes should aspire to be.

Year: 1987 Make: Raleigh Model: Kelloggs Pro Tour

A little bit about it:

I got this old 12 speed (sorry!) on Freecycle here in Scotland, from its original owner who said they’d bought it new in 1987. He was pleased I wanted to fix it up – he said all the other enquiries were looking to strip it for parts. It looked like it had been sitting in a farm pond for a few years – everything was covered in green mould or rust. Re-greased the bearings, new front brake blocks, Conti tyres, bell, and homemade leather saddle (on a vintage Brooks frame). The rack was £5 off ebay. Plated steel mudguards from an abandoned scrap bike. The rear wheel did have a plastic frisbee but I accidentally broke it removing the freewheel to replacing a spoke. I’m using this retro wonder once a week for a 30 mile round trip commute, it is very fast and comfortable and utterly crappy to behold.

Thanks Simon

Related posts:

  1. Paul H.’s 1983 Raleigh Marathon
  2. Doohickie’s Cotter’d 1978 Fuji Sports 10
  3. Zach W’s 1978 Schwinn Super Le Tour 12.2
  4. Dave C.’s Late 70’s Mercier Special Tour de France
  5. Mike G’s 1972 Schwinn World Traveler
  • http://www.wrn.com Bob H.

    Simon – you’ve definitely taken the ‘high road’ with this beautiful bike!

  • Mark D

    Thanks for sharing. This bike, like many others in the gallery, has what might be the most desirable attribute of any OTS — character!

  • http://hughsbicycle.blogspot.com Hugh

    Yes Character! and “True-Grit” Nice to see a bike that has been well used.

  • Doug W.

    Homemade leather saddle – I’m impressed. I’d like to hear more of how you do that. Do you have to pre-mould the shape any or is it just flat cowhide?

  • Simon

    Thankd for the comments. Doug, it is thick vegetable-tan leather (sold for making shoe soles). I got a lovely vintage Brooks on ebay for £10 but the leather was eotten, it was tearing afer a couple of rides. I used the old rotten leather seat as a pattern. Cut it out, punched the holes, and soaked overnight in tepid water till floppy. Then fixed it on to the frame with pop-rivets. Then smoothing it and moulding it to shape as it dried (and also marking my initials with a blunt point – you have to have your own initials embossed on your saddle!)

  • older1

    Do I count 40-spoke rims that all real touring bike should have? I believe so! You’ve obviously got yourself a durable, quality Raleigh workhorse, Simon, and you’ve performed an excellent excecution of leather replacement.

    The term “crappy” should be reserved for any (with apologies to the nostagic owners of truly crappy bikes and with the exception of all bomb-proof ‘electro-forged’ Schwinns) non-lugged-frame, welded-gaspipe bicycle-shaped-objects that have only served to permanently tarnish the reputation of quality bikes of every vintage in the minds of casual consumers.