Well i recently bought this stunning Raleigh Commando in original condition. On getting it home i completely stripped the bike into individual parts. Lovingly polished the frame, replaced ALL the bearings and greased them up with high performance EPX grease. The chrome has been cleaned, the hub has been cleaned and rebuilt. Looks stunning now i think.

Take a look... Bike as bought







One cleaned wheel and rebuilt hub later... now the rest of the bike...



Now the cleaned and preserved bike...

























So what next... Well i am going to design some new replacement decals, and buy new redline tyres as the original "Michelin" ones are cracked.  

--Last edited by canopusxs235 on 2009-07-25 18:11:57 --

lovely job mate, looks great now  

Thanks Mate... Its a beauty...isn't it. I spent all day yesterday cleaning, polishing...cleaning some more and then some more.      But it's paid off. I think with new decals it will look even better? I was lucky too.... no seized bits...  

--Last edited by canopusxs235 on 2009-07-25 18:32:43 --

very nice work and great photo's.

pat on the back and a few well deserved beers for you !!!!

Patting my back.... How where's the beers?      

Top work mate   thats gotta be the nicest looking example of a commando i have ever seen! (not since back in the day anyway!) well done..... whats next??

Well GaZ... I am working on a group of bikes at the moment. My two mk1's have come to a halt as i am still waiting for the chrome! Long story mate... I have started a Raleigh Tomahawk Resto, managed to get a NOS seat and sissy bar. What next... Oh i have an old racer/touring bike with very high quality parts... damned if i know what make the bike is yet? Have to identify the maker. (Post pics soon, its at my friends house awaiting collection) Three custom grifters... Geesh lots on....  

P.S. I thought it was probably the best example of a Commando... It's better in the flesh... Pictures don't do it full justice!  

It will be fully detailed and finished when i give it its next clean to remove the stubborn stains of grease!    

--Last edited by canopusxs235 on 2009-07-25 21:52:09 --

Another top job mate. That will look great next to your other mint bikes.    I notice the early 70s commandos had different seats and pedals. They also had cotterpin R nuts.

Soon You will be able to have your very own one man bike show!!      

Good luck with the tomo and the racer mate, my 1984 raleigh winner is in a part dismantled state! want to one day get her up and running properly alongside the grifters!    keep us all posted with pics!  

Thks Gaz. Ralegh Winner? I don't recall them? You will have to post a pic for me to jolt my memory... Danger is... I am now becoming a "one man bike show" like our dear friend Wayne!!     I mean what is it with us? Buying kids bikes that are way too small for us??? Have we lost the plot???

  Nah, we aint lost the plot mate!!  we are all just having some good clean fun!!   re-capturing our youths!! i feel at least 20 years younger every time i see my grifters and my winner too!! i have had the pioneer sprit now for 14 years and shes like new!! one of the true last "hand built" raleighs!! there is just something very special about them, they have us under their magic spell!!  heres the pics of the winner!! when she was new with my mk2 prizzie and as she is now, minus her "the winner" top tube transfer.

Just read your post Wayne... Missed it in all the excitement! I don't know much about the Commando. I noticed this has an early reflector. I thought it would have had the plastic type? What's the other seat look like??? I recall a friend had one and he gave me croggies on it. I sat on the rack and held onto the seat bar for dear life. Funny how memories get triggered when you work on these bikes.    I did chuckle to myself

Ahaa Gaz top bikes, now i recall them. I think peugeot racers were popular back then...??? Do you have a picture of the Winner top decal? Might be able to help you out.  

--Last edited by canopusxs235 on 2009-07-25 22:34:36 --

Thanks john, i dont think i have a pic of the top tube decal, it was basically like the red writing after the RALEIGH on the bottom tube (that transfer is shot too! the raleigh dealer back in the day did not mount the gear levers behind the stop! the cables when changing gears pulled the levers into the transfer, damaging them! i was 14 at the time and did not complain!!) but said the winner in looped writing it was surrounded by gold on the outside of the lettering, i would love to save this bike but its looking doubtful..... we shall see.....

all the commandos ive seeen have the early metal reflector.
The other commando seat (other than the mk1grifter seat) is the one with the ridges in (like the bendy sausage at the wimpy!)  

Great descrïption... I knew straight away what the early seat looks like now.    

I was bored last night...Nothing on tv, so i sat with my new Commando bike and sketch pad and knocked up these rough visuals for the new replacement decals. Like i said the drawings are rough visuals for planning out the construction of the decals. The next stage is to transfer the drawings onto the computer and produce digital artwork.



Ignore the four black lines on the cpl's stripes...   i messed up.  

--Last edited by canopusxs235 on 2009-07-26 11:55:35 --

how will you get the old ones off without damaging the paintwork mate? Or will your new ones go straight over the top?  

Real easy Wayne. Firstly Masking tape will bring off the loose parts of the decals, then i use thinners on a cloth and wipe onto the decal. The decal then melts and rubs off leaving the paintwork untouched. Obviously before i apply the new decals i polish the paint with rubbing compound to polish the paintwork, then apply the new waterslide decals... Job done!  

you make it sound easy mate.  

     It is Wayne! I have done it so many times! It's easy because the decal is brittle due to age and breaks up very easily.  

--Last edited by canopusxs235 on 2009-07-26 16:49:38 --