Check out all the products you see in our videos on
https://www.bikespeeds.com/shop
In todays episode we restore this vintage Hercules Balmoral, we fit all new bearings, new cables, rebuild the hub, true the wheels, polish and ceramic the frame, replace the tyres and much more…
Follow Us Everywhere @Bikespeeds!
24 Comments
Absolutely tip top! Out of interest, how much will this bike go on sale for? What's the typical sale price of a restored older bike like this? I understand you sell them in the shop to cover the cost of the parts (and labour?) – Cheers from sunny Andalucía!
Do you sell them or keep them
Not half way through yet but the pleasure watching someone clean up and that service the bell and the sturmey archer shifter including polishing the head of the bolt that holds it together is immense. Attention to detail, not over restoring and all done with skill and care. Shows great respect for the original simple engineering and quality that the bike was first built with. Thank you Lee and Simon for giving us such great content.
My present for getting to grammar school in 1967 was a Hercules Balmoral (maroon, not green) so I could ride to the station to get the train. My abiding memory was spending every school holiday with a toothbrush and chrome cleaner trying to remove the rust from, well, everywhere. I jumped at the chance to ride a moped at 16 and didn't come back to cycling until I turned 60. I couldn't believe how much better a modern road bike was than the old Hercules. Hopefully the new owner of this one will ride it and keep it in the dry…
N I C E
Hi! Suggestion: you could use Koch-Chemie GUMMIFIX to restore rubber parts. This product is specifically made for rubber parts that have to remain grippy, like floor mats.
Would be a good option to make the pedals look shinier.
Keep up with the great work!!
Beautiful job and amazed how everything cleaned up especially the wheels. I am 70 and live in the US, when i was a kid my neighbor's mother had a Raleigh that was very similar to that. When i was about 14/15 i had a Raleigh Grand Prix, back then they were referred to as 'English Racers' Those Weimann center pull brakes were so much better that the side pull. I used to treat my Brooks saddle with linseed oil, no padded shorts in 1969 so my butt had to get used to it.
I have been following this channel for many years now and I never get tired of them. It is so satisfying to see how beautiful these bikes are after the hard work put in. Every time I see these old bike restorations I wish I could try them out 😊 Keep up the good work and onwards to the 100.000th follower.
Professional bike mechanic here. I have to give it to you. This is probably the best bike restoration I've ever seen. The amount of work and attention to detail is unmatchable. Congratulations, you are one of the best in the industry. Is almost a lost form of art. Fantastic work and a pleasure to watch!!!
wonderful 😍
great job
Absolutely stunning restoration.! I'm just thinking if any bikes made in the last 10 years could scrub up like this in 40 years time.!!! As soon as I saw this I knew the buffer was going to get some serious action 🇫🇮😎
There's just something about restoring a vintage bike that scratches that itch. That chrome as well…..👀. Beautiful bike, great job. Love it ❤
great great job. love seeing restorations on these old bikes!
You are a magician sir
An elderly neighbour of mine, has an identical bike, in excellent condition, he has had it since new and rides it regularly. I believe Universal cycles Maltby has a box of SA levers. Thanks for the detailed rebuild of the SA hub, I have one I may tackle. Nice to see the finished bike.
I’ve been delaying tackling some rust on the chrome of my 1980s pinarello but you have inspired me.
I love those "non performance" bikes and the mode of movement they represent, relaxed, peaceful, with a basket in non spandex attire and an arrival that is neither sweaty nor exhausted. In a time when you expect the first battlebikers to attach Stuka Sirens to their high tech weapons it's just such a warming wholesomeness 🙂
A nice smooth ride,I bet. Thanks for this entertaining video.
These older bike restores are my favorite videosz although I do enjoy them all! Amazing work.
This ain’t no bike restoration video. This is art. Exceptional work as usual. Thanks for this film.
AMAZING. Stripping those Sturmer Archer hubs looks a terrifying proposition! Fantastic work all.
Fabulous restoration. I like especially your work on the Sturmey Archer hub. I worked on one once and it's nice to see it de-mystified. Beautiful engineering..
Well done for your video production too. Just the right amount of detail.
A thoroughly enjoyable restoration, I had one, this colour brand new from Halfords in 1966.
I'm 73 now btw.
Mine also had a front dyno hub + lights.
As you know, Hercules was one of the many trading names of Raleigh.
This bike serves as an example that, apart from the tyres, and tubes, everything else was made by Raleigh….'the all steel bicycle'. I joined TI Raleigh in 1978 as an employee in Nottingham.
I was made redundant from the company in 1981, in that year there were 3 waves of redundancies alone, 1800 jobs went.
The policy of making everything in house, by then was totally flawed, and contributed to the company's collapse.
In the end more than 8000 people went from 6 factories.
However, the bike in this video was very robust and I rode it for many years.
Q – Who actually requests these restorations etc,
Thanks for doing what you are doing, overall all of your videos are very good.