I bought my Raleigh Compact, henceforth known as Susan, when I was commuting to Brighton from London. It shaved valuable minutes off the schlep to and from the station, and it folds down the middle so First Crapital Connect train guards were kept happy.
Since I bought it on eBay (for the princely sum of £60) I've not done anything to it other that change the perished tyres for one red and one blue one. It gives it a sort of unintentional French air. Over time the front wheel has buckled and there is an odd squeak from the front hub. In addition the brakes aren't roadworthy anymore, and the hub gear has seen better days.
I'm about to emigrate, and I have every intention that Susan will come with me. We are moving to Geneva and are going to give car free life a shot. This means things need to change. Susan needs to become roadworthy (and hopefully pretty), and fast.
Looking around on the internet I'm not the only one who has pimped or restored a teeny Raleigh.
The late, great Sheldon Brown who built this beaut...
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And a whole heap of other enthusiasts have built these dream machines...
So far, in my Google Images search, I've not been able to find anyone who has updated a Raleigh Compact. That's where Susan comes in.
On a modest budget, which is going to be as near to £100 as I can possible stick, I'm going to bring her up to date over the next month. By the time she hits the streets of Geneva she is going to be unrecognisable. Or at least roadworthy.
The adventure begins...
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