Classic & Vintage - Raleigh Grand Prix question

Hi all. I recently had the most unpleasant experience with my Grand Prix for the second, stupid time. The issue arose when I decided to remove/install the original drop bars from my '72 Grand Prix with the original stem. This second time took just about as long as the first, and both times only with the anguished, frustrated assistance of my dear girlfriend.

It took us over an hour--on the curves, the bars got stuck and then we had to work on the thing. This time, I think it was actually a bit harder because the screwdriver I had been using as a lever on the stem has actually kind of worn away at the stem around the binder bolt area, so actual leverage was compromised.

Has anyone else had this problem? Is there nothing to be done with this sort of thing? Should I simply abandon the stem and/or the bars? They're both aluminum, and I'm now worried that they're too worn and torn up. Kind of a dumb issue, but I hate throwing stuff like this away, and I'm also just wondering what people did back in '72 when they wanted/needed to swap out these bars. Did I miss something? :(

Wow, I've had to put a bit of weight behind getting a bar around those bends before, but nothing like what you seem to be experiencing. Are these the original bar/stem combo that came on it? I've even seen a friend put a 26.0 bar on a 25.6 stem (after I warned him that was a bad idea) and he didn't have to do that much prying with a screwdriver. Only thing I can suggest is getting a wider object than a screwdriver to pry with. A heavy wide blade chisle (sp?) perhaps??

It is definitely not you. These stems were absolutely atrocious to remove off of the handlebar, right at the bend. We would remove the handlebar clamp bolt and just wedge open the stem with a wide blade screwdriver. That is all the magic needed.

Huh. That's what I thought. Poor design, I guess, huh?

Wide blade screwdriver as in the kind one uses for large appliances and trucks, right?

I've got an old motorcycle tire iron that's now my official Grand Prix stem spreader. :D

So exactly are you using your GP for? My first NEW bike ever. I sold it on eBay with some regret...but...we all do stupid things. Beautiful craftsmanship. I never messed with the stem/handlebar. GP had an alloy handlebar whereas the Record was steel. I rember using that as one of the reason's I wanted the bike. I paid for it with sweat earned lawn mowing money around 1972.

I threw in a picture. Sad to see the old girl but hopefully she is in a better place now.

You must've been good at hanging on to your money, 'cause that GP's no older than '74. :D

Here's my '68:

http://home.comcast.net/~mswantak/wsb/media/1477/site1395.jpg

Very nice! I will not quible over date. Yours has been very well cared for unlike mine which suffered through 10 moves and became the #2 bike to my AD.

So exactly are you using your GP for? My first NEW bike ever. I sold it on eBay with some regret...but...we all do stupid things. Beautiful craftsmanship. I never messed with the stem/handlebar. GP had an alloy handlebar whereas the Record was steel. I rember using that as one of the reason's I wanted the bike. I paid for it with sweat earned lawn mowing money around 1972.

I threw in a picture. Sad to see the old girl but hopefully she is in a better place now.


Looks exactly like my '72. Maybe yours made its way to me; I bought it from a guy who said his friend had passed it onto me. I was swapping out the drops for riser bar; I've converted this one to a fixed gear city rider, and here in Brooklyn with all the crosstraffic everywhere, there just isn't a lot of opportunity to use the drops themselves. She looks nicer with the drops, but even if I wanted to return her to the alloy bars, I don't think I'm willing to risk another hour-plus of grunting and groaning with my girlfriend to get those suckers back on! I mean, we both had aluminum shavings covering our hands by the time we finally got them off!

The above post confirms my past experiences with G. P. stem and bars. Yes, a wide blade screwdriver was all what one needed.