Classic & Vintage - Help a vintage newbie

Hi all,

Writing in because i just found an abandoned cycle in the basement of my condo. Its a red Raleigh TD-1, with Campag toptube shifters. Thats the only part ive been able to identify though, because the rim seems pretty rusty, and the QR lever is rusted out.

Im totally clueless about road bikes, as im a MTB guy. The bike looks pretty dull and dirty, with spots of rust as mentioned above. Its a lugged frame btw, though unlike the Pacenti & Newvex lugs ive seen till now. Not at all orchestral, the nearest description i can give is that the lugs look like coneheads.

Would appreciate any info on how to identify model and year, and how to go about restoring it (getting spare parts, dealing with rust etc. etc). Its chained unfortunately, so have to find the owner and get it off him. Wish me luck.

Thnx

Dave-maybe you could post a picture.The vintage experts can tell you what it is-but a picture makes it a lot easier.It will also help them to give you an idea if it is worth the effort.Luck,Charlie

Ummm,

I wish i could. Dont have a digital camera with me. I have some more details though. The frame is a TI-Raleigh, with Competition written on the toptube. The components are Shimano 600 mostly, with Campag shifters. Cant see the make of the hubs or rims. The rims are black.

So if any one can point me in the right direction, ill go and hunt for more info.

Dave, don't you have a flatbed scanner? :)

(40 scans and 10hours of photoshopping later we got the pic!)

The Raleigh Competition model is well-regarded - if that's what you've found. If any of the rust on the frame is more than surface rust, all you might have found is bicycle art.

You might not have a digital camera, but maybe you have a friend who has one. I can't over-emphasize how much posting a few good pictures will help.

I'm really trying to guess what "conehead" lugs would look like...If it is really a TI Raleigh it is a keeper. The headbadge has the famous Raleigh Turkey, and at the bottom there is the place of manufacture, or a series of slanted bars. Can you let us know what the headbadge says?

Those would be Capella lugs:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7220115072

Bob "used to have one" Hufford
Springfield, MO

Hi all,

Thanks for being so helpful. Leunkstar, phoebeisis, USAZorro, sorry for being such a dolt, but my camera was sacrificed at the altar of my MTB build. No hope of a scanner too.

Will look into the turkey headbadge and let you guys know. There's a dirty sticker on the seat-tube which states that its Reynolds 531 tubing. The only rust seems to be on the wheel QR, cant see any rust on the frame.

Plus, ive been delving deeper into the world of vintage bike porn, and came up with the fact that TI bought Raleigh in 1977.So BobHufford, dont know if the lugs are the same as the ebay link you posted. The bike there is 1973. By conehead lugs, what i meant was that the end of the lugs aren't sharp can-openers like all lugs ive seen. It ends with an ovalized cone, or is that a conical oval?

Anyways, this forum has been really educational. Didnt know anything about road bikes before, let alone vintage ones. Its sad that the bikes on the road nowadays dont seem to have that same sense of aesthetic. Except for maybe the Look 555? Every thing now seems to be a study in planes, cars, bikes, women. Sigh.

I will really really try to get some photos of the bike taken. Thanks guys.

QR's can be easily enough changed or de-rusted. The 531 sticker is also promising, but I'll admit that I have never seen a Raleigh Competition marked TI...(Competitions and Comp GS's were 531, then full 531, then, ah, American). You could describe the parts and their manufacturer; that'd help...

Ok, this is what the headbadge says. The Raleigh Nottingham England. There is a turkey above this ttext. I just cant make out the serial number on the BB because the bike is placed awkwardly. The hubs are Campagnolo, really skinny. The rims are Wobler..? Its marked TI-Raleigh on downtube, and Competition in script on the toptube. There is a sticker on the seattube, sayings its 531 Reynolds tubing and an another one, near the BB junction stating Made in England. The downtube shifters are Campag, but everything else seems to be Shimano 600EX.

Thanks a lot for the patience guys.

here some Raleigh resources:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/
http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/

hope that helps

Ok, i think im finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Ive gone through all the old catalogues of Raleigh on the net. The only thing that comes close to the bike is the TI-Raleigh Team framesets. I believe these were offered as frames-only, so that explains the Shimano 600 components on the bike.

The bike has the Raleigh racing team colours, its 531 tubing throughout - frame, seatstays, fork. The only thing that doesnt match is the Team decal on the top-tube. But every thing else matches, esp. the fact that only the Team frames seemed to have TI-Raleigh decals on their downtubes.

The spec of the bike is thus:
198X TI-Raleigh Team Reynolds 531 frameset
Shimano 600 brakes, levers, stem, headset, FD, RD, chain
Wobler Super Champion Aspin rims
Cinelli Unicanitor saddle
Campagnolo hubs
Zeus pump

stuff i cant make out: Seat post, hubs (what model), tyres (what model)

So, my next question to bug you guys is, how much is this worth? If i were to buy it off the owner, what would be a good price? There is some rust on the headtube, otherwise no rust anywhere else on the frame. QRs are rusty. Everything else (compo wise) seems workable, though it all needs a might degreasing, cleaning and chromeing.

By any chance, would the "T.I. RALEIGH" downtube decal on the frameset towards the rear match yours?

This came from an early '80s Raleigh catalogue, before the Huffy takeover.

A Raleigh Team Pro is a pretty nice find, so pricewise, I'd lowball him as much as possible :p ;)

-Kurt

Yep.

Thats exactly how it looks like. Except its missing the Team decal. I cant seem to find any other Raleigh frame which has TI-Raleigh on the downtube. I assume that the Team decal must have peeled of or something. And as for the lowball, how about a ballpark price? :D

If I remember, the only frames like this that were designated Team were the red ones...the rest were called Teams in the catalog but didn't have the Team sticker. The LBS has a dark blue one like that. I still have a couple of issues: there should be no Competition sticker on the top tube, and I thought they went to 753 for the Team in the 80's. That would make this a late 70's Team, if it really is a Team, right?

Hey, does it look like this 531 Team Raleigh TI?

No luke. Doesnt loook like the Team Raliegh you posted. Thats why i think it was built up as a frameset deal.Yep, think it is late 70's or early 80. At last thats what ive found from the catalogs online.

way kooli have one of the t.i. team frame that im fixing up right now very sweet bike i have to say later!!!!!!!!

Yep.

Thats exactly how it looks like. Except its missing the Team decal. I cant seem to find any other Raleigh frame which has TI-Raleigh on the downtube. I assume that the Team decal must have peeled of or something. And as for the lowball, how about a ballpark price? :D

Quite possible that the Team deal peeled off - although in the cases of older Raleighs, "flaked off" isn't uncommon.

One thing: It does have standard rear stays (not the fastback cluster) and a flat fork crown, right? I just want to get a definite fix on the date as being post '76.

A lowball? Twenty Dolla' Make Ya Holla'!!! :D ;) - That's one of my favorite lines for bargaining down the vendors at flea markets. Always catches them off guard...and it usually convinces them to sell at that price!

Take care,

-Kurt