Classic & Vintage - My chromed Raleigh USA, for cudak888

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duane041
12-10-06, 10:02 PM
Here's the photos I was going to post about 2 months ago, but I'm really slow and forgetful. I have since lowered the saddle, removed the bars and ran the brake cable correctly, and cleaned the bike. And does yours have that goofy headset? What a drag to adjust.
Oh, and I also installed the 105 crankset in place of the dull Raleigh-branded one. But I kept them weird brakes from DiaCompe, I think they are Aero Grand Compe with the impossible brake pads.
This is my commuter/bad weather/beater/do-everything ride, if only because I know I can't damage the finish.

cudak888
12-10-06, 10:25 PM
Here's the photos I was going to post about 2 months ago, but I'm really slow and forgetful. I have since lowered the saddle, removed the bars and ran the brake cable correctly, and cleaned the bike. And does yours have that goofy headset? What a drag to adjust.
Oh, and I also installed the 105 crankset in place of the dull Raleigh-branded one. But I kept them weird brakes from DiaCompe, I think they are Aero Grand Compe with the impossible brake pads.
This is my commuter/bad weather/beater/do-everything ride, if only because I know I can't damage the finish.

Beauuuutiful, just beautiful. I must ask though - why did you keep the BB paint intact?

Yes, both my '84 and '85 have that aero headset, and although it is a pain to adjust if you do not improvise a pair of special headset wrenches, the resulting appearance is worth it. Do yourself a favor and ditch the reflector bracket, as it ruins the whole beauty of the headset. I believe the '86 models ran a conventional, generic - but well-done - chromed headset.

Incedentally, I lost my appetite for stripping the paint off of one of these things - I've been overcome with a new fancy to build up a medium metallic blue '84 Super Course with full Campagnolo Victory, instead of stripping the paint.

I also have the urge to get my hands on another 1984 Competition, to convert to a fixie, mainly to replicate Kevin Bacon's singlespeeded 1984 Competition from the movie Quicksilver. Never realized these things looked good fixed...

I wouldn't say the original, bulged-out Ofmega cranksets look bad - just a bit odd and unconventional. Takes a bit of getting used to.

-Kurt
cyclotoine
12-10-06, 10:30 PM
I would love to get my hands on one to fix:D

55/Rad
12-11-06, 12:05 AM
I'm really beginning to love chrome frames.

55/Rad
duane041
12-11-06, 05:58 AM
Beauuuutiful, just beautiful. I must ask though - why did you keep the BB paint intact?

I also have the urge to get my hands on another 1984 Competition, to convert to a fixie, mainly to replicate Kevin Bacon's singlespeeded 1984 Competition from the movie Quicksilver. Never realized these things looked good fixed...

-Kurt
I haven't had a chance to get that paint stripped off yet. The wierd part is that I don't think it's paint; it almost seems like a vinyl coating that was stretched over the bb shell. One day when I have time to tear it down I'll get to it, but the stripper had little to no effect on it. It had a hard enough time getting the rest of the finish off-that stuff is stubborn.