Fifty Plus (50+) - Found this in my barn.....

I have an 1838 house that I rent out to students at UCONN mostly. A lot of them have stored stuff in my barn over the years and they never come back for it. Several of the items have been bicycles. So, yesterday I was rummaging around and found a couple bikes that have been sitting there for years. One appears to be a circa 1985 Raleigh Team USA. Gonna do some research on it and probably try to resurrect it. The frame is in very good condition (paint is actually pretty nice) but the components need work. Any ideas where to go looking for parts?

eBay

Here's the Mother Lode of vintage parts if you don't mind shopping on-line.

www.ebay.com/sch/Vintage-/158999/i.html?_catref=1&_fln=1&_sop=10&_trksid=p3286.c0.m282

The folks in the C&V forum can be very helpful too.

You've have to post pics for them. ;)

Pics! We need pics!

L.

Pics! We need pics!

L.

What he said.

So where is the pictures??

Bruce is worried about posting pics as the bikes have been in his barn so long- the owners are probably members of this forum.

Bruce is worried about posting pics as the bikes have been in his barn so long- the owners are probably members of this forum.:roflmao:

Come on over to C&V we can help you :P

Bruce is worried about posting pics as the bikes have been in his barn so long- the owners are probably members of this forum.

Nah. I just hauled it out and took it home. I have to clean it up and take some pics. And, I'm really lazy.

I want to see pics of the barn.

I want to see a pic of the bike and the barn.

Hey I'm retired and you guys have me running all over taking pics? :)

OK so I took a pic of the bike but I can't upload it. I get a message saying the pic is too large. That's a little strange since I took it with the same camera on the same settings as other pics I have already posted on this site. So frustrating. I have no confidence in these sites. I have had a similar problem with another site with a pic I had previously posted but can't post again. Craziness. Sorry.

Hey I'm retired and you guys have me running all over taking pics? :)

OK so I took a pic of the bike but I can't upload it. I get a message saying the pic is too large. That's a little strange since I took it with the same camera on the same settings as other pics I have already posted on this site. So frustrating. I have no confidence in these sites. I have had a similar problem with another site with a pic I had previously posted but can't post again. Craziness. Sorry.

Another senior moment, huh?

Do you use a hosting site like Photobucket?

Use irfanview and shrink the picture.

One appears to be a circa 1985 Raleigh Team USA.

I have a 1985 Raleigh Olympian, this is fun and informative:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/catalogs/1985/index.html

C'mon Bruce this ain't even remotely fair. You post up telling us about this Raleigh Team Pro and then tease us about the pictures. Auuuuugggghhhh!!!!!

Bill

I'm pretty sure this is the bike....http://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/catalogs/1985/pages/3.html

Same red frame with blue fork and rear. It has all the stickers and graphics described in the text. I will try to get my pic on here. I'm just in the middle of a bunch of stuff and will be running around.

I am SO BUMMED. Decided I had some time to clean up the bike this morning. So I put it in the work stand and took off the rear wheel. And the derialleur side drop out came with it. Now I'm looking at having it welded back and I'm not sure it's worth the cost. I'm really bummed.

The Raleigh Team USA bike in red/black came in numerous models from pure crap to excellent. Look for a Carleton (sp), England sticker. Many were not made there and are junk but there were a couple models made in England and sold here usually as a frame set. The better ones had 531 tubes or a lesser tre-tube model marked 555. Also, the good ones had chromed Campagnolo dropouts.

I had one which I purchased as a frame set and built it up with Campagnolo Record. My wife rode and raced it for several years. I wish I had a picture. Bruce19's picture is right-on but the red was brighter in person. It had that the beautiful, deep lacquer type finish that English bikes had back then.

Also, if I recall, this was basically the last of the Carleton bikes.

I found this white bike in a snowstorm:








Should I keep the wheels and RD? I think it needs painting.

My Team USA has Raleigh labeled crankset and seat. It also has 555 tubing, a Shimano Radius rear derailleur and badges saying Made in the USA.

Hey I'm retired and you guys have me running all over taking pics? :)

OK so I took a pic of the bike but I can't upload it. I get a message saying the pic is too large. That's a little strange since I took it with the same camera on the same settings as other pics I have already posted on this site. So frustrating. I have no confidence in these sites. I have had a similar problem with another site with a pic I had previously posted but can't post again. Craziness. Sorry.

Why that's easy. You need to buy a bigger monitor for your computer.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/catalogs/1985/index.html

http://www.theheadbadge.com/

I disagree with the "some were pure crap". Even the Taiwan frames were nice riding and probably worth getting the drop out brazed back in.