Steve Whitlatch 

I have no idea why, but I had another neglected old red bike follow me home. I believe this frame was sold as a frame set in 1986? 531 Reynolds with Campagnolo drop outs. The paint and decals are ruff. Custom stem with Raleigh bars. Falcon headset. Sugino Super Mighty crank set. Suntour Superbe Pro shift levers, FD and RD. Miche Competition hubs laced to Mavic MA 40 rims. Not sure about the BB yet? Of course it is in my size range.

The bike needs lots of love. Is this frame worthy of intense love, or should I just keep the wheels and part it out? What to do? I honestly do not know much about these bikes?

Steve Whitlatch 

https://www.kurtkaminer.com/1986raleighcat_usa_05_lg.jpg

Velocivixen

My initial thought is to ask how it rides? I would ride it awhile to see if I really, really liked it. If so then I would go from there. Sometimes when we love a bike we end up spending more fixing it up than it is worth....I'm sure you already know this. If you decide it's not for you, I'd clean/grease/lube & consumables everything and sell.

OldsCOOL

Poor red thing.

sloar 

Is it me, or have all your recent bikes been red?

Steve Whitlatch 

I need to clean it up a bit before I ride it. The older Raleigh bikes have a following. I just do not know much about Raleigh from this time frame? I had hoped to get some general opinions from those who have owned them? I believe this was a time period when Raleigh teams were winning? Is this a team frame or just a bike painted like one? These kinds of things will weigh into my decisions as to how far I will go in restoration? It can be a nice beater bike, or I can put some money into it?

Steve Whitlatch 

They have all been red. I see red and fall in love.

sloar 

Nothing wrong with that Steve, red bikes are the fastest.

Steve Whitlatch 

Definitely!!

The bike has some good parts on it. I won`t lose money on it if I do part it out. It was a sure thing, even though I have no idea. Make sense? LOL

3speedslow

Not a team bike, this was when Raleigh hooked up with Huffy to run the Raleigh USA division of Raleigh UK.
I have 2 bikes from this period. One, an 85 Marathon, 501 made a nice SS rider. Another is an 85 Grand Prix, 531 main frame.

I I consider them nice looking ang good riders. The graphics stand out and the panto is a nice touch. People tend to turn the nose up on these cause of the Huffy connection. I have no such problems.

If if there is a space in your stable, keep it.

Steve Whitlatch 

Well it sure looks better than any Huffy I have ever seen? As a Schwinn owner, I have developed thick skin. LOL

oddjob2

I had a 1986 Huffy era Raleigh Competition, 531 frame and fork, made in Taiwan. I thought it road harshly and couldn't dial in the comfort I wanted on it.

D1andonlyDman

The components on it are pretty much the best Japanese stuff you could get in the early 1980s for general purpose riding (as opposed to Dura Ace - which was a pure racing group), plus, a very respectable wheel set from that era. Together, they speak to a well-spec'd bike.

Steve Whitlatch 

I will get her lubed up tomorrow. Throw on a better set of tires, seat and post and take her for a spin.

vintagerando

Here is my "new", neglected, red bike. Got it cheap, I think it was cheap.(?)

Steve Whitlatch 

Ok you can send it to me. I will make room.

Nice find!!

MielleCondor72

Hi Vintagerando,

Nice find. Finally another Miele. i believe the Lupa is a pretty good model to own.

Steve Whitlatch 

Touched up the frame with red Testors. A perfect match.

Steve Whitlatch 

USAZorro

If that had followed me home, I would take the mechs off it, replace the chain rings and either sell it as a fixie, or as a frame/fork/crankest (minus those drilled rings) /stem/seatpost deal. Of course, if you determine that you love how it rides and that it ought to replace something there already, that could change, but there's a significant amount of work that will be needed to preserve and make the bike presentable, that I would leave to someone else who really wants to worship it.

Steve Whitlatch 

I was thinking of selling it as a frameset? Maybe someone would like to restore it or make a real nice beater out of it? Its a nice frame. Frame and fork are 531 Reynolds with Campagnolo drops and fork ends. It looks great from 5 ft away.

USAZorro

Granted, my situation with my bicycles is not going to be exactly the same as anyone else's, but my thoughts were similar. Someone out there is going to be jazzed about this frame. If I were starting off my vintage bicycle journey, I would be pretty psyched at the prospect... but that isn't where I am now. With a few bicycles that I absolutely love the ride of, the chance that this one would blow me away seem fairly remote. If I wanted to keep a beater around, or have a frame to experiment with set-ups on, perhaps I would consider keeping it. Realistically, I'm intrigued by the mechs because I don't have them and have never tried them. If I could find a way to hold onto them and recoup what I spent on the bike by selling the frame and possibly the wheels off, I would lean strongly in that direction.

Not saying that you should, but that would seem an option to give thought to.

Steve Whitlatch 

I have had and used Superbe Pro before. Great stuff. Part of me wants to build it back up all polished and cool looking, keeping it as a bad weather bike. The other part of me wants to sell the frame and parts off and use the wheels on another build. My Miyata 912 project.

mnmkpedals 

Is it a 58 or a 60? My hunch is a 60. If a 58, I've got a soft spot for these era raleigh and would gladly take it on as a project if you decide to dump it. My go-to touring bike is a rebuilt Alyeska from that same era, and I love it.

Steve Whitlatch 

The seat tube measures 58 cm to the center of the top tube and 60 to the top of the top tube. The top tube measures 56 center to center. I would call it a 23 1/2 inch frame.