Raleigh RRA pickup
01-13-16, 06:09 PM
#26
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congrats on your find!
purchased one new in '74.
appears someone has replaced the wonderful first gen retrofriction lever set with a Maeda one.
original wheels were Maillard 700 hubs with AVA tubular rims.
original gear block was a Simplex 6v.
tip: that 3TTT Record stem is oem and is paired with a GB bar. the stem has a clamp size of 26.0mm and the bar a centre section of 25.4mm. caution suggested.
hope you enjoy yours; i certainly liked mine. it was an excellent fit and "disappeared" beneath me when riding.
will look forward to following your experience with it!
purchased one new in '74.
appears someone has replaced the wonderful first gen retrofriction lever set with a Maeda one.
original wheels were Maillard 700 hubs with AVA tubular rims.
original gear block was a Simplex 6v.
tip: that 3TTT Record stem is oem and is paired with a GB bar. the stem has a clamp size of 26.0mm and the bar a centre section of 25.4mm. caution suggested.
hope you enjoy yours; i certainly liked mine. it was an excellent fit and "disappeared" beneath me when riding.
will look forward to following your experience with it!
01-13-16, 07:12 PM
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there are or were Simplex brand gear blocks. do not know if it was U.K. or France. iirc it just says "SIMPLEX" on the body. it was a 13-24 or 14-24 6v so off it came and it still reposes in a parts bin. never had a problem at my workshop of customers fighting over corncobs! 
Last edited by juvela; 02-06-16 at 05:20 PM. Reason: spellin'
01-22-16, 02:19 PM
#28
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Update - I am more or less done with this. I'm on the fence about decals. I may add the RRA to the top tube, 531 and Carlton decals. Or I might just go with the "in keeping with the patina, those wore off" look.
Anyway, I was very pleased to discover that the frame interior was completely clean. I shot it with framesaver and called it good. I used rubbing compound on the paint, which took out the vast majority of the dotting. For touchup I used white gloss Rustoleum, adjusted with a couple drops of cream Testors. It's not a perfect match, but it will provide protection for the worst areas, and this is, after all, a rider with some scrapes and imperfections.
I used some Superbe calipers I had on hand, and SLR levers, as my Superbe levers are all taped up on another bike. At some point I may switch them, but these work well and are comfortable.
I will probably ride the tubular wheels shown for a while, though at some point I'd like to try some good high volume clinchers on the wheels it arrived with. It looks like the frame could handle 32 pretty easily; maybe 35.
Anyway, I was very pleased to discover that the frame interior was completely clean. I shot it with framesaver and called it good. I used rubbing compound on the paint, which took out the vast majority of the dotting. For touchup I used white gloss Rustoleum, adjusted with a couple drops of cream Testors. It's not a perfect match, but it will provide protection for the worst areas, and this is, after all, a rider with some scrapes and imperfections.
I used some Superbe calipers I had on hand, and SLR levers, as my Superbe levers are all taped up on another bike. At some point I may switch them, but these work well and are comfortable.
I will probably ride the tubular wheels shown for a while, though at some point I'd like to try some good high volume clinchers on the wheels it arrived with. It looks like the frame could handle 32 pretty easily; maybe 35.
01-22-16, 02:56 PM
#29
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WOW!
Fabulous work, just fabulous!
Thanks very much for this update.
You may wish to include her in the "before and after" thread. A most excellent candidate.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...er-thread.html
Fabulous work, just fabulous!
Thanks very much for this update.
You may wish to include her in the "before and after" thread. A most excellent candidate.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...er-thread.html
01-22-16, 03:38 PM
#30
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I am soooo glad this bike found a good home. Enjoy.
-J
-J
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01-22-16, 04:30 PM
#31
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Thank you both. I have yet to get it on the road, but based on the hour or so I've spent on it riding rollers, it feels perfectly set up, without so much as changing the stem. Kind of like it was meant to be.
There was one moment along the way when I wondered, though. A perfect storm of ignorance, poor lighting, ham-fisted exuberance and working on a bike when I should have been sleeping led me to snap off the small but essential tab on the RD mounting plate. Fortunately my new best friend at the local welding shop did a commendable job of making it right.
There was one moment along the way when I wondered, though. A perfect storm of ignorance, poor lighting, ham-fisted exuberance and working on a bike when I should have been sleeping led me to snap off the small but essential tab on the RD mounting plate. Fortunately my new best friend at the local welding shop did a commendable job of making it right.
02-06-16, 05:01 PM
#33
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Looking into decals. Can someone with an RRA confirm for me that the top tube RRA is the same size script as RALEIGH on the downtube? Thanks!
02-06-16, 05:21 PM
#34
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We don't see a lot of RRAs here, but it's nice when we do. This one in particular has the perfect amount of patina and looks great after your touch-ups. What would the PC-spec have been back in 1973?
A fine job.
DD
A fine job.
DD
02-06-16, 05:34 PM
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02-06-16, 10:04 PM
#36
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Sorry, but I don't understand the question.
02-06-16, 10:11 PM
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perhaps PC stands for paint code
02-07-16, 09:31 AM
#39
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I just measured mine. Top tube and downtube letters are the same size, app 15mm high. Here's the downtube R (top tube photo came out too blurry!):
02-07-16, 12:15 PM
#40
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Yes, I confirmed with him via PM that the top tube RRA was made up of the same letters as the downtube Raleigh decal. I had Nick at HLloyd make a set for me a few years ago, but don't think I will ever use them.
Really nice job on getting this rider in shape! It looks great.
As for larger tires, I run Conti GP4 Seasons on mine in a 700 x 28 (measures 26 mounted on mine). I do have a set of wheels with Avocet cross 32s (700 x 32) that I could throw on to check clearance if you needed.
EDIT: Also, someone posted this dealer price sheet, which is the only official Raleigh publication I have seen showing the '73 RRA:
Really nice job on getting this rider in shape! It looks great.
As for larger tires, I run Conti GP4 Seasons on mine in a 700 x 28 (measures 26 mounted on mine). I do have a set of wheels with Avocet cross 32s (700 x 32) that I could throw on to check clearance if you needed.
EDIT: Also, someone posted this dealer price sheet, which is the only official Raleigh publication I have seen showing the '73 RRA:
Last edited by Pars; 02-07-16 at 12:50 PM.
02-07-16, 12:59 PM
#41
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Pars,
Thanks very much for posting. Have seen photos of your example in other forum threads and it brought up a question I would like to ask. Noted that your bicycle wears a Campag Record headset and I was wondering how you were able to mount it. The RRA I bought new came with a Brampton Alatet headset with a stackheight of 34mm. This is how much longer the steerer was than the head tube. How were you able to gain the necessary four additional four mm to mount the Campag headset? Noted you even have the washer there. How much thread engagement do you have on the locknut? Cannot imagine gaining more than one or two mm by milling head and crown.
Thanks for any information.
Thanks very much for posting. Have seen photos of your example in other forum threads and it brought up a question I would like to ask. Noted that your bicycle wears a Campag Record headset and I was wondering how you were able to mount it. The RRA I bought new came with a Brampton Alatet headset with a stackheight of 34mm. This is how much longer the steerer was than the head tube. How were you able to gain the necessary four additional four mm to mount the Campag headset? Noted you even have the washer there. How much thread engagement do you have on the locknut? Cannot imagine gaining more than one or two mm by milling head and crown.
Thanks for any information.
02-07-16, 02:26 PM
#42
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Pars and nlerner, thanks for the help!
It may take a while to get the decals but I will post a new pic once they have been added.
It may take a while to get the decals but I will post a new pic once they have been added.
02-07-16, 03:41 PM
#43
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juvela,
Being young and back in the dark ages (i.e., no internet, new shop with not radically experienced mechanics to ask advice from etc.), I just put it on. The original I thought was a Stronglight. I do remember having to buy a NR headset to put back on the International for my friend as the Stronglight wouldn't work on it. Both the International and the RRA had to have their forks warrantied for blade alignment problems, and both forks needed to be machined for the crown race. I rode the RRA for probably at least a year before I had them replace the fork however, so it did assemble correctly with the original. The replacement fork probably had to be cut.
As far as stack height, I never had any problems with it, and there is plenty of thread engagement with the top nut coming close to bottoming out AFAIK. I'll look at it the next time I take it apart and see how much more room there is between the top nut and the steerer end.
Being young and back in the dark ages (i.e., no internet, new shop with not radically experienced mechanics to ask advice from etc.), I just put it on. The original I thought was a Stronglight. I do remember having to buy a NR headset to put back on the International for my friend as the Stronglight wouldn't work on it. Both the International and the RRA had to have their forks warrantied for blade alignment problems, and both forks needed to be machined for the crown race. I rode the RRA for probably at least a year before I had them replace the fork however, so it did assemble correctly with the original. The replacement fork probably had to be cut.
As far as stack height, I never had any problems with it, and there is plenty of thread engagement with the top nut coming close to bottoming out AFAIK. I'll look at it the next time I take it apart and see how much more room there is between the top nut and the steerer end.
02-08-16, 01:46 PM
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PC = period correct. In other words, what would the bike have been specced with, parts-wise, on the bike shop floor back in '73?
DD
DD
02-08-16, 02:02 PM
#45
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Ah. Should have figured that out. Sheldon's description is pretty thorough and accurate afaik.
Retro Raleighs: The RRA
White 1973 RRAs
Retro Raleighs: The RRA
White 1973 RRAs
A3963 and G8721 serial numbers.
- The revived RRA was available in 1973 only, although the name gets recycled.
- Overall white with mustard yellow headtube and 5 1-inch wide bands on seattube, black pinstriping outlining head lugs, seat cluster lug, and fork crown.
- Slanted block lettering "RALEIGH" on downtube and chainstays, "RRA" on toptube.
- Letters are gold with black line centers.
- Reynolds 531 butted throughout, sticker at top of downtube and on each fork blade.
- Carlton "triangular" sticker at bottom of seattube.
- Nervex lugs.
- Conventional flat fork crown, triangular epaulets on top (as on International), with 2-inch long stiffening tangs on inside face of fork blades.
- Flat seat stay caps, stays reinforced at brake bridge.
- Chainstays dimpled at BB, both sides on right stay, inside of left stay. 1 brazed on cable guide/stop for rear der cable on top of right stay.
- "CC" cutout in bottom bracket.
- Campy dropouts without eyelets; rears are vertical.
- Top tube clamps for rear brake cable.
- Stronglight 93 crankset & BB, 52 & 42T ring, 170 mm arms.
- Stronglight headset.
- Simplex Super LJ alloy derailers & shifters (very good alloy ones, no plastic).
- Drop parallelogram rear.
- Simplex downtube shifters, steel with black plastic lever tips.
- Simplex steel & black plastic downtube/BB shift cable guide clamp. Clamp can handle bare cable or cable housing.
- Simplex seatpost with a "Simplex" badge rivet on at top, brass lettering on a blue background.
- Weinmann 500 sidepull brakes. Perforated brake levers with quick release mechanism (as on International).
- Black or white plastic hoods with
- "Carlton" in molding.
- Regina 6 spd freewheel.
- Maillard 700 high flange hubs.
- AVA or Mavic tubular rims.
- Atom pedals.
- TTT record stem, probably both recessed allen on clamp and expander hardware.
- GB engraved bars, 38cm.
- Brooks B-17 saddle.
- Notes: The early Simplex Super LJ front derailers used on this bike had a built-in cable housing stop at the clamp hinge, and the cable was routed through the clamp hinge.
- "Simplex" on front arm was black lettering on a gold background. "S" star stamped/cast on cage and clamp arm. Cage was chromed, and front edge of outer cage was flat. Cable clamp and throw arm were on the front of the derailer.
- Newer versions lacked the cable housing stop.
- The throw arm and cable clamp were on the rear of the derailer.
- "Simplex" on front arm was black lettering on a silver background.
- "S" star appeared only on the clamp, not on the cage. The front edge of the cage was rounded over and has a stainless steel appearance, not chromed.
02-08-16, 02:17 PM
#46
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I must have seen five or six examples over the years and have never seen one with a Verot headset. My example, and all the others I have seen, came with the Brampton Aletet, as seen on due ruote's machine. For readers who have seen this was it a V4? OTOH, given the conditions of the boom it was not at all unusual for specifications to vary without notice. Catalogues and brochures typically had something to this effect in small print at the bottom of a page somewhere...
Also the machine in Sheldon's photos is fitted with a set of Criterium shift levers while my example was wearing Retrofrictions. Sheldon's specification lists a Regina gear block but mine came with a Simplex(!) one.
Also the machine in Sheldon's photos is fitted with a set of Criterium shift levers while my example was wearing Retrofrictions. Sheldon's specification lists a Regina gear block but mine came with a Simplex(!) one.
Last edited by juvela; 02-08-16 at 02:23 PM. Reason: addition
02-08-16, 02:39 PM
#47
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Someone told me that Raleigh came out with this model that year because there was a strike at the Campagnolo factory. Is that true?
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02-08-16, 03:50 PM
#48
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Make sure you remove all that rust around the seat stay caps and enough paint to make sure there are no cracks or gaps. I have a Raleigh Competition from that era that required a bit of surgery prior to paint. If it came to it, you could probably just spot paint any brazing repair.
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02-08-16, 07:51 PM
#49
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Here's the headset on my RRA:
02-08-16, 07:53 PM
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That's one of those Internet myths along with alligators in the NYC sewer system. As others have pointed out on this forum, there are plenty of Pat. 73 Campagnolo derailleurs around.
