Real1shepherd

Did you date the bike by serial# yet?

Kevin

Camilo

I'm wondering if someone can date a Supercourse MKII I owned back in the 80s and 90s. It's the bike I wish I'd never sold, but at the time I thought that a person should only own one road bike.

Anyway, I bought it used but pristine in the spring of 1978 for IIRC $125 right after my brand new Windsor Carrera had been stolen off my back porch. Given it was used, but near-mint in 1978, I'm thinking it was a '75-'77 vintage. It was red and had the sort of graphics in mississippimud's post :

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...course-38.html

The unusual features that I have not seen mention of (I haven't read all 50 pages of the thread though!) are: it had a leather Ideale saddle and a steel cotterless crank. Other than that it had the sort of features I see on many Supercourses of that era - namely Simplex derailleurs, stamped (not forged) dropouts, etc.

I've (rarely) seen the steel cotterless crank in some photos, but not in conjunction with Simplex derailleurs. I don't think I've ever seen a SC photo with an Ideale saddle, nor have I seen mention of Ideale - it's always Brooks. I guess there's a chance that the guy I bought it from swapped the saddle, but I doubt it.

Anyway, an original-ish Supercourse of the same era as my old one is something I's snap up in a minute should I find one at a decent price in excellent condition.

nlerner

The MKII only appears in the 1974 and 1975 catalogs:





Ideale saddle wouldn't have been original though perhaps swapped in at the bike shop at point of sale. I've seen that steel Nervar cotterless cranks on some '74 models.

FrkYrPrk

Did you date the bike by serial# yet?

WC4000473 is stamped on the bottom bracket, so it's a 1974, I believe

WxMixte

Found this little lady on Craigslist, she had been sitting in a garage since the 80s. Didn't have to do much: a top to bottom cleaning, VO bars, bar end brake levers, and a Brooks saddle. She is my baby

tiredhands 

I picked up this mkII as an unfinished project from a friend and used it as an excuse to try out the Swift Tire Sand Canyons. It's a winning combination. I finished the build with Suntour shifty bits and VO bars.

More photos in a Flickr album

3speedslow

Such a cheery colour green. Perfect for early spring ride around. How does it handle with the VO bars? Can't go wrong with Suntour shiny bits as well.

Well done!

3speedslow

Fog has lifted as to how to post pics. Behold my 84 Raleigh USA. Spent way too much time trying to get around the strange shifter bosses so bypassed them. Went with the barcons, should have done it long ago.

The ride is exciting and sure. A real treat!

noglider 

I rode my Super Course twice on Monday. First was with my wife on roads, to get some groceries. Second was on a gravel road and a rough trail in Lake Minnewaska State Park Preserve in New York State. I'm planning a renovation of the bike just for fun, because it already rides beautifully.

Here is the bike before and during the gravel ride.

tiredhands 

The handling is pretty quick and has a slight tendency to oversteer. It responds really well to aggressive leaning through corners, though, which is a lot of fun.

Slightspeed

I just finished my "alley find" 1973 SC. Too new to post pics yet, me, not the bike, so I'll get back to you all. Great ride! So glad I took the time to rescue it.

Sedgemop 

Caught in the wild, quick and dirty, on the train back from riding the Prairie Path/Great Western/Fox River Trail today. Super Course did great on all that crushed limestone. It's wearing a coat of limestone dust, all over too. Those Gravel Kings are perfect for that kind of riding. It was a good day.

GenuineCycles.c

very nice pieces here

IMontoya

Last month, I picked up this 1984 Super Course. It was already in great shape, but I'll continue polishing a few things and touching up paint. I've replaced the saddle and threw some new tape on it. Soon, I'll replace brake cables and the handlebar tape will match the Brooks saddle.

Slightspeed

I've been a lurker on Bikeforums for awhile, and learned a lot, and thought it was finally time to share my Raleigh Super Course story. This is a bit of a repeat from the "Found in Dump thread, but more detail.)

One thing I hate to see is a neglected, unloved bike tossed on the trash heap. Back in June 2016, my brother-in-law, Craig was riding down a back alley near our house and found a guy tossing several bikes in the trash. He came back with his car and verified that the guy was indeed trashing the old bikes. In the pile, he found an old lightweight steel road frame with beautiful lugs. After some research we determined that it was a 1973 Raleigh Super Course frame. The special Italian Capella lugs were only used for two years of production.
I decided to attempt my first restoration project. The first problem was the aluminum seat post bonded to the steel frame through years of galvanic corrosion. I tried several methods to loosen it, and almost gave up on it. Finally, I pulled the bottom bracket and crank and filled the seat tube with penetrating oil, and let it soak for several days. On the third day, it started to loosen, and I was able to get it out. As I began stripping the ugly pea green spray paint, I found chromed rear drop outs, which were in amazing shape. The frame was straight, but I did see cracks at the junction of the seat tube and seat stays, on both sides. I finished stripping the paint, and had the damaged frame re-brazed at a local welding shop.
Before committing to paint, I decided to do a "rat rod" build up and see how it was to ride. The fit was perfect for me, and I really enjoyed the smooth responsive ride that only old school steel can provide. Last year I rode my mostly original 1964 Legnano on the Eroica California ride, and was let down by the old school gearing. I ended up walking several hills. The plan was to build the Raleigh as a more hill friendly Eroica bike. I kept the "as found" Sugino AT triple crank, and added new mountain bike chain rings (50,40,32). Moorpark Riders friend Dave Bobert provided a nice set of Campy 700c wheels, to which I added a modern Shimano 34 tooth Megarange six speed freewheel, along with suitable Suntour VGT Luxe rear and Cyclone II front derailleurs and Suntour bar end shifters. The parts were found mostly on Ebay, a few at local swap meets and at Atomic Cycles in Van Nuys, a great source for low cost vintage parts. The drive train is mostly period correct, just not original to the bike. Since all I had was a bare frame, I decided to have a little fun with it, and to put intended function over mechanical originality.
On a Pasadena vintage group ride, I met Evan Whitener, owner The Bicycle Stand in Long Beach. Evan was recommended as a frame restoration expert. The frame needed more than paint. I decided to add water bottle cage mounts, and replace the brazed on cable guides the previous owner had removed. I chose a modern Toyota Spruce Mica paint color, a little darker than the original Raleigh green, more like a British Racing Green, with little gold flakes for highlight, and reproduction decals from Velocals.

After several weeks, the frame was returned painted, decaled and clear coated. I carefully re-assembled it, and really enjoy riding my resurrection project. When next year's Eroica rolls around, the bike is ready, I only hope that I am too. My longest ride on the SC was 45 miles yesterday from Ventura Mission to Summerland, with a couple of inland hills along the way. It's a sweet ride and I'm so glad I was able to rescue it from the trash heap.

jeirvine 

Here's my '72. Currently set up as a townie bike.

Ed Garner

I have what I believe is an '84 that is this bike's twin! except it has different stock wheels.. I put the same seat and wraps on.... used brown electrical tape on the wraps...

3speedslow

Any pics to show?

Real1shepherd

Great fodder...love these 'found in the trash' stories. You were lucky the frame was OK...so many of these bikes were frame trashed. For awhile, it was even popular for drug dealers to pick up old ten spd bikes and make drug deals at parks etc. If things got hot, they just dumped the bikes...untraceable for the most part because of the numerous owners.

I have a '73 SC and all the bits to make it whole again. But stumbled across a bone stock Competition GS that needs to be stripped, polished and put back together. The SC purchase was made because I couldn't find a GS anywhere for yrs.

I'm not sure I would have gone the same direction you did in the restoration, but old bikes are like hot rods...you go in the direction your heart tells you to. Boy, if I had to paint a frame it would most definitely by the old BRG. Your frame looks fantastic!

Kevin

lugsNleather58

Beautiful restoration of the '73 Super Course from the trash heap! I rode my '72 SC this past weekend, and I really love it. The wide-range 6 speed freewheel and Sugino AT triple in front are great (vintage) upgrades.

bear_a_bug 

WOW! That green with gold lug-lining is gorgeous. Was that a powdercoat or a wet paint? Looks fantastic either way.

Slightspeed

I considered powdercoat, but wasn't sure I could find a color I wanted, so I went with regular automotive paint, a factory Toyota color. I can't take credit for the finish, both paint and gold striping were done by the painter. I was worried that powdercoat buildup might obscure the lug detail. My first restoration, so it was be careful, and learn as you go. Fun project and a great ride. It compares quite favorably with my other love, my 1964 Legnano Roma, which is more valuable, but the Raleigh is every bit as nice to ride, especially uphill!

as50x20 

Got the frame and some parts for $10. The rust on the chrome and general condition of the paint dictated a renovation, not just just a clean and spruce up. I had it powder coated in gloss black and painted the gold outlining myself. I cheaped out and didn't spend on real Raleigh replacement decals, just the custom vinyl ones you can buy on Ebay. (I think they look OK and the only folks that would know the difference are on this Forum!) All in, I have way less than $400. in the bike, and it was a lot of fun!

noglider 

@as50x20, that came out well. I suppose the chrome on the frame and fork weren't salvageable? That's OK. You have a nice bike. Have you ridden it much?

Grand Bois

As a car guy, I'm wondering how a bike can oversteer.