Rabid Koala

I have had this 74 Raleigh Pro for several years. I bought it as a bare frame and built it with the components that I had available. I had the full Campy NR group, but at the time I got it I did not have the correct GB bars and 3ttt stem. I later found a bar/stem set at a bike swap, both stem and bars were 3ttt.

I was never comfortable on this bike. I didn't want to go with a Nitto stem and raise the bars, I thought long and hard about stripping the bike back down and finding a new home for it. I hated that idea because it took many failures before I got my hands on this one. And it is so beautiful in classic Blue Mink and Silver. Then it dawned on me, I still had the engraved GB randonneur bars that I had used on my old International.

This past week I installed the bars, this weekend I took it out for a 20 mile shakedown. All went quite well until I broke a rear spoke, but the Pro was quite comfortable with the randonneur bars. Yes, not correct and original, but it made a bike I had been neglecting much more appealing to ride. The Brooks had to go into storage, it had been causing pain as well. I'll get a better seat later.

Sunday afternoon I relaced the rear wheel with new spokes, cleaned the drive train, and have gotten it ready for my next ride.

brockd15 

Great looking bike. It would have been a shame to pass it on because of the bars. What Brooks did you take off?

SteveSGP

That is one gorgeous bicycle.

Rabid Koala

Brooks Pro, large rivets. I may give it a go again someday, or if I ever do sell I want to have it on the bike.

ColonelJLloyd 

What a great bike!

mkeller234

Nice Raleigh! I will admit that my Pro suffers from the same problem and unfortunately spends more time stationary.

Rabid Koala

I was having the same issue with my Paramounts, especially the one with the 24 inch frame. I put some randonneur bars and a Nitto stem on and it too is pleasant to ride once again. I'm sure the problem is my neck and shoulder issues.

What kind of bars on your Pro?

ScottRyder 

One of my all time favorite color combinations on a bicycle.

Scott

mkeller234

It has Cinelli Mod 66 bars. The bars aren't the really problem for me though, it's more about the gearing. It's got a tighter freewheel than all of the bikes that I normally ride, the Campy NR chainrings are bigger too. On top of that, I have some vittoria tubulars on it at the moment which are much narrower than what I am used to. It's just not as practical for me to take out on a longer ride, we do have some hills that I appreciate a nice granny ring. Every once in a while I ride it to work, and sometimes for a short ride the following morning... but not often enough.