roburrito

This bike came into the coop the other day. Looks like its been repainted. I don't trust the decals. I'm intrigued by the lugged design with the welded wishbone seatstays and unicrown fork. I'm thinking that would place it early '90s? The frame has seen better days, but if its worth rebuilding it might make a good winter project.

The serial number reads (I think): RSO 05221













Full resolution album

Let me know if you need any additional information and I'll try to get it. Thank you!

roburrito

Doing a little research the design is similar to a 90/91 Raleigh Dyna Tech or Giant Cadex, but the lugs are of a different style. Doing more research, but if anyone has more info, I'd love to hear.

roburrito

Bump, no one has any clue?

Gary Fountain

I'm sorry - I don't have any clues to the identity of the frame. It does look to be an early 90's frame though but it is not a high quality frame though. It wouldn't hurt to do it up with alloy components and use it as a winter bike. The eyelets would be handy to fit mudguards. It looks like it's had a fairly cheap bottom bracket fitted and the right hand rear dropout looks like it has opened up a bit. I would guess that the rear dropouts are 130mm apart. It also looks to be a fairly tall frame suitable for someone in the 6' 2" to 6' 3" height range.

roburrito

Didn't notice the right dropout, thanks.

I thought the lugging looked cheap, but I don't often see a cheap steel bikes with a wishbone rear stay. Frame is one the heavy side as well. I don't think its an amazing find, but its a mystery that has me interested.

And I'm a tall guy, 6'2", the frame is right my size. I was thinking it'd be a good winter beater as well.

Gary Fountain

I saw a few bikes with a similar rear wishbone set-up in the 90's and I can't see anything wrong with the design. I think they were made that way just to be a little different and hopefully sell more bikes. I would guess that it was made in Asia. As you say, it is a little on the heavy side but thats OK for a commuter - your choice of wheels can make a big difference.

T-Mar

The moment I saw it, I thought Raleigh too. A friend had one. Same white with spatter paint. Mono-stay. Even the tubing decal (hi-tensile with a CrMo seat tube). Might not be a Raleigh but potentially built by the same contractor. This was early 1990s, entry level with Exage 300EX, IIRC. There was an equivalent ATB model too.

Edit: Based on my previous post, I went through my Raleigh files.That RS0 serial number prefix could stand for Raleigh Canada, December 1990. That would make it a 1991 Raleigh Super Grand Prix. Just checked the specs and it was CrMo seat tube only with Shimano 300EX.

Bianchigirll 

I was thinking Nishiki or maybe KHS? I think a few companies dabbled in whishbones. Unicrowns were pretty much standard for all Oriental roadbikes by the early '90s.

mikemowbz

In light of the Raleigh hypothesis (and I've certainly seen one or two Raleighs like this locked to parking meters), I can't help but notice that there appears to be a Raleigh 'bird' decal on the seat tube down by the BB in the first and second pic. Might want to trust the decals after all?

zukahn1 

I have also seen a couple of bikes branded BCA with this paint design and color.

roburrito

The Raleigh bird made me check raleigh first and lead my to Dyna Tech. However the lugs are steel and not alu and a different design. The bird is, however, definitely not original, its a poorly cut out sticker. But maybe the owner put it there to remember?

The overpaint on the bottom bracket is what made me think it was a repaint. But the splatter is elaborate (in a '90s way) for a rattlecan job.

Was the Super Grand Prix still made in the 90s? I can't find it on any of the catalogs online.

roburrito

I've found some Raleigh Technium mountain bikes that use the same seat cluster lug, but use a lug for the wishbone instead of welding. But maybe I'm getting closer?

Edit: Now I'm thinking a Raleigh Technium hybrid might be right on.

10speedterror

what a cool frame! just out of curiosity what shop is in the background?

roburrito

Bikes Not Bombs Hub

Chombi

Whaa??.....High ten frame with a CrMo seat tube??...Why even bother throwing in the crMo seat tube?? The mix would have made sense if at least the main three tubes were CrMo.
Although the wishbone seat stays might be interesting, the quality of the bike overall does not impress, specially the rather clunky lugs. The typically messy looking front and rear unicrowns subtracts a bunch more aesthetic points too.....
I don't think its anything really special.....but a servicable rider at best.....
JMOs

Chombi

mikemowbz

Even in the pics, the 'bird' does look a bit funnily cut, not to mention oddly placed - but I'm also inclined to believe that that it may have been put there for a reason, as you suggest. While not apparently original, maybe still a clue (a reminder, as it were)?

While I have no specific knowledge of the models, etc., I know I've seen very similar Raleighs with the wishbone stay and generally very basic lugwork, and with similarly iffy-looking paint, on the streets of Montreal - those stays always catch my eye. That said, I've certainly seen a few similar branded otherwise, usually 'no name' type branding associated with one or another distributor. MTBs aside, I've seen Giant and (Giant-made?) Taiwanese Nishiki road bikes with similar wishbone stay, but they're generally a bit nicer.

roburrito

Looks like the Nishiki NFS had the wishbone design in the early 90s but it was all TIG'd no lugs.

T-Mar

This is definitely not a Technium frame. I'm confident it's a Canadian market Raleigh Super Grand Prix manufactured in Waterloo, Quebec, in December 1990. The serial number format matchs that used by Waterloo, it matchs my 1991 spec sheet and my recollection of the model. BTW, I think you'll find it's designed for 27" wheels.