Last Autumn, I bought a 1972 Raleigh Super Course frame from Craigslist. It had been painted flat black and run as a fixie/SS. My intent was to build an all-weather commuting bike around a quality frame without spending much money. I stripped the frame down to metal, tweaked the alignment, and fixed a few dings. Paint (Rustoleum Pro) was applied with an HVLP gun and allowed to harden up (this took months). I had planned to use some wheels that I already had, but a check of the dimensions told me that for 700c wheels, I would have to use very long reach brakes. I'm guessing that the Super Course was designed for 27" wheels. After some thought I opted for drum brakes; SA dyno in the front and SA 5 speed IGH in the back. All other components came from the old parts bin.

I have put a bit over 60 miles on it so far and am still dialing it in. It rides reasonably well but I suspect that I will need a bit shorter stem. The fenders are used PB Cascadias - these will be replaced by nice alloys after I decide what tire width is right. The head set is ok but not as smooth as I would like. The 26 TPI threading on the stem limits my options. Weight is 31 1/2 pounds in current trim.



-G