Howdy, All,

I finally finished building up the Raleigh Portage (?) I bought as a box-o-parts and a sandblasted frame. The provenanceis questionable, but it is a 650B bike with a frame made by Raleigh:

Pro-Portage:
Cantilever brakes mounts for 650B wheels (and no indication that they were moved or replaced on the bare frame).
All the right braze-ons.
Some of the right components (1st-gen Deore Shifter (not shown), Tourney Crank).

Anti-Portage:
Frame made in 1983 (Portages weren't in the catalog until 1984).
Deore 1st-gen Derailleurs rather than Stag's head.
Horizontal dropouts rather than vertical.

It didn't have brakes, wheels or handlebars/stem, so I can't judge from them.

Could this be an early Portage? I'm thinking maybe, but it really doesn't matter that much. Suffice to say it's an oddball but pretty beast. The sun needs to shine for the deep purple metalflake powdercoat to show best.



What do y'all think? A set of hammered fenders to finish it off? Lose the front mini-rack and get a lowrider mount?