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Old 06-08-15 | 01:18 AM
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RTapz
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Joined: Dec 2013
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From: Winter Haven, Fl

Bikes: 2008 iZip Trailz AL, 2008 eZip Trailz, 1980 Raleigh Mixte, 1983 Sears Free Spirit Tourney 10 speed I've owned since 1992

1980 Raleigh Mixte Gran Sport of Japan.



If it has a sticker, built in Japan on a Raleigh road bike then it will have a date stamp on all the Raleigh brand named Sun Tout components.
Maeda Industries LTD Japan was the parent company of Sun Tour.

All date stamps on the components will have a letter from "A" for Jan to "L" for Dec.
On the end of the drop bar will have a letter and year date.
Crank Arms will have "SR" (Sakae/Ringyo) with a letter and year.
Front and Rear derailleurs will have Maeda Industries LTD Japan with a "W" "L" that stands for Dec 1980.
The Alloy stem will have "SR" with a letter and year.
Inside the chicken wings on the brake levers will have 11-80 and 12-80.
inside the brakes will have the the month and year.

Raleigh of Nottingham England and the US only had a one year contract with Maeda Industries LTD Japan to build the Mixte road bikes from late 1979 to late 1980 for the US and Europe specifications respectfully.

The Mixte Gran Sport that were built for the US division, the brakes were mounted under the twin stay parallel rails and had alloy chain guards unlike most other Mixte road bikes built by other companies didn't have chain guards and the brakes were mounted either above the twin stay parallel rails or on the seat stays and used other brands of derailleurs like Shimano.

SN:
N1E E = Europe.
N1A = North America.

The "1" in the SN:
N1A, N1E stands for one year contract with Maeda Industries LTD Japan with Raleigh brand name Sun Tour components.

Raleigh of Canada manufacturing facility in Waterloo, Quebec Canada equipped their Mixte road bikes with Shimano derailleurs and other brand name components.
I'm not sure what system Canada used for their serial numbers?
NOL1922 could stand for North America Canada division?
I do know that the SN: with "N1A and N1E" are Raleigh Mixte bikes built in by Maeda Industries LTD Japan for Raleigh US and Europe divisions.

There were no catalog printed for the 12 month period Japan built the Mixte road bikes for the Raleigh divisions.

I have not found any info on any other models of Raleigh road bikes that were built in Japan in 1979 to 1980.
The Mountain bike era come about around 1982
==========================.
Bridgestone of Japan built some frames for Maeda Industries LTD Japan but not clear if any were actually built for the Raleigh Mixte road bikes?

Bridgestone Mixte 300, there was also a Mixte 400.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg
1980 Raleigh Mixte WHP.jpg (101.5 KB, 53 views)
File Type: jpg
Raleigh Mixte 04-05-14 004.jpg (101.2 KB, 53 views)
File Type: jpg
Bridgestone Mixte 300.jpg (101.3 KB, 53 views)

Last edited by RTapz; 06-08-15 at 04:20 AM. Reason: update
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