noglider 

I have a 1971 Super Course which is the same frameset and has the same paint and decals as the 1972 model. The 1971 model came with Huret Svelto derailleurs with extra-long shifters. They were probably better than Simplex stuff, but I took the set off when I found the bike in the trash in about 2008. I rebuilt it with mostly the stuff that I had had on my Peugeot UO-8 commuter bike. I figured the Raleigh would ride similarly, but then, holy cow, it's great, especially at climbing. It feels lighter than it actually is on climbs.

Since the bike started out as free, I've felt free to take all sorts of liberties with it. I've rebuilt it several times and am in the middle of another rebuild. I told a bike shop owner that I'm rebuilding it into a gravel bike. He said, "A '71 Raleigh Super Course IS a gravel bike!" I guess it's a lot of things. It's a better frame than you would expect, and it originally came with crappy enough components that you can get rid of some or all of them. The only original things I have are the brake calipers and the headset. I had different calipers on my last rebuild, and I brought them back because the current rebuild has 700c wheels.