Originally Posted by
rustystrings61
First, since Weinmann 999 Vainquer centerpulls are widely available and cheap I would recommend finding a front to match your rear. Good cables with Teflon-lined housing and modern salmon-colored pads combined with these calipers works as well or better than anything else out there. I run them with period-correct levers on a couple of bikes and with Tektro aero levers on another and they work great!
The Stronglight crank is NOT standard for the Super Course. The huge chainring guard was used on these cranks on the Gran Sport c.1972-76, along with a longer than normal 123mm spindle rather than the usual 118mm Stronglight. Stock for the Mk IIlike this would have been a steel Nervar Sport crank with alloy rings. You will want access to the Stronglight specific crank puller with its distinctive 23.35 mm threaded extractor. The T.A. side on the old Park tool is risky as it’s 23.0 and runs the risk of stripping the crank threads. The conventional 22.0 puller like everyone else uses is even riskier.
The rims are not stock. Normandy Sport hubs, yes, and you may have a wheelset from the Super Course Mk II TT where someone replaced the tubulars with these Weinmann concaves.
Very cool bike!
Actually, my 75 Super Course Mk II came w/ Stronglight 93 crankset (including the large polished chain guard). As noted so many times before, Carlton made Raleighs were often equipped with components other than those listed in the catalog specifications. The Super Course model, in particular, had a range of drive train parts. The rear derailer could have been Simplex Prestige or Huret Challenger or Jubilee. The cranksets could be steel/ alloy Nervar models, or an all alloy Nervar Star, or Stronglight 93. Most Super Courses had stamped drop outs, but a few had forged drop outs, particularly if the were equipped with the better Huret mechs.
Always a risk to make categorical statements about components on Bike Boom era Raleighs......