Raleigh Team?
08-05-23, 04:43 AM
#1
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Raleigh Team?
Hi, Is this frame worth sinking $400 into (for a retro-mod project) or is it a low-end frame painted in team colors? Thank you, John
08-05-23, 06:20 AM
#2
weapons-grade bolognium
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Nope, not even with “high carbon” tubes
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08-05-23, 06:31 AM
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It is, as you guessed, a low-end frame painted in team colors.
08-05-23, 07:21 AM
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Someone went to a lot of trouble to put lipstick on a pig.
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08-05-23, 10:07 AM
#5
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How 'bout building it up on the cheap as a professional pub bike ... with a couple more well placed decals?
Last edited by SurferRosa; 08-05-23 at 01:33 PM.
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08-05-23, 02:27 PM
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Fabulous paint job. It has the same characteristics as a Grand Prix and there is a high likelihood that it is, so what? I think it would be a great riding city bike or whatever . I would build it up with whatever period components you aren’t using on higher end builds and ride it.
08-05-23, 03:31 PM
#8
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20-30 steel is a mild steel that would be found only on low-end Raleigh models through the 1970's, but into the early 80's you'd really only see it on a brand's budget model or on department store beaters. The steel doesn't have enough strength to have thinner tube walls, and it's not butted either, so what you end up with is a very heavy frame in the 2.85kg range (without forks), nearly 1kg heavier than 531. But, yes, this is a low end frame 'tarted up' to look like an SBDU product (Raleigh special division). $400 is ridiculous.
08-05-23, 03:59 PM
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Seems at least possible that Raleigh did a run of Record bikes with exactly that paint job and those decals - although maybe only for the British market.
After all, what's the alternative? That someone went to the trouble of carefully painting and decaling a low-end Raleigh in an effort to deceive would-be purchasers into believing that they're getting a higher-end frame but used the decals for the lowest model and tube set?
Yes, it's tarted up. But my guess is that it was Raleigh that did the tarting up.
And yes, $400 is ridiculous. For a NOS-looking frame, though, $150 to $200 might be worth it.
After all, what's the alternative? That someone went to the trouble of carefully painting and decaling a low-end Raleigh in an effort to deceive would-be purchasers into believing that they're getting a higher-end frame but used the decals for the lowest model and tube set?
Yes, it's tarted up. But my guess is that it was Raleigh that did the tarting up.
And yes, $400 is ridiculous. For a NOS-looking frame, though, $150 to $200 might be worth it.
Last edited by Trakhak; 08-05-23 at 04:04 PM.
08-06-23, 01:11 PM
#11
weapons-grade bolognium
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08-06-23, 02:16 PM
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They had "BSO" versions of the red ones too, no big mystery here with the bottom of the barrel tubing decal. 
08-07-23, 11:34 PM
#13
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08-09-23, 03:28 PM
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Nor my idea of a good vintage road bike. Catches the eye until the eye catches the poor quality of frame/fork construction and cosmetic appointment...
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08-09-23, 05:00 PM
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The OP bike is different than the "Cheap" versions - I can't say what it is, but doesn't match up with those. See the red one above ^^^^ as well
08-09-23, 05:12 PM
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Good observation. Based on that wrap around seat stay, I might think Raleigh Grand Prix, but that is just a guess.
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