Jesuismimi

Hey there, so I have been in possession of what I believe to be a 69 Raleigh Grand Prix, pretty awesome condition, all origional parts and is like to know how much it's worth. More than that however, I'm interested in the process of refurbishing a vintage bike, (new paint job, parts, ect) and am wondering if it would be worth it to give this Raleigh a face lift, or if I should look for a more valuable frame to increase the value/performance of the bike.

wrk101

Worth it? No. Entry level. A proper paint job will cost quite a bit of money, more than this bike is worth when it is done.

zukahn1 

While great riding and looking bikes Raliegh Grand Prix's are just not worth it to rebuild and can be a serious PITA most have Raleigh sized headsets and BB. Without the specific parts the center pull on the back will never look quit right. It will be nearly impossible to match the original two tone paint if you repaint and a repaint on these will never look right. If you have one in somewhat good condtion just fix it and ride as is only way you will get your value out of it.

thinktubes 

+1, serious PITA.

fixed1313

If it is in good condition clean and polish what you have and ride the crap out of it ........... they ride great. I did one a couple of years ago and was able to reuse all of the components and it is a great ride. Don't repaint unless it needs it and at that point just do a decent rattle can job unless you are attached to it for reasons other than money. Raleigh headsets and bottom brackets are fairly stout, should not need replacing unless abused. Repack all bearings before riding anywhere to avoid damage. Original parts are out there if you need them, just not available at the LBS. Here is mine:

Jesuismimi

Good to know... If I was to refurbish a good bike what brands would be good to consider? I'm looking really for just the frame, as I intend to use all new parts.

oddjob2

Be prepared to open your wallet wide!

Buying all new parts is a very expensive proposition, as there are no purchasing economies of scale. You'd be better buying a new bike, stripping it's parts, then hanging the parts on the frame of your choice. By way of example, an urban bike was being sold for $400 with an IGH 7 speed wheelset. It would cost be over $300 just to buy the two wheels, not including tires, tubes, and rim strips.

Jesuismimi

Ah, I see.. that makes a lot of sense. I guess Ill have to educate myself a little bit more then! Really I just like the idea of taking a bike apart and putting it back together, making it somewhat valuable. Time to hit the flea markets! Also, since we are talking about wheels I was considering buying some new ones for my raleigh, what are some reasonable brands? Not to snazzy, but not cheap?

SteveSGP

Dumb question but if the Raleigh is in awesome condition why would it need paint?

That said, the Raleigh Grand Prix is a fine bike as long as you don't need to worry about finding any of the odd sized parts. I've rebuilt several and they ride really well.