Originally Posted by Kuhnate

How much shade will I get for throwing Ultegra components, Threadless conversion, and custom paint job on a technium ? Cause hot dang I love this '88 63cm tri-lite

Originally Posted by sbarner

I have two Raleighs that are Technium in name only, and one is likely a Raleigh in name only. One is an SBDU road frame in 753 with a bonded aluminum fork. I believe this was shipped in primer to the US and painted and decaled here. It says TECHNIUM on the top tube but is a lugged, brazed frame. The other looks almost exactly like it, and also has TECHNIUM on the top tube with a 753 designation as part of the graphic, but it is a track bike made with mostly aero tubing.


What I know about both of these bikes, which I bought at different times from different people is exactly ... nothing. I expect that both are from the mid-1980s, and the serial number of the road model indicates it was built in Nottingham, after the Ilkeston shop was closed down. The track bike has no serial number. The cynic in me says that the only 753 in the track frame might be the top tube and perhaps the chainstays, as they are the only non-aero tubes besides the headtube, which has a significant fairing added. I've seen dimpled 753 stays, but not as deep a groove as these, and my road frame has oval stays. There were supposedly two small batches of 753 aero tubes produced over the years and the crossection of this bike's tubes does not match at least one of them. It is my understanding that 753 cannot be cold worked, so the other tubes would have to have been factory produced, or of some other steel. Also, 753 is supposed to be silver-brazed, but this frame has all kinds of brass fillets. The components were mostly first-generation Dura Ace track, but this group lasted much longer than its road counterpart, well into the 1980s. The rear wheel had a rim to match the front but a Suntour Superbe track hub, which I've since swapped out for an inferior, but matching Dura Ace track hub (not easy to find in 28-hole!) Spokes are aero Wheelsmith 15 ga. The fork is a standard road model, possibly 753, with the crown heavily relieved, apparently for aerodynamics and weight reduction. It has a very short rake. My thinking is that a road fork was selected for expediency and possibly because it would have been considered more aerodynamic than a track fork with round blades. It also had a cut-down LaPrade seatpost, likely because the post needs to be within a cm, due to the lack of adjustment available. I was lucky and found a round Dura Ace seatpost that was the correct length for me. When I got it, it had a 130 mm Nitto stem and round handlebars.

The bike shows very little wear. Unencumbered by any facts, I think it likely that it was built by an American framebuilder for some special event, perhaps a record attempt or championship race. How much of it is actually 753, if any, or who built it, I may never know. It's possible that Mike Melton wielded the torch, but this is all conjecture. The graphics are almost identical to those of my road model, with the exception of the colors, with green substituted for blue. There is no head badge or decal. It rides beautifully, with predictably quick steering.

Originally Posted by OldCoot

I have always wanted a technium bike. As an engineer, I love the willingness to try an out of the box solution that Raleigh USA did. I think an early version is what I seek.

Does anyone know when they switched from 27" tires to 700c ? I know 1986 was 27", what about 1987 or 1988?

I would prefer a 27" , model so i can get a wider 700c tire in there.... ( i have done this before, as 3mm wider tire almost gets geometry back to norm....). Let the naysayers shout out!

Originally Posted by 1989Pre

1988 they switched to 700c. Some other changes: No more eyelets on fork ends and dropouts. Internal cable housing enters from left side of top tube (rather than from the right). New frame geometry, better-suited to racing and high-speed training.

Originally Posted by zookster

I recently acquired a Technium Tri-Lite. 700cx25 tires, Rigida rims, no eyelets on forks or dropouts, but the internal routing is on the right side of the top tube. 87 or 88? I have not been able to find out. The serial number has thick paint over it, hard to make out what it is.

Originally Posted by zookster

I recently acquired a Technium Tri-Lite. 700cx25 tires, Rigida rims, no eyelets on forks or dropouts, but the internal routing is on the right side of the top tube. 87 or 88? I have not been able to find out. The serial number has thick paint over it, hard to make out what it is.

Originally Posted by 1989Pre

I had thought that there was a hard-and-fast rule regarding the cable routing entrances and exits, but I just found an example (the black '89 in photo) that has the same routing scheme as yours. Curiously, I own the same frame, but with both cable housing exit and entrance on the left side! The "in the right side and out the left" of the toptube scheme was used from the very beginning, in '86, but may have been used a bit longer than I had assumed. Is there a number on the fork steerer?

Originally Posted by zookster

I recently acquired a Technium Tri-Lite. 700cx25 tires, Rigida rims, no eyelets on forks or dropouts, but the internal routing is on the right side of the top tube. 87 or 88? I have not been able to find out. The serial number has thick paint over it, hard to make out what it is.

Originally Posted by tough_boots

I have this exact bike. I converted it to singlespeed and it’s my zippy little daily work commuter. Great bike and I’ve always loved that color scheme.

Originally Posted by jamesdak

This is the same "flavor" offered over on Paceline




https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=296653

Originally Posted by Beanboy

Bought it new back in 1992.


Drivetrain is worn out, and realizing that 7-speed Suntour cassettes are hard to find nowadays. Debating next steps.

Originally Posted by Kuhnate

How much shade will I get for throwing Ultegra components, Threadless conversion, and custom paint job on a technium ? Cause hot dang I love this '88 63cm tri-lite

Originally Posted by 1989Pre

That's a great color. I bought my Technium in 1990. Aren't they great? Did you get some miles in this summer?


7 speed thread on freewheels & bolt on cassettes are still available for the time being. Check ebay & AliExpress.

AliExpress is very interesting. They're a direct link to Taiwan, Vietnam, & China for basic bike parts. In other words, if you can't get it on AliExpress they don't make it anymore.

Ramzilla

Originally Posted by Beanboy

Bottom bracket is wobbling, so that's the first on my list. Anyone have the specs for the 1991? Thanks for the tips on the freewheel/cassette locations. I'm honestly debating replacement versus repair at this point. Even finding hood replacements proved troublesome.

Originally Posted by 1989Pre

Your b.b. is loose? That is a standard, square-taper bottom bracket, and all you have to do is make sure the cups on both sides are tight. This should take a bike shop five seconds if you don't have the wrenches. What is the make and model of your shifters? AME makes replacement hoods. My Technium has Dia-Compe Aero Compe levers, and I bought the AME new old stock.