trail_monkey

I deleted my reply to another post I started the other day and decided to start a fresh topic about this bike......

So here are some pics of a couple Raleighs at this bike dump. I can have anything out of here as can anyone. The place is for people who want a bike. The first set of pics I will show are of the most promising bike. It is a frame size that could actually fit me. I just don't know if it is worth doing anything with. The frame seems in outstanding shape but due to a lot of scratches and some surface rust it would probably be better to have it media blasted and repainted or powder coated. Notice on the one pic of the lug, it has a bubble. It is not rust but at first I thought it was a run in the paint but then I thought maybe it was a bad braze from the factory where the metal flowed out of the joint and deposited on the lug. I don't know if that's what it is or not but I am not too concerned about it. The Nitto stem from this Raleigh came home with me a few months ago and went on my Panasonic as it had a much longer quill and I needed more rise out of the bars on my Panasonic. The original drops went in the trash at the time but they were nothing special. They were standard run of the mill chrome steel drop bars similar to every other 70s and 80s huffy sitting over there. The seat post is nothing special either. It is just a chromed seat post that takes a cheap bike seat with a built in seat post clamp. Again a cheap huffy style part. It has downtube shifters but they are clamp on not brazed on lugs. There also is no bottle cage bosses. The bottle cage on the bike is held on with built in clamps on the cage. I did not look too closely to the wheels to see if they were steel or aluminum but this bike didn't feel overly heavy. I wonder if this has decent wheels? The serial number on this top tube lug (in front of the seat post) is 2822649. Any info would be appreciated.


EDIT According to this website Raleigh Serial Numbers & Charts the serial number as well as it's location make this bike a 1972. Funny on Sheldons site his numbers do not match up. Sheldon says they have a letter with the number but this one is just a number. The only thing I am having a hard time figuring out is that front fork lug. I looked at old Raleigh catalogs through the 70s and I did not see one model that had a front fork with 2 chromed discs in the lug. I am at a loss as to what year this really is.
Attached Images

3speedslow

Not seeing pics.

trail_monkey

Sorry they are all there now

nlerner

Kinda looks like a 1960s Raleigh Gran Sport with lots of non-original parts. That's based on the decal style, thimble fork crown, contrasting head tube. Or perhaps the early/late 60s Raleigh Gran Prix had those features. I wouldn't put much stock in tracking down the year by serial # unless it was a Worksop/Carlton built road bike or something relatively high end. Those published schemes for the lower-end Raleighs are largely wishful thinking.

trail_monkey

Lots of non original parts? Everything seems to look original

nlerner

Unless you know what the model is and what original specs might have been or an idea of the history of this particularly bike, how do you know that the remaining parts "look original"?

Fwiw, I'm not familiar with a Raleigh that came with a helicomatic rear hub, particularly a Raleigh with that style of decals.

trail_monkey

According to Sheldon a helicomatic rear hub is french. He also says they are junk. I noticed the front hub is mallard? Made in France I think it says. Interesting as Sheldon said the helicomatic hub was in the late 70s and some early treks used them. I wonder if this bike is a 60s model and someone replaced the rear wheel at some point.

3speedslow

I would pick that Raleigh up. It would make a nice riding around bike. Not high end but the parts are okay.

Would like to see more bikes in that pile of yours!

clubman 

Looks like an early Grand Prix with swapped out parts. Or maybe a Record with the dimpled crown.

trail_monkey

I think I found my bike! I believe this to be a 1972 Raleigh record. Maybe the rear wheel was replaced at some time but the front fork matches up and it came in an optional blue/ black color scheme. Look at it in this catalog
'The Headbadge': 1972 Raleigh Catalog


Edit....hold that thought..... the record had stem mounted shifters... and steel cranks. This has aluminum cranks

trail_monkey

It's not that exciting. I have raided it for a couple good older bikes. Other than that it is mostly just old coast kings, huffies, and equivalent stuff. This is just a portion. Behind here in the pasture is a bunch laying on there sides in the weather. That's where I found my dx 3000. Then beside that there is a pile mounded up 8 feet high and 20 feet in diameter and you would have to pull bikes and weeds off for hours to get to what's on the bottom. Everything I can see in that pile has forge cranks and is cheap. I actually climbed it once and was pulling bikes off each other but it's too deep and dangerous to be on.

big chainring 

Raleigh Record is correct. Most of the original components have been replaced.

trail_monkey

EDIT........

I think I am going to leave this one lie..... It would need a blasting and a paint job, a new rear wheel as that rear hub can't be trusted according to Sheldon, new rear derailleur, all cables, bars, levers, tires, and a seatpost. I would have 500 bucks or more invested and it would not be worth it to me. It's not even great steel in the frame. I will keep scouring for a better vintage bike in someones garage. I am always looking. I got lucky with my Panasonic. Much better bike and although I built new wheels for it a couple months ago, didn't really need anything except cleaning up and maintenance. A friend of mine is riding a late 80s Trek Road bike I found in this pile too and fixed up for him. She's given me a couple good bikes and what's left is waste unfortunately. I keep checking back every couple months as people are always giving him new more and I think the local dump contacts him when people throw bikes away.

I guess I should ask, judging from my pics, is there any parts off this bike i should go grab that are actually higher end and may be worth using if I need them on a future project? The cranks? The front wheel with the French made hub?

3speedslow

The drivetrain( crank, BB, shifter, rear DR )brakes would get you a few parts. Wheels if you can use a set to roll a project around or get a flip out the door. The fork and headset, depending on if you see a possible need for English sized parts.