KenNC

Just picked this up today for fifty dollars and tentatively identified it as above. It has a Nervex lugs, Huret dropouts front and rear, a Jubilee shifter and front derailleur (barely), GB stem, 27.2 seatpost (pretty sure), and a TA three-arm crank.
Decals are rough except for the downtube (which seems in good shape!). It does say "Carlton" on the seat tube and have "Raleigh" on both chainstays but these are pretty beat up. Paint is pretty beat up (but will try to salvage) but chrome is good!
Would appreciate help confirming identity and any suggestions for a (mostly) original restoration. I figure black paint will touch up and polish well, that I'll replace the worst decals (will save the downtube) and will attempt touch up of the gold lug lining. I have a Jubilee rear derailleur, a decent Huret front derailleur, and can get some Weinmann brake levers if I don't have any stashed away. Will replace saddle with a Brooks, probably, but what handlebars would be right? Doubt I'll try to go purely original on the wheelset but we'll see. Pretty sure it has a Reynolds 531 frame and fork so I'll add those decals unless I hear different. Comments and suggestions most welcome!

chainwhip

Hey Ken -

Nice find!
I bought the same model around early June of this year.
You got me beaten on the price: I paid $100.- for mine. No regrets.


As purchased, excepting with modern saddle and seat post(27.2); bar tape was removed, when brake levers were repositioned.



As currently being ridden. New cables and bar tape due today, new stem arriving next Monday.




A useful catalog pic.

The frame tubes are 531, double butted. Forks and stays also 531, but possibly straight gauge, depending on who you ask.
The forks would originally have had the 531 triangle decals.



Q:What's that gunk covering up your Huret FD?

Cheers.

KenNC

I think someone epoxied a wire to the side plate to stiffen the derailleur. That has to go!

rustystrings61 

Your bike might be a '74, because you have Nervex Professional lugs rather than the Carlton Capellas usually seen on '73 (and ONLY 1973) Competitions, Super Courses and Internationals. Or maybe a transition '72, because the lagoon blue & white and the double lilac variants used Nervex Pros as well, but usually with different fork crowns. Stock bars are GB, probably something really skinny like 38 cm width.

These are WONDERFUL bikes that lend themselves to all sorts of configurations. You could easily put together parts kits for this one and switch it out between 10 or 12-speed, zippy racing or serious touring, fixed-gear/single-speed, internal gearhub, etc. Peter Weigle converts them to 650 with braze-ons, as does our own gugie ...

I may have more to say on this subject in another day, as there is a '73 Competition I am stalking as I write this ...

bikemig 

Cool find. Do you have a huret jubilee rear derailleur for a huret drop out?

juvela

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You shall enjoy lots of good fun with this!

LUV the repair on the Freres Huret Jubile derailleur avant - a definite keeper.

Original bend would have been either GB Maes or GB Ventoux.

While catalogue specification calls for Brooks Pro saddle most came through with a B17, as on the machine in the catalogue illustration.

Original pillar was plain steel.

Original pedals were those horrid Raleigh all-steel quills - be not shy to upgrade!

Correct Weinmann brake levers are the ones with the factory relieving.

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Bad Lag

JB Weld and a Spam can opener??? Holy moley!

KenNC

Yes I do have the Jubilee rear derailleur, it has been waiting for a good home! I was worried about how to get the drop-out screws out, since they were snapped off at the back. But then I realized they are threaded into the small polymer inserts, not the drop out itself, like a Campagnolo. So with a small pin punch, they popped right out, broken screws plus good inserts! Now just have to find the correct screws, but am optimistic I can do that at the local hardware store. A good omen for this project I think....

Slowride79

I believe a ‘74 as ‘75 and ‘76 had chromed tips on rear stays. I believe ‘73 first year of sloping crown. I’m almost done with mine that I found in a sorry state but with help it’s on the mend (thanks Roger!) . Here is ‘74 catalog pic and my ‘73. I believe maes bend handlebars what you need ; they are plentiful (on GP, SC, Internationals...not sure about record)

3speedslow

Gotten from Morrisville? I saw that last night and knew it was a nice one hidden under there! Glad a BF member got it. I’m not in the market anymore for road bikes but was tempted for the parts.

xiaoman1 

Ken,
Nice score, I bought a very beat up frame, much worse than your and it polished up quite well. If that is original paint, yours might do the same thing, not perfect but still presentable.
Give it a good wash and wax and enjoy.
Best, Ben


[QUOTE=KenNC;21007639]Just picked this up today for fifty dollars and tentatively identified it as above. It has a Nervex lugs, Huret dropouts front and rear, a Jubilee shifter and front derailleur (barely), GB stem, 27.2 seatpost (pretty sure), and a TA three-arm crank.
Decals are rough except for the downtube (which seems in good shape!). It does say "Carlton" on the seat tube and have "Raleigh" on both chainstays but these are pretty beat up. Paint is pretty beat up (but will try to salvage) but chrome is good!
Would appreciate help confirming identity and any suggestions for a (mostly) original restoration. I figure black paint will touch up and polish well, that I'll replace the worst decals (will save the downtube) and will attempt touch up of the gold lug lining. I have a Jubilee rear derailleur, a decent Huret front derailleur, and can get some Weinmann brake levers if I don't have any stashed away. Will replace saddle with a Brooks, probably, but what handlebars would be right? Doubt I'll try to go purely original on the wheelset but we'll see. Pretty sure it has a Reynolds 531 frame and fork so I'll add those decals unless I hear different. Comments and suggestions most welcome!

Charles Wahl

I'm reasonably certain that OP's bike is a '72. It ought to be easy enough to tell from the serial number. I have a '72 Competition frame (pre-Mark II) that has a G#### serial. A 1974 Raleigh would have a W-serial with a bunch more numbers. Mine has Nervex lugs too. Reynolds 531 "butted frame tubes" decal near the top of the seat tube, and 531 fork (triangle) decals on the fork blades -- so the stays might not be R 531, but it weighs almost exactly the same as a 1974 International frame the same nominal size (though its chain stays are about 1.5 cm longer than the Intl). If you want the scoop on Raleigh serial numbers, St Sheldon Brown is your guy.

Good price for a Competition. The one I have came with all original wheels and hardware except a Shimano 600 derailleur replacing the original Huret Jubilée, and a plastic saddle ILO Brooks.

KenNC

Thanks you are right, it has a G#### serial number! Will amend title of this thread accordingly!

chainwhip

Disclaimer: I have *NO* relation to these auctions, other than interest in market prices for parts I *might* consider buying for my '73 Comp rebuild.


Jubilee FD:

Vintage 1970s HURET JUBILEE Jubilé FRONT DERAILLEUR Low Mileage Condition FRANCE

• $74.99
• Buy It Now
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Jubilee RD:



Vintage HURET JUBILEE REAR DERAILLEUR For Campagnolo Dropouts SHORT CAGE France

• $149.99
• Buy It Now
• Free Shipping

DT Levers:

Vintage 1970s HURET JUBILEE Jubilé DOWNTUBE Friction SHIFTERS Low Mileage FRANCE

• $39.99
• Buy It Now
• Free Shipping

Bad Lag

It seems to me these frames are worthy of a full Campagnolo group. I'd even use Campagnolo side pull brakes. At those prices for the Jubilee gear, why not?

Are these frames anything less than a Raleigh Professional in black paint? If it is somewhat different, is it significant?

I never liked the three prong chain wheel.
The brakes are "meh", only so-so, IMO. The rear hanger is unfortunate but won't interfere with side pull operation.
It probably needs a new seat.
Accept nothing less than a Campagnolo seatpost.

What these appear to be is a great frame with some worn out, rusty parts or odd ball "upgrades" and other weirdness hung on them.

verktyg 

The bike boom Raleigh Competition frames probably had the same geometry as the Raleigh Pros but wait! The Competitions, Internationals and Pros had geometries that varied depending on what tubes were on the shelf and pre or post lunch assembly (how many pints).

The other thing about those Competitions were the frames never got closer than 20 feet to a file. The cosmetics gave bad French builds a run for their money!

Last year I picked up a 1971 lavender Competition. It has medium point Bocama Professionnelle lugs - Zeus stamped dropouts too.



I bought as a gravel grinder/beater. After I realigned the forks and frame, replaced the headset and went through just about everything else on the bike it turned out to be an excellent riding and handling bike. It was the bike that I rode most often last year.

It's my only rust bucket bike - the rust under the top tube. I'd get it repainted if the cosmetics weren't so bad.

verktyg

gugie 

There are many different directions you could go with this. Personally, the one that I wouldn't do is try and make it all original equipment, it would be much cheaper to find one that's OEM when you buy it, those Jubilee derailleurs fetch big $$ on the open market, as you can see above. There are many period correct components available that work better, and cost less today than the OEM stuff.

cudak888 

But they sure got attacked by rasps!




-Kurt

KenNC

Well this project got back-burnered for awhile, but wrapped it up and had the bike out for its maiden voyage yesterday. Decided to bring it back close to original after I lucked into a wheelset with the Normandy Luxe competition hubs laced to AVA rims. My first experience with a Jubilee front derailleur and it is shifting an SRAM 870 chain nicely. I have a jubilee rear derailleur on another bike and it works great, but on this bike is a bit finnicky, though the hanger alignment checked out okay. The rear cluster is a Simplex 24 tooth and I'll experiment with some other freewheels. Paint is Rustoleum professional black spray, over Rustoleum black sandable primer. Don't know why there is a smear on the right seatstay in the photo, that doesn't appear on the actual bike. Velocal UV laminate decals, which I note show their edges against the black paint, particularly after a little wax. But figured touching up chips in black would be easier without a further clearcoat. So we'll see. My first try at lug lining with a technical pen and one-shot paint, after a bit of experimenting on an unrestored frame.

xiaoman1 

Well, that was certainly well worth the wait, normally when I see a thread this old the last response is normally to a zombie thread (I am guilty of responding too)...but this was different and what a surprise, great looking job!.
Best, Ben

WongaTaa

Comments...

"C?" Is that a Carlton seat tube pin? I'm jealous. Mine never had one.

Glad to see you didn't go *completely* original - that plastic ribbed handlebar tape was atrocious. Back in the day I got some kind of cushy tape and wrapped over it. Plain Velox black cloth for me now.

I did my lug detailing with Testors and teeny paint applicators from Michaels. Think: Q-Tips for a mouse. Came out OK, but I might go with the paint pen approach when I do the complete frame.

Pin stripe tape works really well for the paint/chrome interface on the fork blades. I still have, like, 29.8m (from the 30m roll) of it - I'll snip a couple of strips for you and send them if you'd like. (New to Bike Forums - do we have PMs?)

I don't think the decal edges look too bad - especially considering the originals didn't look all that great to begin with.

Questions...
Does it have an "A" serial number? Sheldon Brown reports they've been reported, and I can personally report the existence of at least one.
Where did you get:
* The bar plugs? White plastic/rubber with expansion screws! They look good. My originals disintegrated long ago. I got some heron logo knockoffs from someplace that also look sharp.
* The TA decals for the crank arms? My 14-year-old self saw them rubbing off in the 1970's, and got rid of them. Did you put any kind of coating over the new ones to prevent this?