After selling a too big (60cm) Raleigh International to poprad recently, I found myself still pining for one in my size, as I otherwise really enjoyed the ride feel of this versatile sport tourer. As luck would have it, I did find one on eBay, and in keeping with my Motobecane Grand Record, this one has been customized and repainted.

Initially, I had plans of big, C&V appropriate changes, but I found that I really liked most everything about this bike already, and so decided to only change out the saddle, mismatched cantilever brakes, and bar tape. The QR skewers are also mismatched, so I have some Bontrager titanium skewers on the way from England, to match the wheel set.

It's a really nice setup, with Dura Ace crankset, 105 long cage rear derailer and brake levers, 10-speed Hyperglide cassette, Ultegra chain, Shimano bar end shifters, Bontrager Classic wheels and hubs, Bontrager seat post, Bontrager threadless stem and bars (apparently somebody really liked Bontrager stuff!). I do like the wide (44cm) Bontrager bars quite a bit.

Customizations include the addition of cantilever posts, three sets of water bottle bosses (would have had none originally), pump peg and nub on NDS seat stay, braze-on for rear lighting on seat tube, and modifications for direct fender attachment (even came with some leather washers), and repainted in Rally Blue (apparently a Subaru WRX color).

Anyway, here's the before and after pics (and more here):

Before:
1970s Raleigh International by John Jones, on Flickr

After:
1970s Raleigh International - Customized by John Jones, on Flickr

British appearing color scheme.
Flickr now lets one view but not zoom if one is not a user and or PRO…
so it goes.

I was just looking at mine today. I need to service it and glue on some tires.

I saw that one and thought the paint scheme looked quite handsome and the setup rather practical! Not my sort of thing but a solid ride, I'm sure. Your subtle changes help with the classic feel as well... Enjoy it!

-Gregory

Hah! John, I'm the former owner of that one. Small world! Got it from a friend (who used to be on BF, but not for a long while) who had it modified by Spectrum, I believe. I later sold it on eBay. Here's what it looked like when I built it up:

‘75 Raleigh Intl restomod

No freaking way! Small world indeed

DD

Lovin that paint job (Always wanted an early WRX) and the small world story. So, how do the cantis feel on that fork and those seat stays? I imagine a frame set intended for cantis would be beefier there? Like they do for disks?

I didn’t ride it a lot, but detected no flex with the canti brakes.

Wow... just... wow.

I haven't taken it for a proper shakedown ride yet, but it seems solid to me. Rode it around the neighborhood a bit, and we have some steep hills. Firm and feeling good so far!

Also, is that a Suntour Superbe Pro seatpost, and did you have to cut it to fit because of the rear light boss? I had to cut the Bontrager seatpost down to fit for me.

American Classic, and, yes, cut down because of that boss.

Current bikes owned by other BF C&V ers...now that could be a thread...