Been one of these for quite some time! I never liked the red version and that's the version I always see for sale. I never even knew they made an off white/cream version!!!!

All though I really like it aesthetically as it is I'm going to be changing things around in the future. For now just going to put a brake on it and and enjoy it. It seems straight, rolls well (with flat tire), no funny noises, seems to be taken care and i pretty!

I also could resist because I got it for $100!!!! Feels SO good to have this many wins in one sitting!!


Minus the first picture they pictures are all from the ad so I'll update later.

Chrome head tube looks like a continuation of the fork blades, rather than part of the frame. Cool!

The 1984 Competition is a fun bike. With its quick handling and skinny tires, I wouldn’t have considered using mine as an upright rider, but what do I know? You’ll have to let me know how that rides. I do like the triple crankset. Can we see a better pic of that?

I worked in a shop that picked up the brand just after Huffy bought the rights to the use of the Raleigh name in the U.S. Those bikes were very easy to build, with exceptional QC. Every model was beautiful, too, with the Competition being maybe the prettiest of all.

Too bad they were in the lineup for only two or maybe three seasons. Cannondale had evidently become enough of a threatening presence on sales floors that the other major bike brands felt the need to bring out their own aluminum models, including Raleigh USA and their Technium series.

I've found that quick-handling, skinny-tired 80s steel race bikes are a helluvalotta fun with North Road / Albatross / Porteur / other bendy bars. For moderate loads, like a Carradice and a handlebar bag, or a lightweight rack with a zip-out-pannier rack trunk or whatever, and city street rides under 5 miles in good weather, there's not much better. Especially if you've given up on single speed / fixed gear bikes like I have.

The short steering axis and high leverage combine with the racing front end to give the bike really, really quick steering in the hands. Takes some getting used to, even. The lack of eyelets and short wheelbase make big, rack-mounted or basket loads impractical, which means you won't try to carry them, which is good because the bike will suck at it.

It'd be fun to build one up 1x7... use an MTB rear derailleur, a 110x36t Biopace chainring, and the 13-42 7-speed cassette that Riv sells. (It's a Merry Sales part, your LBS may be able to get it for you as well, I dunno.) I had a Schwinn Super Le Tour 12.2 built like this, and I loved it. Granted, that was a sport-touring bike, so even more suited to these kinds of shenanigans, but race bikes are a blast as "city stormers."

--Shannon

IMO, you got a great deal on a 1984 Competition. Second from the top for Raleigh USA’s lineup that year. The red one you see would be the Grand Prix which was the entry to their four racing offerings. The build is rather unorthodox and borderline sacrilegious but the older we get, the less we seem to care about such things.

Ain't that the truth! Younger me is absolutely horrified at the upright bars (and their height..) I just put on my PX-10. But you gotta do what you gotta do...

The crankset looks to be a Shimano FC-6503, 9 speed Ultegra, 52-42-30 combo.

There is a couple of pics of a 148mm shortened set in the C&V sales. Smallest ring on that one seems to have been changed.

The p.o. Did a nice job on the build. The bar tape looks leather and expertly wrapped. Maybe it will clean up? XT rd is nice.

Great score! Been wanting to try one of these chrome riders from Raleigh.

Bit overpriced, but there's one in the bay area in good condition!

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/bik...848605308.html

Nice score. It looks fun.

What size tires are you running, 23s? And what is the rim width?

I have one of the frames with a similar upright setup. Mine has a replacement fork, but it still rides nice and is a really fun bike.

Took some better "before" pictures today. Haven't touched it yet and probably wont for a little while but non the less here are some pics.