Raleigh Record
 

I am looking for a larger frame for a commuter bike. My current ride is a 1990 Lemond Ventoux. Pre Trek, hand made, Columbus tubing, lugged, full 105 group, etc. I love this bike, but my 44 year old back cannot take the bend over position like my 28 year old back did when I bought it. IIRC they were made in Italy and finished by 10 speed drive imports in Las Vegas.
I am thinking Nitto long quill stem, but then I saw this ...

http://denver.craigslist.org/bik/193733330.htmlhttp://denver.craigslist.org/bik/193733330.html

Less then 2 miles from my house. I looked at it on the way home from work. It says Raleigh of America in the fine print and Made in Tiawan. Suntour Friction Shift 12 speed. Diacomp side pulls, 27" Alloy rims, front a little out of true, nutted rear axle. Say 4130 tubing I thought. No way it was $925 new. This is obviously a entry level bike that sold for maybe $200-$250 back in the mid to early eighties. If I remember the Record was always the "cheap" Raleigh.

I rode it an liked the 25" frame and short top tube. I was way more upright then on the Lemond.

What do you guys think it is worth? I was going to offer $75, but he said the lowest he would go is $110. Tell me what you know about Raleigh of America.

I also wonder what my Lemond is worth. Maybe the Pre Trek bikes will become collectable. Mine is cherry. I ride my old Stumpjumper anytime it may rain.

TIA

The Record was the entry level Raleigh. $110 doesn't seem out of line for it; neither does $75. For $110, you could probably get a slightly better Raleigh though, but if this one fits, you need to take that into consideration.

I would keep looking.
$110 seems awful steep for a Tiawanese Raliegh Record, at least that's how it seems down here in Alabama. Our local thrift store just recently sold a really nice mid-1980's Trek 400 for $25 and I bought a 1977 Raliegh Grand Prix from them for the same price a few months ago. (The Trek was the better deal by far, but I just missed it.)
Best wishes.

used bike prices differ radically in diffrent parts of the country. here in chicago a record from the 80s would go from around 100 in good shape; i would guess. But even in chicago prices differ radically. my friend bought a ross mixte for 15 dollars; nothing fancy but a decent commuter bike in perfect working order. while on craigslist you often see records and other similar 70s and 80s entry level roadl bikes go for around 100. If it doesn't have cottered cranks and you know how to true wheels I'd say get, it but if you just started look you can probably find a better deal.

If the bike is completely ready to ride, doesn't need tires, brakes, chain, cables, and you have to put no more money in it, $110 isn't too bad. If you can do all that work yourself, you might be able to do better finding a fixer upper. If this one needs work or parts, I would pass.

I paid $3.00 at a garage sale for a Taiwan made Record for my daughter. The wheels needed truing and the cables and tires needed replaced, as well as general cleaning/lubing. That bike would have to have all those things done for me to pay $110 for it.