'85 Raleigh USA Super Course Progress
 

After hunting about with no luck for a replacement fork on eBay and Bikeforums, I finally coughed up the coin for a new Pyramid aftermarket fork (that fits in very well) to take place of the damaged original from the '85 Super Course.

The Cinelli bar and stem from the Trek 728 found themselves onto the Raleigh as well. The original Dia-Compe G300C brake levers were placed on the Cinelli bars, and a trip to one of the LBS yielded a pair of NOS, Dia-Compe compatible, A'ME aero hoods with a mustard/gum color to them.

Seatpost came from the parts box, and is entirely too long for this bike (about 1'7" long or so), but it fits. The Wrights saddle is from a trade with fellow forum member John Barry, a.k.a. USAZorro.

Still have to get a new chain, re-true the rear wheel (and replace 3 spokes), run the brake cables, and tape the bars. I'm seriously considering swapping out the garbage Shimano Golden Arrow friction shifters with Shimano Light Actions - except for the fact that I only have a left-hand Light Action lever - the right hand one broke immidiately upon attempted installment on an earlier project.

Might also get rid of the Golden Arrow components altogether - they have a general cheap look to them. Will probably replace with Suntour, although I don't know what Suntour derailers I'd mount - I don't have any, and there are no decent local sources with them.

Take care,

-Kurt

the work matches quite well.

Kurt-

Do you still have the C300G brakes on the bike? I can't tell from the picture but I can tell that the brake shoes are not the original C300G shoes. I ask because I still have the original C300G brake shoes on my '84 Super Course. The Yellow Jersey site has some NOS shoes for 39.95! Do you know of anywhere they can be purchased cheaper? Can another brake shoe be used? The C300G shoes have the orbital adjuster and I'm not sure any other brake shoe has such a set-up.

Thanks

Joe

Ofmega mistral cranks?

Kurt, can you post a picture of the shift levers you want. I have a set of Shimano's which came home from the dump. They are off a mangled Trek equiped with braze on bosses. They might be 105s?

That's a very low profile front tyre you have on there young man.

Maybe it's made of Stealth rubber?

Clear tires? I've got to have a set! Do they come in 27 inch? :p

Nothing comes in 27 inch old-timer. I just saw a thread in SS/FG, where a guy was asking about black 27" wheels. Somebody actually said "Get some long reach calipers, nobody makes 27" anymore, and it's for a good reason". Ignoramus. He was right of course, but it wasn't the reason he thought.

where is kurt? suprised he hasn't replied already.. must be caught up in the build.

Sammy,

Maybe in the UK, but here in the US we can still buy 27 inch tires, nice ones in fact. I have a beautiful pair of 27 X 1 IRCs ready to go on the wheels I plan to build for my Paramount on the Campy high flange hubs. The "dump find" wheels currently on it are 27 X 1 & 1/4 Panaracers. My other road tires are 27 X 1 & 1/8 Panaracers. All skin walls. Continental, Michelin, and others still make 27 inchers. Yes, we don't have a huge selection, but they are very much available.

Any one care to make a prediction about when manufacture of 27 inch tires will cease?

Golden Arrow is pre-105. Works nice, and looks nice when new - but dirties quickly, and consequently looks disgusting. Bad anodizing, IMHO.

The original fork was nearly identical, with a lugged crown. I do have evidence of an identical '85 Super Course coming factory-equipped with an all-chrome unicrown fork though. There were about 4 different fork crown variants used from '84 through '86, and in no particular order.


Nope, ended up taking them off, for the new fork required the pads to be 3mm lower then the C300G calipers can accomodate. Mounted a pair of Dia-Compe 500 sidepulls in their place.

Still looking for someplace that carries these pads (been asked this question a few times before). Don't pay the Yellow Jersey prices - I don't care how good a shop they are, their prices are in most cases inexcusable.

Luckily, the pads from the Super Course aren't too bad, in fact, the rears look as if they were never used. Pretty sure you're stuck using the C300G type brake pads with the C300 calipers.


Ofmega Mistrals, yes. Badged Raleigh. Original to the bike.


I'll snap a photo for you later. Unfortuately, I know the 105s are not the correct levers. Curiously enough, the full-friction Light Action levers are not marked "Light Action" anywhere - just "Shimano." Here's a photo of a pair that were on eBay. Not a great photo, for it's from the bottom side:

http://i2.ebayimg.com/01/i/08/43/5d/bf_1.JPG

Will try to find a better photo.


Tell me about it. Would you like to trade this Stealth Rubber tyre for a 700X25C skinwall? :D


Guess I'm an old timer too then, for I'm still buying new 27" tyres regularly. They're common as ants here in the States.


I do have a life other then bikes, you know! :p

Take care,

-Kurt

+1 I run a set of 27 xc 1/1/4 Schwalbe Marathons on my Trek. I guess the question is how many tire choices do you really need? I think they will continue on for a while to come. With companies having to be so competetive in a global market place, there is virtually no room for things that don't add to the bottom line. Plenty of people still use 27" so they will keep making them. When that stops, Rivendell will buy the tooling and market 27" as the great replacement for 650B:D

Ain't that the truth!! :rolleyes:

-Kurt

Chuckk, that's the unicrown style that was occasionally used on these machines in '84 and '85. It's the first time I've been able to see one this close though, and sure enough, the crown is identical to the current-production Pyramid replacement fork on my '85.

That brings up an interesting question - I just checked my crankset, and sure enough, it is marked SR. However, the crankset on the Raleigh Prestige in the '84 catalogue is noted as being an Ofmega Mistral, and differs only in having an allen-key extractor at the center, and slightly different lettering. I wonder...

Take care,

-Kurt

P.S.: Thanks for the tyre tip - I just bought 2 pairs of the 23C size. Two will go on the '85. Better then $12/ea at the LBS, that's for sure.

Dudes, I was teasing. I too, of course, have several 27" bikes. I was referencing that conversation I'd had in SS/FG about "27 inch wheels got discontinued for a reason".

I guess your accent fooled us! ;)

Would be nice if that fellow would be good enough to tell us what the 'reason' for 'discontinuing' 27"s was.

One rim diameter isn't any better then the other - there isn't anything gained by using 622mm over 630mm. The only reason 630 is critisized is because a large number of cheap 630mm wheels and tires exist out there, causing some riders to turn a blind eye towards them - ignoring the fact that very nice rims and tires were/are made in the 630mm size, and are quite comparable to anything available in 700C.

-Kurt

I said pretty much that. My response was on the lines of "Yes, there was a reason - standardization. In all other ways, 27 inchers are just as good".