Raleigh Competition GS Help
 

I have a Competition GS that I bought in 1983. Unfortunately it was vandalized in 1984 many parts were stolen. I have always kept it thinking I would restore it some day. I am trying to find out what the original components were that are missing. I do remember that the rims were 700c and concave. I assume the hubs were Campagnolo Gran Sport. The rear spacing is 120mm. I am assuming the pedals were Campagnolo Gran Sport. I am not sure about the handlebars, stem, brake's and levers.

Does anyone have one of these bikes? I would appreciate any info on this bike.

This is how I found it after thiefs had their way with it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5244.jpg

Serial Number
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5264.jpg

Made in Japan
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5259.jpg

Badge
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5255.jpg

Campagnolo Head
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5254.jpg

531 Forks and Frame
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5251.jpg

Suntour
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5250.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5245.jpg

Orignal Seat on Campagnolo 27.2 post
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5265.jpg

Campagnolo Crank
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5247.jpg

The rims were Weinmann Concave 700c with Campy Gran Sport hubs.

Looks like the bike is in nice shape, I hope you get lucky and find the right components. I have a frame like yours, resprayed twice, now residing in my garage attic.

One thing that strikes me is how much nicer the workmanship is on the Japanese GS's than it was on the old English ones.

Welcome to Classic and Vintage!

So that's a bit mysterious. According to the 1983 and 1984 Raleigh catalogs on Mark Bulgier's site, the Competition for those years was called the Competition 12, and I don't think it was made in Japan:

http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalog...3/ral83_05.jpg
http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalog...4/ral84_04.jpg

It's interesting, your bike looks pretty much the same as the English-made late 70s Competition GS models that I've had. One exception is that mine had Campagnolo dropouts and fork ends, rather than SunTour. I do have the 1980 Raleigh catalog, and the specs listed for the Comp GS are

Raleigh light alloy handlebars
Forged light alloy stem
Weinmann 605 sidepull brakes
Campagnolo Gran Sport crankset, derailleurs, downtube shifters, pedals, and seat post
Maillard 13-24T freewheel
Weinmann 700c concave rims and Campagnolo Gran Sport small flange hubs
Brooks Pro saddle
Colors were black or pearl silver (as is yours)

Neal

Sheldon also has some info on the late 70's Raleigh Competition GS.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroral...mpetition.html

I have a Made in England 25" GS model. Too big for me, so I'll be eBaying it :(
I was thinking of parting it out, but I don't have the heart. I'm really impressed with the matched components--Campagnolo Gran Sport and Weinmann. Tight, racing geometry but still comfortable on long rides and pretty lightweight for it's time.

Good luck on your restoration! I really like silver paint/chrome bikes.

It looks like the fame was put together more carefully than the frame on my English-built version. I don't see any stray blobs of brass, file gouges or crooked lugs. I think it's definitely worth restoring.

Thanks for the replys (info). Does anyone have some photos of their bike? It would be a great help to see some of the missing components from my bike. Thanks.

I'm afraid the two Competition GS bikes I've had were far from original spec (and one I bought as a frameset and tried to return to somewhat original spec). But here's the pic from the 1979 Raleigh catalog; you can see that the crank is the 3-pin Campy GS crankset; otherwise, components are as I described in #3 above.

Neal

http://web.mit.edu/nlerner/Public/Bi...mpGS79Cat1.jpg
http://web.mit.edu/nlerner/Public/Bi...mpGS79Cat2.jpg

Thanks for the photo. Would you know what brake levers are on that bike (Campy or Weinmann). Are there any markings on the handlebars or stem to distinguish them? Thanks again for the help.

My Kona (which was recovered from a landfill in central Maine) also came from Brands Cycle in Wantaugh.
Small world.
Top

Brake levers are drilled Weinmann's. I believe the '78 Comp GS I had came with Nitto Olympiade bars and SR stem, but I don't know if they were original. The '79 catalog lists the stem as SR Royal and the bars as "Raleigh Italienne alloy."

Neal

top506 it is a small world. My father was from Boothbay Harbor.

nlerner thanks again.

Would it be possible for you to post some photos of your bike?

This is a Raleigh indeed made in Japan. I had one of these in black with a similar serial number. Contrary to what some folks have stated on this forum, The N at the beginning of the serial number does not necessarily indicate "Nottingham". I've had several japanese made Raleighs from this period and they have all had serial numbers starting with an N. Perhaps it stands for "Nippon".

Your Competition GS most likely had the following:

Araya 700c blue label rims with eyelets (not weinmann concave)
Diacompe model G sidepull brakes
Sakae Raleigh Custom branded handlebars (with the wreaths)
Sakae Raleigh branded stem
Suntour dropouts
Campy GS hubs, drivetrain, shift levers, headset, BB.
Pedals might have been MKS

I no longer have the bike, but I have some reasonably detailed photos that I will post a bit later.

Serial number is N1C5999. The Campy 170/52/42 crankset is inscribed "170 Strada" followed by a zero inscribed within a circle. This would likely date the bike to 1980.

Here they are:

Rather than the Brooks saddle, I believe it had a Raleigh branded suede saddle. Don't recall the seat post.

Thanks for the photos. It's a great help.

I recall that my bike had the concave rims with a red 700c sticker.
My seat is the original (Guess the thief's ran out of time).

I just removed the seat post and found a bottle of Raleigh pearl silver touch-up paint (made in Japan).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5297.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5296.jpg

Kashimax Seat with Raleigh insigna
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5292.jpg

Campy 170/52/42 crankset inscribed "170 Strada" followed by a one inscribed within a circle sprocket side and zero on the other. Does this mean I have two different year parts?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5298.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5299.jpg

What size frame do I Have? Center head tube to center seat post
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5266.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5267.jpg

Seat post tube
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5269.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h/IMG_5268.jpg

When I get a chance, I'm going to shoot some photos in the next day or two and post it to this thread.

However, I think kranz's beautiful bike will probably come closest to matching yours. (But it'll give me an excuse to post some pics :)) BTW, mine has the concave rims and seems pretty stock.

I have a NOS Campy GS crankset in the original green box. The right and left cranks differ by one year. I have no reason to believe they are not a matched pair. So, I suspect they were manufactured at slightly different times around the transition of one year to the next. You probably have the same situation.

Kranz thanks for clearing that up for me.


When checking frame size for one of these bikes witch bar is measured? From what point to point?

I believe standard Raleigh practice for sizes listed in the catalog is center of crank to where the seatpost emerges. Thus, your measurements are showing a 23.5" frame (you started your measure a bit higher than the center of the crank arm).

Neal

Better late than never...my late 70's "Made in England" Raleigh Competition GS. I think the components are stock, except maybe for the saddle and foam grips :)

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...i/Raleigh1.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...i/Raleigh2.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...i/Raleigh3.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...i/Raleigh4.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...i/Raleigh5.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...i/Raleigh6.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...i/Raleigh7.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...i/Raleigh8.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...i/Raleigh9.jpg

I think the Carreras are an upgrade. I bought a 79 a few years back and it had a lower grade of Weinmann side pull brakes on it.

I can post a photo tonight-I still have the brakes.

Nice bike! :D

Yup, stock brakes would be Weinmann 605, but the Carreras are a nice upgrade. I've had a couple of sets of those brakes on various bikes and like them a lot. They have nice long reach, good for a 27"/630ERD to 700c/622ERD conversion.

Neal

A few pics of my Raleigh Competition GS with what I believe to be original Weinmann 605 brakes. What was the difference between the 605 Brakes and Carrerras? I have seen Competitions with both but have only ridden bikes with the 605s.

http://www.cyclofiend.com/cc/2006/cc...joyce1206.html