bigwoo

Sorry to be bombing you w/ all of these posts the last few days.... I'm finally able to get around to some of my own bikes for a change. Man, does it feel good

I am just starting on what I believe to be a '74 or '75 Competition and I guess that after visiting Sheldon's Retro Raleigh site, I am a bit stumped on the lugs. The bike is the typical gun metal/enamel black w/ the sloped fork crowns and chrome tips up front but not in back. Huret Jubilee, Weinmann's, Reynolds frame and fork decals, very faded "Competition" in gold on the top tube,etc...

The lugs look just like Nervex Pro's. Did Comp's come w/ Nervex as well or did Prugnat just do a major copy job?

I know, I know... I'll try to post some pics for ya' (It's filthy and I'm embarassed to show it right now)

bigwoo

The sun has gone down over the Rockies, so this is the best I can do for tonight

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Grand Bois

My '74 has Capella lugs and that's what's shown in the catalog. I imagine they'd use whatever they could get if they ran out. You can see by the workmanship on those frames that they were craking them out as fast as they could. I read somewhere that the black Competitions were dipped, not sprayed. The thick paint hid most of the file marks. I've got mine stripped to bare metal and I've been filling and sanding for a couple of weeks now.

bigwoo

Oh man Dd, those lugs are sweeeet! Never seen a Raleigh w/ those lugs before.

What are your plans for that bad boy?

Thanks for the info. I guess it makes sense that they would have stockpiled different stuff during the height of the boom. I'd ask ya' if you want to race, but I'm pretty darn sure that your build will be done long before mine will

I wonder what the story is w/ dipping the black frames because I thought that they were strict w/ quality control at that time...?? Doesn't matter to me though; I'm a sucker for that grungy gun metal/enamel look which sometimes looks cooler with age....I think that the artsy folks call it "fatigued"

unworthy1

those sure look like the authentic Nervex Pros to me, and not the Prugnats that are similar, but different.

Grand Bois

Capella lugs were Carlton's own, but Raleigh got them when they bought Carlton. The '59 Carlton in my avatar has chrome ones.

Just look at the picture of your seat lug above and you'll see how strict they were with quality control. Mine were just as bad, but I've smoothed them out some.

I think the word you're looking for is distressed.

The frame is in primer now and I'm trying to choose a color. I may just paint it black again. They do look good in that color. I'll use a single stage urethane. It will be a single speed until I can afford a new wheelset with an internally geared hub. Nexus? Alfine? SA? I don't know. I've already learned that I want more than three speeds.

dbakl

That's atypical. There were Competitions with Nervex, maybe 69-70, but lugs were chrome and components were different. Earlier left over frame perhaps?

USAZorro

I thought the lugs in bigwoo's picture were Nervex.

bigwoo

Well, based on Sheldon's info anything pre-74 would not have had sloped fork crowns; the older Compies had those "block" style crowns....Hmmm.....WTH? I think that Dirtdrop's theory about utilizing whatever parts were available is good. I also agree w/ Unworthy and Zorro about these being Nervex.

I don't know for sure, but thought that these original hubs w/ the cool Raleigh "hub polishers" and the QR's being laced to Rigida alloy Red labels were 74-ish as well....Am I mistaken about the era Atom's and Raleigh's use of wheels like this were used in?? There is no date stamped on the hubs, but I just figure that they are M.M. Atom; Sound about right??


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EDIT: The crankset also matches the '74 catalog.....And I'm sorry about the pigeon poo on that spoke....

USAZorro

Atoms were used on the Super Course, but I thought that bikes higher up the like were fitted with slightly better. It is possible that the wheels are not original.

bigwoo

Thanks Zorro,
I am thankful that the original owner had the foresight to replace the correct (according to the '74 catalog) tubulars w/ clinchers... I have the world's greatest talent for aquiring flats in the remotest area's of planet earth and I don't carry spares on all of my bikes. Plus, I like these Rigida's a lot and the hubs feel smooth...