redneckwes

I know the archives are full of them, but as the Grand Prix was Raleigh's "World" 10 speed, and probably produced in nearly as many plants and Nations as the Sports was. (Worksop, Nottingham, Gazelle (Holland), Canada, maybe even Enid Oklahoma, ect.)

It's also one of the most common Vintage bikes for new C&V'ers to run across.

Plus, old Grand Prix's can be found cheap, are lots of fun, and are not all that hard to work on, so lets see some Grand Prix pictures.

NB1413574, Nottingham built in Febuary of '81
Not stock as it has been a frameset build for at least two owners.


From the 1979 Poster/Catalog.





Come on folks...

alancw3

funny. my first real "racing" bike was a 1958 raleigh lenton grand prix purchased for $105. boy did i cut alot of lawns that summer to buy it! anyway, that was as wonderful bike. like the standard for initial racer want to be's in my area. stripped off the plastic fenders,removed the saddle bag complete with tools and drilled and tied the brooks saddle an put wing nuts on the axles. oh and the frame was a wonderful reynolds 531. it was a great bike that sadly i sold before going to college. then after college i bought a 1970 raleigh grand prix. what a piece of sh**. i could not believe that raleigh had sold out that badge so badly. i guess it all cmes down to $$$ even bac`h then.

redneckwes

Truthfully, yes, Raleigh did reposition the model in the line up. By the late 60's the G.P. was not a racing bike.

Rabid Koala

Sadly, I don't have a picture of the one that actually was mine, but this one is identical and of the same year:



My first "real" bike, my Christmas present in the 6th grade. That bike took a lot of abuse but served me pretty well. I had to convince my parents that this was better than a Varsity. It sold for $79.95 at the local Raleigh shop.

I sold it in 1973 and got a Nishiki International.

QuickDraw

This is mine, Mid '80s (bought from a forum member)I've since installed Delta brakes and some C Record Aero Levers. I'll see if i can take some pics soon.

onetwentyeight 

i have one that looks almost exactly like this



im trying to unload it if anyone is interested. its a 56cm

raleighrider

Does anyone have a scanned or scannable copy of the 1986 Raleigh USA line??
I know there's a bunch on Sheldon Brown's site, but not the '86 version.

Thanks!

top506

This is sitting out in the barn right now:



I've replaced the knackered-out cottered cranks with a SR Apex I had laying around, and intended to make it a fixie due to the flip/flop rear hub and sell it off in the spring. But I just obtained a nice set of 27" wheels (no, Scott, not off the '83 Miyata 610) and might build it up into a rider.
Funny thing; it's a 21 1/2"-54cm frame and by all the rules should fit me just right, but seems a little cramped. The '78 Worksop-built Super Grand Prix I had was the same size, and felt the same way. My 'too big' 23"/56cm Atala feels just right.
Top

roccobike

The pics below are of my almost all original 74 GP made in England. As near as I can tell, the only parts that have been replaced are the tires and possibly the freewheel. Note the close ratio of the gears, not an "alpine" freewheel typically sold on boom bikes in the US. The saddle is the original GT Mark V and teh bars still have the original foam cover.
Within two years of buying my Record, I was sorry I didn't buy a Grand Prix. Last year I found this one, but alas, it is too large for me so I'll probably sell it this summer. It was kinda dull when I got it, but I think it shined up real nice with auto polish.

cyclotoine

you didn't get it from Cudak888 did you? It looks like one of his bikes, but I would be suprised if he would sell his. He hasn't posted lately, either...

Road Fan

Redneckwes, the chain on that silver one looks short.

ricohman

A $30 super Grand Prix (to small for me) that I bought for a reunion ride last summer.


The $20 Grand Prix I bought for my son for the same ride. He has now outgrown this bike but he enjoyed riding it as it was his first road bike.

redneckwes

I think it's short by a link or two, I had that chain/wheelset on a bike with a shorter driveline. I don't have much seat time on it yet, but it shifted ok on the stand.

Saintly Loser

I had one years ago. I bought it 1975, if I remember correctly, with money from my job delivering groceries. I rode the hell out of it. I even rode a few centuries on it before I knew there was such a thing as a century ride. Back then it was just me and a friend or two riding out to Long Island for the weekend.

Mine was the 25 1/2" frame (I was a tall kid), white with black panels. I remember the Simplex derailleur and the suicide levers. I've heard a lot of bad stuff about the Simplex derailleur, but back then it seemed state of the art to me. What did I know? The bike I had before was a single-speed coaster brake bike from Sears.

QuickDraw

Yup I did get it from Cudak888, he sold it to fund a Paramount(beautiful bike). I'm completely happy with this bike. it had a fully Campy Triomphe group on it minus the pedals. I'm looking into some Campy pedals in the future, or perhaps going the clipless route, haven't decided yet.

bigbossman 

I just acquired a Super Course frameset that needs building, so if yours has any usable parts, I'd be interested.

onetwentyeight 

hah. mine has all the same parts as the one pictured including the raleigh bars and raleigh stamped cranks. different saddle and bar wrap but thats about it!

bigbossman 

Well, you're welcome to dump it in my yard. I'll find a use for some of it!

redneckwes

I have it's 23" Cousin in the basement waiting to be finished up. Mine is a W-Worksop frame though. But the same color and decals!

mrejda

I picked up this Grand Prix yesterday from a CL add that had it listed as a Peugeot. The frame was my size so I said what the heck.



I'm guessing based on catalogs and other pics that it's from '70-74 but this is all that is stamped on the BB (picture of "X")

edit3: Ok, anyone have a "5" series spindle they would part with? The BB is 71mm so it looks like I walked into the 26TPI trap.

redneckwes

Nice Raleigh! (or it will be), Looks like a Worksop frame, 20-30 Tru-wel.

#1 Do a search on Cottered Cranks, you have to get those pins out to remove the cranks.

#2 Put the stem bolt back in, try to thread it back in partway and tap on it, it should (Hopefully) pop loose the wedge and release the stem.

mrejda

So the frame has been degreased, derusted in oxalic acid, and treated with framesaver. It was a real learning experience. The entire time I've been searching for a square taper spindle but have had no luck so I'm going to put her back together with the cottered cranks. I will hopefully update this post with a road worthy pic in a week or so.

-holiday76

ok so I just posted this in another thread, but it seemed like it belonged here:



my commuter

due ruote 

I did the same not long ago. The crankset on mine had luckily already been upgraded to cotterless, and the BB was usable, but the headset was a pita, notwithstanding the OP claim that these "aren't too hard to work on."

I still enjoy the fact that for $60 I picked up a steel frame with nice lugwork (OK, less so now that I've seen the ones Ricohman got for $20 and $30), but those shopping for one of these would be well advised to beware the threading issues.

BTW, is there a decent option for BB replacement? Seems the best route for the HS is a new fork with 24tpi threads.

mrejda

Per Sheldon Brown's site (which I think I have memorized at this point) There are 3 options. Reuse cups with new spindle ($10, hard to find/uncertain), use UN72 with Phil Wood endcaps (around $65/ more than I paid for the bike), or use a Phil Wood 26TPI BB ($$$$$). My headset seems fine, as does the fork so I'm hoping to just replace the BB's.
It's funny that there are so many of these sprouting up at the same time. I've lurked on these boards since last July when I bought my Miyata and never came across this issue. Then I find this bike and think "oh, cottered cranks, no biggie it's English."
However, if I ever get it on the road it will be that much sweeter.
EDIT: Thanks to local to me C&Ver rhm, I am now the proud owner of a square taper spindle, woot!