And I even had posted it here in e-bay/Cl finds last week, but no other bidders. Picked it up for a sweet $200! I'll be picking it up next weekend and will post many before pics prior to a thorough strip and rebuild! Stoked....I am so stoked!!!

Combined with spending the day at NAHBS yesterday this may be the best cycle weekend ever.

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...EOIBSA:US:1123

I've been watching that auction and was really surprised to see so little activity. Very nice find! I look forward to the pics.

Neal

I know...743 views but only 2 bidders? Weird. I think he threw people off with the $75 shipping...but I'm local and he told me I can cut the shipping if I pickup...so I'm happy he listed it so high. I've been looking for a 60cm vintage Raleigh for a long time, this really rounds out my stable. I can't wait to start tearing it down and cleaning everything up!

I was so tempted on that one. Glad I didn't bid it up on you now.
I have a 1976 and a 1979 Competition. Both are black. I think the silver is rarer. I can only remember selling blacks one in our bike shop.

Great buy!

I guess I'm Raleigh Crazy this is my current list
1965 Raleigh Sports 3 speed with rod brakes
1969 Raleigh Pro - my father's bike
1975 Raleigh Record - Team colors - just a beat up frame now
1976 Raleigh Competition
1977 Raleigh 20 folder
1978 Raleigh 20 folder
1979 Raleigh Competition - my brother's
1981 Raleigh Sports 3 speed coaster brake - Canadian Factory - match pair his & hers
1982 Raleigh TEAM Pro 753 ---- the ultimate Raleigh !
1984 Raleigh Team 555R - English made for Raleigh of America
and still looking ...

Nice work Poprad! As a month-long owner of a pristine black '78 Competition GS, bought also for a good price from a really cool BF member, you will not be disappointed.

GMS: I think I saw a neon Raleigh sign on Craigslist or Ebay. If that's not hanging in your garage I don't know where else it belongs.

hey i'm glad you got it! i was watching it too, and was going to bid but i was out picking up yet one more bike... i couldn't believe it went so cheap... congratulations!

Thanks guys...GMS, I suppose you'd be the one to hit up for any quirky rebuild querys? I plan to strip it to the frame and bring everything back to spec. He's giving me the original Weinmann calipers and Brooks saddle. I'm hoping the mechs are all in good shape and just need a refurbish with new dinosaurpaste and bearings. Thanks to all of you who didn't bid, I'm a very appreciative owner!

Oh, and GMS did you see the giant red Raleigh heron flag for sale?

Here are the 1979 Raleigh catalog pic and spec for the Competition GS. I also had a silver one awhile back and sold it pretty much as original except for the wheels (though I added a Campy NR crankset) on eBay and fetched just a bit more than you paid. I thought it would go higher, but the paint on mine wasn't in very good shape. For awhile, I had it set up as a 650B bike, which worked really well, and made for much less of a Sporty ride and more of a tourer, but that's my preference.

Neal

I might bug you one day about some Raleigh info... I have what I think is an '83 Raleigh Comp that I'm bringing back to life and *might* have some questions about.

Several years back I bought a trashed out 79 Competition on ebay. It was just the frame, BB, headset and a few misc parts for $75. I stripped it, painted it and rode it for quite a while. It was a really nice ride. The only downside was that I had to do a lot of filling at the lugs due to the poor brazing quality, but that was pure Raleigh in the 70's.

Well, I was also watching your Competition but I thought it would go much higher with a last minute flurry of sniping. In fact I was out for a short ride in 80 degree weather on my 1979 Competition, purchased on eBay last year for $355 when the auction ended. You definitely got a good deal. The planets were all aligned and Karma was in full force. Happy riding.

As the seller of this bike, I might disagree about the whole planet thing ...

That said, I heartily endorse the happy riding part. It's a sweet bike.

I was a little surprised at the lack of action too (there were over 50 watchers by the end of the auction), and I figured either 1) there's not much buzz about the Gran Sport group; or 2) there's something to the "bike's don't sell on eBay in the dead of winter" thing which I've seen mentioned here. Poprad did a get a good deal for sure, but hey ... that's what eBay's for, and it's why at least a few of us hang out there. My personal listing philosophy is to start an item at the lowest price which I'd take, with no reserve; if there's a taker at that price, I'm at least marginally happy, and anything over that is gravy. Poprad just kept the gravy on this one!

I've already had moments of regret selling this one, but I'm finding adequate comfort in the arms of my remaining steel roadies ...

MajorA, I just checked what I sold my '77 Comp GS for on eBay last May: $237.50

Oh well. I've had lesser bikes sell for more, and also agree that the GS group doesn't fill anyone with sweetness and light. About a year ago, I listed a black '78 GS frameset, which went for $114.50. Also disappointing. I think it's a Raleigh model that's under appreciated.

Neal

It is great to hear from both the buyer and the seller. I think it's a great bike, and I am just glad it has gone to someone else who will appreciate and care for it.

Great catch. I was watching that auction as well and figured it would go for twice that amount. Enjoy!!

I saw that bike too.
I already have one (originally know as a "French Record").
Same frame as Competition G.S.
It was originally outfitted with all japanese (suntour cyclone, SR Royal cranks).

I had it repainted and painstakingly tracked down a full Campy G.S. Gruppo.


Enjoy your new ride!

Thanks, looking forward to picking it up in...2 days! Is that a GS group? The cranks look more NR to me from the pic? I'd actually like to upgrade to NR stuff for the Competition I'm getting, but we'll see how bad the original stuff is. If it looks and works good I might just leave it and ride it.

Did you get your bike?

The cranks are 5-arm G.S. with extremely rare chainguard.
The chainguard was a piece of standard equipment with the Raleigh Pro (go figure) of the early 80's.
I found it on ebay some years later.
The original G.S. pedals broke, were replaced by Steel-caged Campy Record.
Can't wait until the nice weather. We're supposed to get 5-8" of snow tomorrow.
:-(