Raleigh - Help with Model & Year
 

Last Fall I acquired this old Raleigh. It appears to have been through several incarnations and it looks like most of the original components have been replaced. Basically, I'd like to find out what the model and year is. I've crawled all over the pages at, www.sheldonbrown.com, and www.retroraleighs.com but can't seem to come to a conclusion. A few things that have stumped me are: the pump tabs under the top tube; the oval badge; and the serial number.

From looking at the vintage brochures (http://sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/index.html) the only brochure that shows top tube pump tabs is 1958 (Obviously 1959-1961 are not available). All other years either show down tube tabs or seat post tabs with earlier version being tabs and later models being around-the-tube style bands.

The badge is another story... I don't know ...i just haven't done enough research to know what-is-what with the years. I've heard that the oval was late '60s?

The serial number....the only stamped numbers on the frame (#810800) are located near the seat tube on the top of the top tube (see pic below). According to http://sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/dating.html the only serial numbers that didn't contain letters were from the late 1800's to early 1900's. I'm pretty sure this bike isn't one of those. The only other Raleigh, according the the site, that didn't have letters in the serial number were "the 531DB Gran Sports built in the early 70's did not have letters in the serial number". Again, unless i'm wrong, these didn't have the top tube pump tabs and/or oval badges.

Oh, and the shifting levers and derailers are Simplex ..old and cracked plastic? bakelite?

I know very little about these bicycles and hope that one of you knowledgeable enthusiasts can identify my Frankenstein.

Thanks!!

Here are a few pics that I have.

http://www.atomikcows.com/bike/thumb1.jpg
http://www.atomikcows.com/bike/thumb2.jpg
http://www.atomikcows.com/bike/thumb3.jpg
http://www.atomikcows.com/bike/thumb4.jpg
http://www.atomikcows.com/bike/thumb5.jpg
http://www.atomikcows.com/bike/thumb6.jpg

That headbadge does place it as a 1960s model. I believe that headbadge started in 1963 (or at least my '63 catalog describes it as "a new, vivid version of cycling's most famous mark"). By 1970, the headbadge was different.

In terms of model, the double crankset is the same as on several models shown in the '63 catalog--the Gran Sport, the Sprite, and the Blue Streak, but none of those has top tube pump clips. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot online about the '60s Raleigh models, and the serials #s are no help at all for that period.

Neal

Cheers Neal!

Thanks for your input.

One other clue to help you with the dating: I believe those cranksets were made by Williams for Raleigh, and some Williams cranksets have a date code. See Hilary Stone's list here.

Neal

I agree that this bike is from the early 60's. Very old head badge and early 60's steel cottered cranks.

Just checked for the date code on the cranks - "NF". Had to double check to make sure the "N" wasn't a "Z". Nope it's "NF" which unfortunately doesn't correspond to any dates on Hilary Stone's list.

Any idea what size headset tool I'd need for this bike?

From the lugs, it doesn't look like one of the higher-end models. The pump peg mounting seems to be much more common in Carltons. Did they ever badge some of their bicycles as Raleighs before '68?