gvsupertramp

i just picked one up for the cheap. how are just the frames, because im just using it for a fixie?

sykerocker 

Gawd, you guys are bringing back the memories. Never actually owned a Record, had a Sprint 10 at the time when I was first working at A.R. Adams Cycle - same bike other than paint, fenders, bars and seat - and finally figured what it took to destroy one. A guy nailed the brakes in front of me, I rear ended him, shortened the frame by four inches, broke my nose bouncing off the back window. Didn't realize it was broken until I had a life mask made ten years later.

Had a replacement frame, fork and front fender within the week (working for a dealer did have it's advantages), and had the bike back on the road 24 hours later).

We sold a lot of those bikes back in the early 70's. It was kinda interesting how we would size up a customer: If you got the feeling that they'd actually bother to learn how to take care of their first adult road bike, you steered them to a Record or Gran Prix (assuming we could get them - we'd get Records about 5 to 1). Otherwise (and these were the vast majority) you steered them to a Varsity. Either way, we tried to minimize complaints about the product which would be a result of the customer not knowing how to take care of the bike.

Of course, once the latest Schwinn or Raleigh shipment was sold out (about two weeks before it arrived), we were down to Astras and Rogere Riveres. And we braced ourselves for customer complaints - not because the bikes were bad, but because the customer hadn't a clue about care. They treated them like balloon tyred middleweights.

sykerocker 

My gut reaction is that you don't do that to a fine Raleigh. Then I remembered that my fixie is based on a '64 Gran Sport.

You'll find that the frame works wonderfully for the job. Biggest problem is going to be the bottom bracket. It's threaded to a different pitch from standard English (see Sheldon Brown). Easily gotten around by using the original bearing cups, and if the frame didn't come with the original cups, ones from any Raleigh between a 3-speed roadster to a Gran Prix will work.

Once that's done, you'll find that an English crank axle probably allows the movable cup to screw in so deeply that the lock ring won't thread on. Use a crank axle from an Italian bottom bracket (or, in extreme cases from an early mountain bike). The internal spacing is wider and will take care of the problem.

Otherwise, every thing's straightforward.

sluglug

you guys will probably hate it but i converted an old super record to a fixed. i liked the old track bike look so i built it up like so as my neighborhood commuter bike.

jet sanchEz

I did my 83 year old neighbour a favour by re-building part of her deck and she gave me her husband's old Raleigh Record. I don't think it had been ridden in about 20 years, it had a nice protective layer of grease on it and it had been stored in her basement, so it was in very very nice condition. If I hadn't already had a bike similar to this, I wouldn't have sold it on CL a few weeks ago. It rode nicely, I wish the pictures did it justice.

IknowURider

GVSupertramp:

The frames are brutally heavy, but ride really sweet.

IknowURider

Great post, I have started selling restored bikes as a hobby. This post reminds me of the article by Sheldon. I'm sure we've all noticed that tag sale beater that's all rusted out. You look at it and go: "Hmm, this bike has less than 500 miles on it for sure". You can tell by the brake pads, etc.

Americans! I sold a gorgeous 1973 Phillips three speed to a college kid yesterday. The father didn't want to buy her a helmet or a lock. The guy had plenty of money, and she smartly picked out this great used bike as opposed to going to Wally World.

I think people get all excited, just want to ride, and they get paranoid about being sold "service plans" and inundated with too much info. So what I do is refer them to my mechanic and send them links to various sites.

But I could see myself working in a shop and dealing with the average joe (done that in other industries),
looking at the Record/Grand Prix and going "uh can we order more of these?" Yes, you sell the ones that don't come right back.

IknowURider

JetSanchez:
interesting that yours has some decent componentry (Shimano brakes, alloy cranks) and appears to have been built in Nottingham, as far as I can see from the headset. This may date the frame to late 70's, but maybe it was upgraded by the shop in the USA.

The cataog record was all steel. Cottered cranks etc.

If someone could please re-post the serial number dating method for a Nottingham bike, I need to verify mine. I am guessing mine is 1975-1977. Mine is blue and is identical to the one in the catalog posted by Sheldon.

redneckwes

redneckwes

I believe '77 model year and after, the Record and Grand Prix were upgraded with alloy cranksets and Suntour derraileurs

IknowURider

wonder if those were still built in Nottingham.

IknowURider

wow, cool!!! mine is a 1974. I just wailed out a 10 mile training ride on it tonight, and rode it through the "death zone" of Hartford. I may be posting a pic of this beast tomorrow, I loved the other pix, BTW, and the fact that riders still love this bike, in this age of carbon fiber.

redneckwes

Nottingham, (Until '81 for the American market) Gazelle, and In Canada. I have an '81 Nottingham built GP and a '77 Canadian built GP.

redneckwes

'81 Nottingham built GP, I built it up from a frameset, but it's now Somewhat stock.

sykerocker 

Damn, that bike looks good!

By the way, after a bit of thought, I respectfully have to disagree with the title of this thread. The Varsity is the ultimate beater bike - you show me anything else that can survive that kind of punishment.

redneckwes

There is no such thing as an ugly Raleigh!


I agree about the Varsity, The worst Raleigh is too nice to be a beater!

teambhultima

Great thread!

My first 10-speed was a new white/orange Record, early '70s. It was a real tank and I used it to deliver papers and travel all over town as a kid. It replaced the hand-me-down Sears 5-speed from my brother. I recall the Record as being a very heavy but indestructible bike that rode well (but didn't stop well).

Years later, I got a used Grand Prix of the same era, which I still own. It's too nice to call a "beater" bike, but it's one that I would recommend for that type of rough riding.
Best Wishes.

IknowURider

Ok I'm re-opening this thread. Maybe we'll get more pics. I finally took a pic of my 1974 Notty.
Still original saddle, has been patched. The hideous water bottle cage has to go, though.

I highly reccomend putting wider bars on this bike, the original steel ones really sucked. Still have the original Araya steel wheels as I mentioned. I hit a deep pothole doing 30 MPH with these and they are still true. Amazing. My headset loosened, though, keeping an eye on that.

I just rode it an hour ago (slowly) in the pouring rain to get some chinese food. The original Allvit derailleur won't shift into the big ring anymore. Well it will shift into it, but not out. So I ride this as 8 speed.

I have been fooling around with an old Canondale trailer. The other day I picked up a free Nordic trac on Craigslist and brought it home in this thing, too cool. I go on curb-hunts now. Sometimes they throw some amazing stuff away around here. This bike was found in a dumpster.

I slapped some testor's blue paint on it, more to prevent rust than anything else. The frame is now two-tone.

Eventually, I'll put some real bar wraps on it, this is innertube covered by 1.99 sports tape.

Amazingly, I've been riding on cheap crappy 10.00 Kendas and finally got my first flat after years. The streets around here are minefields of glass, nails, crap.

So wail it down the stairs. flip over a car on it in a raging downpour. The ultimate beater bike will never quit. The Hummer of the carbon steelies.

https://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...y/P9120001.jpg

https://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...y/P9120002.jpg

ollo_ollo

There was also a "Raleigh Record Ace" in the 50's, 60's & early 70's which had a Reynolds 531 frameset & quality components, also in the late 80's there was a Record Ace with Reynolds 653 frame & Shimano Sante or 600 components. These machines were a "Night & Day" difference from the entry level Record models, so keep your eyes peeled for them. Don

IknowURider

Also do not confuse with Team Record, toward top of the line, with campy components. I would love to see this exact same geometry in a 531 frame. That would be too sweet. This bike fits me so perfectly .

spiker

Also the '78 Record is is called the Record Ace but is still the big heavy long steel Record.

redneckwes

Record and Record Ace sometimes showed up side by side in the U.S. Catalogs.

Panthers007

I rebuilt a nice late 70's Record from the frame up for a guy I knew. It was beautiful and flew. He'd never known what a nice bike they were! He was happy as a kid on Christmas morning. I told him he'd better get a lock...it was stolen the next week. Seems they are popular with all sorts of people.

cudak888 

Weren't Nottingham GP's produced until '82 for the U.S. market?

-Kurt

redneckwes

Kurt,

I'm not sure, in fact you might know better than me.

I have an '81 But I have never had a real good look at an '82 Catalog or a confirmed '82 GP