Hi guys. I've been interested in getting an older steel frame to convert to a fixie, so I found this Raleigh Competition on eBay. Or at least he says it's a Raleigh Competition GS. The paint job doesn't really seem to match the catalogue pages on Retro Raleighs - namely in that it appears to be white rather than black.

Can anyone confirm if this is a Competition based on the ****-quality pictures? Assuming it is, and considering the condition it's in....what might be a good price to be paying for it?

https://cgi.ebay.com/RALEIGH-COMPETIT...QQcmdZViewItem

EDIT: After looking at the specs again it seems the color could be "pearl silver" so that must be what this frame is/was.

If you consider your labor "free" then this bike could be a good deal if all it takes is some cleaning and repacking. Stuck stem, seatpost, gummed freewheel, etc would be the wild cards here. The reserve is probably $75 or so, and $125 w/shipping for a 531 f&f with campy components ain't bad.

Id probably pass. The combination of possible significant rust (that top tube looks pretty rough) with unclear pictures makes this bike a gamble. However, the winning bid will probably be pretty low, and if you choose to repaint and grind off the derailer and braise-ons you wont be ruining a pristine classic.

The competitions are a great bike, they are also collectable. You might get more for your money and time if you get something like a Raleigh Supercourse or Univega in better condition.


Check out my '70 Competition -

Very nice! The Raleigh Competition is indeed a great model, as is the International.

Very nice Competition, Rocksteady. I asked the seller for more pictures that were better quality, and all he had to say was "Im sorry thats why its cheap ,i do not have a better camara.Trust my description." Hmm...

The rust DOES look pretty bad, but if that could be removed with some man-hours and elbow grease It won't be a big deal. What worries me is like what Bob said, the possibility for more significant damage beyond the rust. I'm not too worried about its collector value but I would like a bike that actually works well.

Thanks.....

I share Bob's concerns but am more worried that the frame has been compromised by internal rusting.
You could do better for the $ and time. The sellers response is not very encouraging either

Looks like he smeared the camera lens with vaseline before taking the pics... no digital camera is that bad. I'd steer clear!

Keep looking, you can do better than giving your money to someone who isn't willing to put out the effort to showcase the bike a bit better. If you decide to go for it, don't get in a bidding war over the bike.

You guys are probably right. I'll keep looking - the price is so right, though. If I could find a good FRAME for about $100 I'd be happy. Thanks for the advice.

Nice ride, though at first glance I was wondering if you had removed the top tube.

Check out the reserve nailed it (although that one was pretty easy)

Hah, yea I saw that. If it continues to go up it will definitely not be worth it any longer, but I just tend to want to make rash decisions when I think I've found something I want.