First of all, forgive me because I know nothing about bikes--i'm here to learn!
I have this very cool Rampar single speed (no gear shifting). Powder Blue, white quilted seat, steller shape as I bought it from a bike shop and they were sad to see it go to someone who doesn't know anything about bikes...I felt a little bad. Anyway, I'm trying to get more info on it such as year, value, what kind of riding it is really intended for. I just ride it around town. Where can I find the serial # and how could I use it to find info? The id characteristics on the bike are #JP 70776; Rampar, R-four, made in NY? not sure about that one... any help would be very much appreciated.

Rampar was a low-cost line of bikes built in Taiwan and distributed in the United States by Raleigh beginning in the early '70s. The Rampar line represented an effort by Raleigh to compete with the inexpensive Japanese and Taiwanese bikes that were beginning to put a dent in the sales of the established brands.

I don't think the serial # is going to tell you much, but I have the 1979 Raleigh catalog (also available here), which is the first to show Rampars, I believe. No R-4 listed in that one, however. I'd guess your bike is from the early 80s. Pics would help determine.

Neal

RAMPAR stands for Raleigh AMerican PARts. I had an R-One for a while. It was a nice enough bike, easily the equivalent of any low-end bike store bike with Suntour components -- that it to say it was much nicer than a department store bike. I got it for $9 at a thrift shop. It was too small for me and too big for my wife so I sold it. Compare this with a Sears Free Spirit recently found by a friend in mint condition: The Free Spirit has some of the worst components I have ever seen (Falcon). The only reason they still exist on that bike is that no one ever rode it. The frame is heavy gas-pipe. Your Rampar is 10 times the bike that Free Spirit ever was.

My uncle had a shop that sold Raleighs from about 1960 - 1983. I don't recall seeing Rampar until about 1975. Some Raleigh bikes with a stylized R logo on them preceded full Rampar badging.