steve-d

Raleigh Pro meets the Heart of Darkness! And succumbs!!
Not pretty, Not PC, Not C&V!!! Don’t show to young children!

Be reminded of Kurtz’s dying words: “The horror! The horror” It is to his memory I dedicate this bike!

Well here it is. I’m sure Joseph Conrad would be the first to give a thumbs up and ask to ride it!!!!

This is a very dark, mean and sulky Raleigh Professional! It wants to go fast and KICK your ASS as it goes by!!!

A 1974 Raleigh Pro. CC cutouts on the bottom bracket shell. Beautiful respray with all the original and appropriate decals. Beautiful chromed sloping crown and the legendary Fastback seat lug.

I’m not interested in sourcing bolts, brake cable housings and original pieces and bits from 1974 and turning it into an exact duplicate. These frames aren’t so rare as to deserve an authentic and perfect, "down to a T" restoration. In fact, in any given week you’ll see at least one and probably more on Ebay. Perfect restoration? I ask why! I consider the frame as a canvas and the various parts available on Ebay as a palette of colors and performance options. It’s up to the builder to fill in the appropriate details. For a frame such as this, a Campy 10 or 11 speed would equally do well. Possibly, next time!

Let me know what you think. This is the first group to whom I've shown it.

Size: 55.5cm Center to Center; 57cm Center to Top

Frame: Reynolds 531, 1974 frame. Resprayed with a terrific clear coat to fully protect the decals and bring out the great 'Mink Blue' and Silver color. I had John Hollands, frame builder go over it prior to the build-up. He checked it for straightness and spread the rear to 126mm for the seven speed, freewheel. He faced the bottom bracket shell, the steerer crown area and the head tube. He chased the bb threads and the steerer tube threads. The bb and the headset perform flawlessly with their new Campy bearings!

Here are the parts used:

**Drive Train: Campy Record cranks with new TA Super Record style chainrings. I went with the newer rings for two reasons—(a) the metal is of better quality and sturdier and (b) the TA offerings allow for a 41 tooth 144 BCD inner chairing. Campy never offered a 41 tooth chainring in this BCD. Wippermann 808 nickel plated chain. Super Record front and rear derailleurs with black details! Campy bar cons, Sachs seven speed 12- 24. I do have other broader range freewheels available in the seven speed variety to include a 13-28, and a 12-26 if my legs or terrain require! The bottom bracket assembly was installed with new Campy bearings and it screwed into the shell flawlessly. When the crankset was screwed onto the spindle’s tapered ends, the chain line was perfect. It spins forever!! It shifts amazingly!

The shifters are Campy Bar Cons w/Campy cables, NOS. The cables are routed through a NOS clamp-on Campy Cable Guide to the derailleurs. BTW, the rear derailleur cable housing is a Campy stainless housing and totally old school. The cable was totally greased before insertion to insure it 'flowed' as easily as possible!!

Oh yes, I forgot to mention the pedals! A bike build of this character deserves Campy Track pedals! Not the wimpy Strada version they originally wore! I included the Campy NOS Pista pedals, NOS Campy shoe insertion triangle plates, NOS Ale BLACK toe clips and Blue ALE toe straps, NOS of course! The pedals are topped off with BLACK toe strap buttons! Can't send a nasty bike of this nature out into the world without required buttons on the toe straps!

**Steering: Ambrosio bars-43cm center to center and they are NOS and of course match the rim manufacturer. Cinelli 101 stem (110 cm) in beautiful black, NOS! Gotta love the Cinelli stem detail resembling a radiator's cooling fins in the front! EDCO Competition black headset. It’s a Swiss made component of the highest quality. I installed it with 24 + 24 Campy loose bearings vs the provided caged bearings as more could be inserted. BTW, this headset has grease ports in the upper and lower cups for a quick grease tune-up of the bearings. The fork spins flawlessly!

Oh, I forgot to mention the selection process for the bar tape. I mulled it over for several DAYS!! Then settled on BLACK! Fancy that.

**Wheel set: NOS Montreal Ambrosio rims 36 holes and, btw, they are virtually black. Campy Record hubs and DT spokes. The wheel set has never been used and the rims show it as they are flawless. The new Campy hub bearings and fresh grease job allow the axel to spin as smoothly as any I've ever handled. I installed some very nice (and pricy) Brand New Tufo Elite Ride tubulars. BTW, the tires can handle a pressure up to 220 psi. I know my shoulders can't go above 175psi!! They roll flawlessly and give the most precise ride one can imagine with perfectly tuned rims!

**Saddle post and Saddle: Modolo BLACK and Brooks Professional Select, the only Professional to have black rails!!

**Brakes: Modolo Professional, NOS calipers and levers and hoods. What do ya think of the brake set color selection? Of course the brake cable housings are black, new and Modolo! All cables have been greased prior to insertion into the cable housings. The housings have been perfectly 'squared' at the ends to insure of the most precise braking action possible.

**Woops, I almost forgot the very important and virtually useless Blumels shorty BLACK fenders. I picked them as they add the ultimate degree of malevolence and on top of that, they are COOL! I particularly liked the chrome strip down the middle. Actually, they do help in keeping the brakes clean and to that degree, I find them helpful!

BTW, it rides exceptionally well and is very comfortable. Additionally, it is very fast! This is my first Bar Con bike and it is a nice experience to minimize hand movement.

Hopefully, this will instigate some thought provoking comments, above and beyond the typical: “I liked the original better.”

Steve

steve-d

A few more:

steve-d

Just tell me to stop at any time.....

My wife does it all the time!!

auchencrow

Hi Steve - You know you'll never be allowed into heaven with a bike like that.
- Better to ship it to Detroit.

steve-d

Rides great and is extremely fast! Certainly not my legs!!

HamboneSlim

Beautiful!

Too bad it's such a small frame or I'd roll over to Hanover to try her out.

>8^)

steve-d

Is there a clinic with a vaccine to help?

Hopefully, you're able to view this with a grain of salt and understand my addiction to the bikebuild virus hitting many at this time of year!!

CycleBiker

I like it. Love the bar end shifters too. I really got to like bar end shifters when I had a tandem and I have them on a couple of my solo bikes now. I cut about an inch off the bars when I use bar end shifters.

steve-d

Here's the last just to prove I screwed it together rather than get it at a yard sale!!

Sorry, it is a little out of focus.

Please, don't throw any stones!!




Best
Steve

steve-d

Hi,

Just send your address w/a blank check and off it goes!! I'll continue to say my prayers, however!

JunkYardBike

I bet that Raleigh could wipe up the floor with any Schwinn. Nice build.

cudak888 

One of the best Raleigh Pro builds I've ever seen - the black theme works perfectly.

I'll be completely honest on one point though: It is crying out for black chainrings, similar to the Raleigh Team Pros in the catalogs. That would bring together the entire build just perfectly.

-Kurt

steve-d

Hi Kurt,

I wasn't aware of that. I'll have to start looking! Wonder if they are available in a 144 bcd?

Steve

vintage87

Beautiful build my friend....beautiful. Were the letters pin striped on? They were painted, correct, not decals?

steve-d

I don't know about the letters. I'd have to check with the paint shop. I'd suspect some sort of duplicate decals.

TejanoTrackie 

No comprendo.

cudak888 

To my knowledge, the easiest rings to get in that size with black anodizing are Suginos. Campagnolo rings would probably set you back a pretty penny, and I don't see black anodized examples with any regularity.

-Kurt

steve-d

I was just trying to say the bike originally came w/the wider Street (strada) pedals. I thought it'd look better as an all out racer with the Track (pista) version of the pedals.

s

steve-d

I looked and they are going for about $130 each. I may be better off having the ones on the bike anodized. I'll check around for a service that may be able to do it.

oldbobcat

Ah, a 22.5. Inches. Raleigh, like most other British bike companies and custom builders, always measured and built their bikes to inches, at least through the 1970s.

My two Raleighs were 23.5s. The shop that sold me the International told me it was a 24.5, and I believed him until I measured it at home. The fork for the 700c wheels necessitated a slightly longer head tube.

No problem. 23.5 always was my right size.

JohnDThompson 

Sugino and Sakae Ringyo both offered black anodized rings in 144mm BCD. They show up on eBay fairly often, sometimes even factory drillium versions.

And Campagnolo did offer a 41T ring in 144mm BCD. I even have one:

oldpedalpusher

ooh... I love black.

+1 on the black chainrings... that would really make it.

Just put black rings on my 1974 Raleigh...

poprad

Absolutely stunning build. One if the nicest RPs I have seen, and I'd love to see even more pics of this beautiful rig.

steve-d

OK, I get the drift. Black chainrings it is!! There are many convincing arguments to that end!

Monday, I'll start the calling routine to get a shop willing to anodize the rings. Sometimes, it's difficult to get someone to do such a small job, but I have hope it'll happen.

I'll get another shot or two of the complete bike against a good background. Hopefully, it won't take long to get the 'black' treatment of the rings.

Best,

Steve

mickey85

That's beautiful as-is, but I think I'd ditch those "fenders..."