sciencemonster

Woe with me, I'll never be able to afford one!

He divided it into two auctions, and the frame sold with a starting bid of $399...with blemishes, scratches, and all. Amazing.

Who knows what the components will go for - they're up past $400 already.

High Fist Shin

That frame and fork are in excellent condition (except for the crack in the left rear seat stay at the dropout). Raleigh Internationals are highly collectable, not surprised it fetched the $399.00 price.

cudak888 

Goes to prove that parting out = more profit.

-Kurt

sciencemonster

$950 total. Wow. Is that excellent condition? I thought it had kind of a lot of scratches, particularly on the top tube, as well as thru some decals to be excellent. I'd guess that crack is a manufacturing defect...you have a lot sharper eye than I do - I didn't even notice that. I guess I was blinded by that bright copper paint job. The components looked new. I bet that bike spent the last 40 years in a pile at the back of a garage.

I exchanged email with the seller - he seemed like a nice guy. Great idea breaking it into two auctions.

nlerner

I recently scored a 1972 International on eBay, and this one is all original and complete except for the Brooks saddle (I threw on a Brooks Pro for the photos below). Condition is certainly used, but I think it'll clean up nicely (no dents or dings, but lots of crud). I was the highest of two bidders. I paid a lot less than $800.









Neal

sciencemonster

I like the decals better on yours, but I think it's the copper that gets the big bucks.

The paint job is the only reason I want an International, since my Competition is the exact same frame, right down to the chromed lugs and Campy dropouts.

John E

I saw a wretchedly rusty, but complete, Capo Modell Campagnolo go for $300 last year. Clean frames go for about the same amount.

The Raleigh Pro, International, and Competition do have a significant following. I prefer them over the PX-10, and llook what some of those have sold for!

sailorbenjamin

I've always liked the looks of these. Don't think I'll ever afford one. How much better are they (really) than the Supercourse that I have? Say I put a bunch of Campy on the SC. Would I know the difference?

cudak888 

Aside from the right dropout, I dare say a pre-'77 SC wouldn't be too different.

-Kurt

sciencemonster

I think the fork would be different, and the lugs would be plainer. The ride might be the same, but the bling wouldn't be.

I confess, it's the bling factor for me, plus I am jaded against green and brown and red - the common colors you see on ten speeds. I've got the ride already - I'm shopping for a paint job, now. I've got a gorgous Gran Sport, but baby blue doesn't do it for me, although everyone who sees the bike loves it.

I'd love to have a beautiful old 50s bike, but they are over the top and really hard to find in 58cm. The 70s bikes you can still find once in a while for a decent price. I wouldn't mind paying $399, but I'd want the top tube to look better.

sailorbenjamin

Yeah, Bling. The old SC is due for a paint job anyway. Maybe I could have the lugs chromed but that just feels like a posser thing to do. I could Campy it out one component at a time and not brake the bank.
I've run across a couple of cheap beat up frames but then what do I have? it still needs a paint job and a campy groupo. How much is double butting and chrome worth? (to me, not the average ebayer)?
Don't get me wrong, I'd still trade a molar for one (my molars have a lot of chrome on them) but maybe I should be riding instead of drooling over pictures.

sciencemonster

Yea, anything with a decent paint job is going to cost a premium, nevermind the lugs.

You got it right - it's way more fun to pick up the stuff one piece at a time, and then put it together as time goes on. That's how I do it, too. I've had chances to buy complete bikes, but passed - what's the fun in that? I guess the frame is just the toughest piece to find, seeing as how it gets wear everytime you lock it up.

nlerner

I own and have ridden extensively both a '71 International and a '71 Super Course, and while I like the ride of the SC a great deal, it's no comparison to the Int'l. A fully double-butted 531 frame is the key, in my view. That '72 Int'l I show above weighs in at a shade over 23 lbs. I'm not sure how the geometry compares, and a winter project of mine is to figure that out, but I do think the Int'l has a bit more fork rake and is likely lower trail than the SC.

Neal

Road Fan

+1! Full butting makes a big difference, and I'd hope the brazing and lug finishing were a lot better on the Internationals than they were on teh Super Courses, at least these older ones.

ScottRyder 

I paid $400 for my '74 International last year. 100% original, including pump, paint is faded, decals intact and the chrome is in really good shape. The Brooks Pro was missing, I asked the seller about it. "Oh, you want that too?" He upped the price by $50, so $450 total. I was a bit squeamish on the total so I called Neal Lerner to see what his thoughts were. Thanks Neal!!!

Scott

nlerner

And I recall I was in the middle of a muddy, icy ride on my Super Course MkII, Scott. Glad you were able to score that Int'l.

Neal

Bikedued

The SC really jumped in quality between 76 and 80, didn't it?? My 80 model is one of the nicest bikes in the garage. Butted 531, cutout lugs, etc etc. I just love it! The higher end Raleighs
ALWAYS seem to elude me somehow. The 80 SC is my baby. I do have the Grand Sports, but it's still a bare frame. That will be a fun build, I have most everything to build it up at least somewhat
original.,,,,BD

Rabid Koala

That seatstay crack would have scared me off. The chainstay joint on that same dropout doesn't look so hot either. I really do like that copper color, wish my old International had been copper instead of champagne.

David Newton

Did you not see this one?
No original parts that I could see, but the frame was my size
Financially challenged at this juncture in life, so I didn't bid, I'm waiting for the C&V bike bubble to crash.

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

cudak888 

Cutout lugs on a third-gen Super Course? That's a new one on me.

-Kurt

sciencemonster

I saw that one - too small for me, but my daughter thinks it's perfect...I'm not falling for that one.

sailorbenjamin

Thanks! I've had a hard time finding a side by side comparison of any sort. I need to take one for a ride and decide for myself. I expect I'll want one more after that though.

Bikedued

It's nothing intricate mind you, and the points aren't that well smoothed like a lot of Raleighs, but yes.... They have cutouts nonetheless,,,,BD

oldpedalpusher

Hi Scott,

Sounds like you got a good deal compared to mine... I gladly paid $600 for a pristine 1974 Raleigh Carleton built Reynolds 531 double butted touring frame with an assortment of lesser parts on it...


I replaced almost everything except the Brooks seat and the handlebars for $400, and have an essentially new bike for $1,000.

Bikedued

The only thing I would do differently on that build, and that's if I could scrape the cash, would be brown Brooks wrap. VERY sweet bike though!! Wow!!,,,,BD