Date this Raleigh Sprite
 

I had another thread about whether or not I should keep or part out this bike. At the time, I thought it was a 1976 but now I'm pretty sure it's older, maybe late 1960s but I can't be positive.

I found a serial number, it appears to be 995633 on the lug just in front of the Brooks mattress seat. The location of the serial number and the format place it between 1961 and 1972. I thought originally that it was a 1970 based on paint scheme but have learned that Raleigh used the same scheme many years in a row. The 1976 bike pictured at http://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/sprite.html has the 5 speed freewheel and stem shifter but the front fork is all wrong. The fork has the features of the 1970 Raleigh Sport as detailed in the catalog at http://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/sports.html.

There is not a chain guard and it appears that there never was one on the bike. In addition, the stem shifter is configured for a RD only and the paint shows no indications of anFD ever being installed. Still, the frame has provision for an FD cable (see BB photo.)

Here are some pictures:

The location of and the serial number itself make it a 1970 bike.

clean it up and donate it to someone who can use it

According to http://www.jaysmarine.com/TH_raleigh_serials.html, this location was used from the mid 1960 to 1972.

Sprites have always been 5 speed RD only, right? There were some early Sprites that were 26 x 1 3/8" wheel. That is the one that is a grail for me.

Correct. And if you read further, you can see this (with credit given to the BF member who runs that site) :
so your 995633 is a 6 digit 1970 serial number

No, some were 10 speeds and I think some may have had 5 hubs as well.

I doubt that it will matters much if seeking replacement parts, but why rule out a 1969 production date?

OOPS! See it now, the 1970 cutoff date...

Nope, there were 10's. I had a coffee colored one back in '71, my first Raleigh, also my first serious commuter.

Nope!

Aaron:)

http://inlinethumb53.webshots.com/84...500x500Q85.jpg

And another 10 speed Sprite:

http://www.boomspeed.com/artoflaw/in.../sprite_01.jpg

Well, if you look at the 1970 catalog page for the Sprite, you'll see that it wasn't yet the "Sprite 27" and only came in "Coffee." My '71 catalog only lists the top road bikes, I don't have the '72 catalog, and by '73 the Sprite was called the "Sprite 27" but the fork didn't have the thimble in the fork crown any longer. So I'd guess it's a '71 or a '72.

Neal

Does the '73 catalog match the fork design?

my 1968 Sprite has a SA, S-5 IGH rear hub, 11/67 dated. Serial # on BB, and 26X 1 3/8 wheels.
It's all original, bought from the original owner. Nottingham built, bronze green

Nope, the fork doesn't have the thimble fork crown by 1973.

Neal

My 70's Sprite 27 Sold to me as a 60's model but it's plainly early 70's. Note the cable clips instead of braze-ons, 10-speed drivetrain, stem shifters, cheap brakes, cheesy derailleurs, steel rims. Yeah, I converted it to fixed gear. And I'd do it again, too. ;) (all parts were donated to a good Samaritan who builds old bikes for poor people)

http://gallery.mac.com/bbattle/10008...11912783390001

http://gallery.mac.com/bbattle/10008...11912782210001

http://gallery.mac.com/bbattle/10008...11912781980001

LINK

OK guys, this brings up an old memory question (I think I mentioned it once a couple of years ago): The Raleigh catalog pictures of the Sprite 27, cannot remember which year but it's got to be somewhere between '70 and '74, had an incredibly gorgeous model with the bike. Very Bianca Jagger-ish back before any of us had ever heard of her. I know that picture has to exist, as I've still got memories of it, but there are moments when I wonder what reality I was living in as nobody else seems to have ever seen it in a Raleigh catalog. Anyone here ever run across the picture?

Boy, I remember that one. The assistant dean of students at my college had one, I did all his maintenance work in the dorm - and he was the reference that got me the job at A.R. Adams Cycle Shop. Never let him know that it was the first time I'd ever seen a SA 5-speed rear hub. He assumed I knew how to work on them.

Hah! I remember that earlier thread, and perhaps I'm showing the same catalog pages as last time, but here goes. I'm also not sure it's the Sprite in each of these photos, but the models might jog your memory:

1972 Raleigh catalog:
http://web.mit.edu/nlerner/Public/Bikes/1972Sprite.jpg

1973 Raleigh catalog:
http://web.mit.edu/nlerner/Public/Bikes/1973Sprite.jpg

1974 Raleigh catalog:
http://web.mit.edu/nlerner/Public/Bikes/1974Sprite.jpg

1975 Raleigh catalog:
http://web.mit.edu/nlerner/Public/Bikes/1975Sprite.jpg

Neal

Can anyone explain how I came across and most recently bought a 12 speed Sprite? I cannot find any info on 12 speed Sprite's. Serial number begins with RN4= R for Canada, N for Oct, and 4 for is either 1974 or 1984. The bike is well-preserved....any info is much appreciated.

Six speed rear clusters were out in the 1980's.

Aaron :)

Afraid not - I remember the first two, possibly the third pic. The one I'm thinking of is very dark, not shot outdoors, and the way the lady is dressed I can't believe she'd actually ride a bike enough to get sweaty in that outfit.

Now I am scared...I had a Mercury Capri like the one in the last picture...mine was highly modified, but still scary.

Aaron :)

Looking at those pictures a second time, I'm seriously wondering if it was a '71 or '72 catalog . . . . . . . because . . . . . . . . . all the bikes pictures (forget the '72's, I'm pretty certain they're Records) have swept back bars. One of the real stylistic things about the Sprite 10 I'm thinking about (and owned, at one time) was that it had short, straight, nearly flat bars not unlike those on the white and orange '72 Record pictured. And all Sprite 10's back then had the flat bars. Made them somewhat unique in the Raleigh line at the time.

Found it! 1972 catalog. Slightly different than I thought, then again, we're talking a 40 year memory, so some of the details will certainly change with time. Of course, the URL is an .html file, so I'll be damned if I can figure out how to post the picture here:

http://www.jaysmarine.com/TH_raleigh_cat_72.html

Kurt, your references come thru once again.