Show us your Raleigh Super Course!
#1276
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I put a set of 650b wheels on my 79 Super Course tonight. I went with a set of Pacenti Pari Moto 38's and that is as big as it can go. A set of Weinmann 610 center pulls were just a bit too short so I had to put on a set of DiaCompe 750 center pulls. If the weather cooperates, I will be giving it a test run in the morning.
Ignore the front fender line. I need to cut the struts and I ran out of time. I just set them so they would not rub for now.
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image by Andy Beichler, on Flickr[/IMG]
Ignore the front fender line. I need to cut the struts and I ran out of time. I just set them so they would not rub for now.
[IMG]

#1277
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Location: Los Angeles, CA
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Bikes: 1964 Legnano Roma Olympiade, 1973 Raleigh Super Course, 1978 Raleigh Super Course, 1978 Peugeot PR10, 2002 Specialized Allez, 2007 Specialized Roubaix, 2013 Culprit Croz Blade
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I have Pasela 700c 28s on my '73 and it tracks very well, often in excess of 30 mph, about as fast as I want to go on any bike. My first set of those tires and so far I'm in love. Spent many years on Gatorskins, but love classic look of the Paselas.
Last edited by Slightspeed; 06-12-17 at 09:38 PM.
#1278
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Bit busy with the fence, but here's my 1972 SC now cleaned and refurbished. I thought about replacing the Simplex derailleurs, not being particularly fond of plastics in that role - But I was able to remove the oxidation, they look pretty good and shift just fine so for now they stay.

Last edited by PilotFishBob; 07-14-17 at 08:29 AM. Reason: Sub photobucket pic
#1279
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Fugetta bought the fence - what's that buffalo dancing to behind the bike?
#1280
Senior Member
Looks like a nice restoration, PilotFish!
Fence looks a bit like the New Zealand Game Stay fence I use for deer & elk intrusion. Same weave and slack dimples.
If the Simplex derailleur works well, I see no reason to swap out.
Kevin
Fence looks a bit like the New Zealand Game Stay fence I use for deer & elk intrusion. Same weave and slack dimples.
If the Simplex derailleur works well, I see no reason to swap out.
Kevin
#1281
aka Tom Reingold
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I rode my Super Course yesterday, and it gives such a beautiful ride that I realize it is worth investing in, even if it's not made from fancy materials. I'm going to refinish the frame and upgrade the components. The upgrades aren't really necessary, as my friction 3x6 drivetrain works well, but I have the stuff on hand. I'm going to switch back from all-rounder bars with extensions to drop bars. I'll also replace the ratty ripped up fenders with better ones and the bottle dynamo with a hub dynamo. I've ridden the bike hard, and yesterday, I rode it gently while riding with my wife. Some bikes like one kind of riding, but this likes both gentle riding and hard riding, on both trails and roads.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#1282
Senior Member
Sounds like a good build plan, Noglider. sounds like you're going to keep that frame rockin rolling till it wears out.
Did a group ride on Sat with my 84 SC. Had fun with no problems whatsoever keeping up with the young techbike crowd. Even tore off the front with another rider when the ride leader let us go a mile from the shop.
Great riding bikes.
Did a group ride on Sat with my 84 SC. Had fun with no problems whatsoever keeping up with the young techbike crowd. Even tore off the front with another rider when the ride leader let us go a mile from the shop.
Great riding bikes.
#1283
Member
Bit busy with the fence, but here's my 1972 SC now cleaned and refurbished. I thought about replacing the Simplex derailleurs, not being particularly fond of plastics in that role - But I was able to remove the oxidation, they look pretty good and shift just fine so for now they stay.


#1284
Member
I rode my Super Course yesterday, and it gives such a beautiful ride that I realize it is worth investing in, even if it's not made from fancy materials. I'm going to refinish the frame and upgrade the components. The upgrades aren't really necessary, as my friction 3x6 drivetrain works well, but I have the stuff on hand. I'm going to switch back from all-rounder bars with extensions to drop bars. I'll also replace the ratty ripped up fenders with better ones and the bottle dynamo with a hub dynamo. I've ridden the bike hard, and yesterday, I rode it gently while riding with my wife. Some bikes like one kind of riding, but this likes both gentle riding and hard riding, on both trails and roads.

#1285
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Not sure yet if this SC will be a permanent member of the stable, it rides great but I have a '77 that I'm really fond of as is. I'm not keen to swap components until I know where I'm heading on that, regardless of which one(s) I decide on I have to thin the herd at some point soon.
#1286
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I got the Super course frame only.. Found a 531 fork from another Raleigh and pieces it with newer parts and some new old stock parts
..rides sweet..
..rides sweet..
#1287
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I've mostly been riding my go-faster road bikes lately, but today I did a 25-mile cruise through Boston's parks and downtown on my '73 Super Course. When I last rode this bike a few weeks ago, the chain broke about 2.5 miles from home (bad rivet). I also realized that the cotters for the old Raleigh crankset I had installed were way loose. I decided to switch to a Stronglight 93 crankset with a 45-t ring. Fortunately, the bottom bracket threading is standard English rather than Raleigh 26tpi.
Here's a pick at the top of a hill in Arnold Arboretum:

I have this bike set up with a Sturmey-Archer 5-speed hub, so you can see lots of activity in this cockpit shot: 3-speed trigger for the right side, downtube Simplex friction shifter for the left side, Titan stem, GB bars, Japanese brass bell, Weinmann brake levers:
Here's a pick at the top of a hill in Arnold Arboretum:

I have this bike set up with a Sturmey-Archer 5-speed hub, so you can see lots of activity in this cockpit shot: 3-speed trigger for the right side, downtube Simplex friction shifter for the left side, Titan stem, GB bars, Japanese brass bell, Weinmann brake levers:

#1288
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Bikes: My Bicycles. 1950's Dawes Unknown model, 1959 Triumph Palm beach tourist, 1960 Raleigh Trent tourist, 1967 Sun Snipe, 1976 Raleigh Scorpio (sold), 1980 Raleigh Transit, 1980 Carlton Grand Prix, 1983 Triumph team leader, 1984 Raleigh courier
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Here's my Super course mkII. that I picked up recently, it's travelled a bit this one. Originally built by Carlton in Worksop in 1976 it was exported to France and then on to Switzerland before coming back to Blighty
#1289
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Hello Super Course aficionados! I am looking at a local CL buy for a Super Course that appears to be in pretty nice shape. I don't have enough posts yet to put up pictures, but was hoping someone could give me an idea of the vintage year of this bike. It's kind of a light root beer brown color that looks to be original. Close up pix reveal a Sun Tour V-GT Luxe rear DR, Sun Tour 7 (?) front DR, and a stem with a big "GB" stamped into the side. No other identifying stuff that I can see other than maybe a lugged frame, chrome tip fork, and cottered cranks.
Thanks for any thoughts. Meanwhile, I'll try to get my post count up and post pics when I can.
Thanks for any thoughts. Meanwhile, I'll try to get my post count up and post pics when I can.
#1290
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Hello Super Course aficionados! I am looking at a local CL buy for a Super Course that appears to be in pretty nice shape. I don't have enough posts yet to put up pictures, but was hoping someone could give me an idea of the vintage year of this bike. It's kind of a light root beer brown color that looks to be original. Close up pix reveal a Sun Tour V-GT Luxe rear DR, Sun Tour 7 (?) front DR, and a stem with a big "GB" stamped into the side. No other identifying stuff that I can see other than maybe a lugged frame, chrome tip fork, and cottered cranks.
Thanks for any thoughts. Meanwhile, I'll try to get my post count up and post pics when I can.
Thanks for any thoughts. Meanwhile, I'll try to get my post count up and post pics when I can.
#1291
Senior Member
I rode my Super Course yesterday, and it gives such a beautiful ride that I realize it is worth investing in, even if it's not made from fancy materials. I'm going to refinish the frame and upgrade the components. The upgrades aren't really necessary, as my friction 3x6 drivetrain works well, but I have the stuff on hand. I'm going to switch back from all-rounder bars with extensions to drop bars. I'll also replace the ratty ripped up fenders with better ones and the bottle dynamo with a hub dynamo. I've ridden the bike hard, and yesterday, I rode it gently while riding with my wife. Some bikes like one kind of riding, but this likes both gentle riding and hard riding, on both trails and roads.
#1292
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Thanks. I think you are right about the mechs. I don't see them listed in any online data for the Super Course.
#1293
Member
Hello Super Course aficionados! I am looking at a local CL buy for a Super Course that appears to be in pretty nice shape. I don't have enough posts yet to put up pictures, but was hoping someone could give me an idea of the vintage year of this bike. It's kind of a light root beer brown color that looks to be original. Close up pix reveal a Sun Tour V-GT Luxe rear DR, Sun Tour 7 (?) front DR, and a stem with a big "GB" stamped into the side. No other identifying stuff that I can see other than maybe a lugged frame, chrome tip fork, and cottered cranks.
Thanks for any thoughts. Meanwhile, I'll try to get my post count up and post pics when I can.
Thanks for any thoughts. Meanwhile, I'll try to get my post count up and post pics when I can.
Here is my 1972 SC with a cotterless triple crank installed:
#1294
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The color was listed as "Coffee Bronze" in the catalogs. If the "Raleigh" on the downtube is gold script, then your bike is 1972 or older. If it is block letters (black/white), then it is probably 1973 or later. The SunTour V-GT Luxe rear and Sun Tour front derailleurs were installed after the bike was new. Originally, it had Simplex Prestige derailleurs and shifters. The Simplex derailleurs were made of black delrin plastic, and didn't really hold up to lots of use, although they shifted fine when they were new. After the Simplex units wore out, most folks installed the Sun Tour derailleurs because they shifted better, were more durable, and were still inexpensive in the late 70s-early 80s.
Here is my 1972 SC with a cotterless triple crank installed:
Here is my 1972 SC with a cotterless triple crank installed:
Fwiw, here's the '72 catalog page:

#1295
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The color was listed as "Coffee Bronze" in the catalogs. If the "Raleigh" on the downtube is gold script, then your bike is 1972 or older. If it is block letters (black/white), then it is probably 1973 or later. The SunTour V-GT Luxe rear and Sun Tour front derailleurs were installed after the bike was new. Originally, it had Simplex Prestige derailleurs and shifters. The Simplex derailleurs were made of black delrin plastic, and didn't really hold up to lots of use, although they shifted fine when they were new. After the Simplex units wore out, most folks installed the Sun Tour derailleurs because they shifted better, were more durable, and were still inexpensive in the late 70s-early 80s.
Here is my 1972 SC with a cotterless triple crank installed:
Here is my 1972 SC with a cotterless triple crank installed:
And mine is definitely the same color as yours. So "Coffee Bronze" it is.
#1296
aka Tom Reingold
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Funny the '72 catalog lists Simplex gear, and the picture shows Huret derailleurs and shifters.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#1297
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Finally figured out the picture posting puzzle. Here's the SC I picked up yesterday.
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[IMG]

#1298
Member
Looks beautiful! Just because I'm a retro-grouch, I'd suggest a Brooks B-15 (if you can find one) or a B-17 saddle. If you want to save a bit of weight and add a bit of flexibility, you might consider installing a newer aluminum triple crankset. Otherwise, the steel cottered Stonglight crankset you have will suffice. Even though the frame is Reynolds 531 plain guage, I still really like the way my SC rides. Happy cycling!
#1299
Member
On my SC, the Reynolds decal is all flaked off. The label you see on the seat tube is a shop sticker, not a Reynolds decal.
Thanks for posting the photo from the catalog. I bought mine when I was 14, and I remember drooling over that catalog back in the day. If I had chosen richer parents, I would have bought the International
As it was, the SC was all I could afford, and I liked it so much better than the comparably priced Schwinns (Varsity, Continental, Super Sport).
Thanks for posting the photo from the catalog. I bought mine when I was 14, and I remember drooling over that catalog back in the day. If I had chosen richer parents, I would have bought the International

#1300
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Looks beautiful! Just because I'm a retro-grouch, I'd suggest a Brooks B-15 (if you can find one) or a B-17 saddle. If you want to save a bit of weight and add a bit of flexibility, you might consider installing a newer aluminum triple crankset. Otherwise, the steel cottered Stonglight crankset you have will suffice. Even though the frame is Reynolds 531 plain guage, I still really like the way my SC rides. Happy cycling!