Originally Posted by tjfastback66

I think that this will be my next Winter project but the seat post is Frozen!
Sprayed some PB Blaster on that area this morning so will see if that does the trick.
1978 23.5" Raleigh Super Course - unfortunately the wheel set does not match..
Serial # WH8002890

Originally Posted by oneclick

I though I had posted the before pictures somewhere but cannot find the thread. This is a bit curious because it's the only year Raleigh made a Supercourse frame this small (20 1/2"), and as well the only Supercourse size they built that year WITHOUT Capella lugs, the points of which would leave no room for the Raleigh heron. It was bought complete but in neglected condition, down to bare metal and back up again with various nicer bits.

Centre-to-centre it's smaller than 20 1/2":



Bocama lugs:



After cleaning the rest of it looked pretty good:




However, it wound up a different colour:







Non-obvious details for the nerds (are there any nerds reading this?):

Hubs are Maillard (R) and Normandy (F), rims Weinmann 16x630, tyres are Kenda 27x 1 3/8".
Levers and brakes are Dia-Compe.
Seatpost is SR Laprade copy.
Pedals are some generic skimpy thing that I don't like at all, will source some SR SP-<something>.
And I have this much nicer set of cranks that would suit - but no rings, they're 118 BCD, pm me if you have some you don't want:

Originally Posted by BFisher

My '73. Freshened up the TA crank with some V/O hardware and a bit of Mothers polish, and installed a nice pair of Conti GP Classics. Weighs ≈23 lbs. as shown. Not bad for a Super Course.

Originally Posted by AdventureManCO

Look what the cat dragged home...









Funny story about this one. I saw it last year for sale at a local community bike shop that I have volunteered at a little bit. I kept hearing good things about the ride on these Super Courses and didn't yet have a good British boom bike example in my stable. So, negotiated a price and was about to buy it but looking it over, I saw a big gap in the chainstay-to-BB brazing that I guess horrified me enough to put it down and walk away.

A few weeks ago, for some reason I started thinking about this bicycle again. Because of all the closings, I hadn't really yet been to the shop as of this year, but finally decided to go, and lo and behold, it was still there lol. So I thought 'what the heck' - I'll buy it anyway. The gap in the chainstay is not as bad as I remember it, and was pleasantly surprised to find that while tearing it apart for a complete rebuild, it looks like the chainstays are flared inside the BB shell, so there is a mechanical connection as well - peace of mind, if you will.

Whoever had this bike before it was neglected out in the sun for several years must have really liked it, because it was very tastefully upgraded - Suntour drivetrain all around, aluminum SR type seatpost, and newer-ish 27x1 wheelset (Miche Competition hubs and Araya rims) that show barely any riding at all. The good stuff, like the stem, brakes, etc, have stayed original to the bike.

The rebuild has since commenced and I'm in the home stretch. Completely disassembled - the headset came out well, the wheel hubs/bearings came out like new, the crank spindle and bearings are a little rough but serviceable, I have a Brooks from a donor bike that was refurb'd and put on this one. Sanded out the casting lines in the GB stem and gave it a bit of a polish and came out well. Polished one set of brakes, need to do the other. Have natural veg-tanned leather for bar tap, cut and stitched some leather brake hoods, got a new chain to put on it, and now I just need cables and tires and it should be ready to go!

Thanks for turning me on to this project! I'm digging the British racing green color, the Capella lugs, and how everything is shaping up!

Originally Posted by hzqw2l

1971. As found. Needs a cleaning but complete for $40.

Originally Posted by beicster

I took my 68 out for a short ride. I really like the way this bike handles. It just feels right. It currently has 27”x1.25” Paselas on it but t I am considering putting 700c x 38 Paselas on it for fun.

Originally Posted by Pcampeau

That bike tuned out nice! Is that a Reynolds 531 fork you found for it? It looks like it’s from an International. Which wheels will you be using to get 700c?

Originally Posted by beicster

Thanks. I am not sure about the fork. I bought this as a frame set and that is the fork that came with it. The eyelets on the fork are not standard metric but the headset threading is standard and not the 26 tpi on some Raleighs. My International has a similar crown but the eyelets are standard metric threads. I have wondered if it came off a Gran Sport as I have seen a similar crown on some of those forks.

I have not made up my mind on the 700c wheelset. Part of me wants to stick with a 120 spaced wheelset and part of me wants to go ahead and get a more modern 130 wheelset. In the meantime, I am happy with this.