i picked up this bike today, it's a little tall for me, but could potentially fit my brother. i did a bunch of research (Sheldon and here) and can't seem to identify exactly what model or year this bike is.

first off it's a smorgasbord of mismatched components, to add to the confusion some of the components are available on many different raleighs. also, the fork doesn't seem to be original, i pulled it out and there are no markings on the tube.

i'm assuming 70's super course or competition? there's just too many details to keep track of and the mismatched components aren't helping and the serial number doesn't seem to be similar to anything that i came across.

it doesn't appear to have been stripped of paint, so i'm assuming it was sold as a full chrome model, the headbadge shows no signs of having been removed, and there are no obvious lines where paint once might have been.

serial number appears to be 0009764

if it fits my brother i will decide what to do with the thing (restore or at least make it ride-able), if it doesn't what should i do?

HELP!!!






the full set of pics can be seen here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/3519041...7623697240054/

some components include:

capella lugs
Normandy hub laced to Rigida rim (front)
Mallard hub with shimano skip link cassette to ARAYA rim
stronglight cranks
SR stem, no name (literally blank) drop bars
weinman brakes front and rear, blank levers (also weinman?)
shimano 400 rear derailleur and various cable clips
suntour stem shifter
huret dt cable stops
atom 700 pedals and kyokuto leather clips
no name seat post and i forget the seat but i recognized the manufacturer

thanks a million in advance

One thing is for sure - it has been cobbled together from a bare frame, as that component group is not a match for any Capella-lugged Raleighs. I'm positive the fork is a replacement as well - and possibly a bent one, if the crown race in photo #3 is of any indication. That headset washer stack doesn't look good either.

That said, I have two suspicions. The first of which I consider unlikely, but I'll mention it anyway: The frame might be a 1970 Raleigh Gran Sport with the semi-transparent brown and green panels worn off, though I've yet to see a '70 GS with Capella lugs AND stamped rear dropouts. - or any GS with Capella lugs, for that matter, or a '70 with stamped drops (stamped drops didn't exist on the GS until 1972).

You must take the above theory with a grain of salt, for I'm 99% sure its wrong, and that you have a Capella-lugged Raleigh Super Course that someone chromed; it would explain both the lugs, the rear dropouts, and also why the chrome around the lugs is thicker then I'd expect from a factory job.

That said, ignore my first theory. You have a Super Course that was chrome plated sometime in its life.

-Kurt

Well it sure looks like a chorme plated Raleigh to me. I do not remember them ever offering any model in chrome, and I agree with the above post that someone had it done. Hard to pin down which model, though.

Hard to pin down? The Capella lugs found their way onto the Super Course, Competition, and I believe a few Internationals. The only model of these three to come with stamped drops were the Super Courses. Pretty cut-and-dried.

-Kurt

What's the seat post size? That should narrow it down a bit.

Pun not intended?

-Kurt

Especially when dealing with a Super Course. Shame...

-Kurt

I didn't see that picture until now. The rivets are proof that it's been taken down for chroming.

-Kurt

so do we know exactly what year it is from?

Probably 1967-1973, somewhere in that range. Replacement fork, BTW.

-Kurt

That lugset was only on '73 or '74 Raleighs, I believe.

Neal

Definitely the case on the Competitions, but didn't the Capellas pop up on a few oddball SC's prior to '73?

-Kurt

Raleigh acquired the Capella lugs when they acquired Carlton in 1960. It wouldn't surprize me to see Capella lugs on a Raleigh any time after that.

I was gonna say... all the Capella lugged raleigh's I've seen wear a Carlton badge....this on says Nottingham, although its been established the headbadge has been removed at some point so it may not be the original.

I would bet that missing chrome is a result of an impact.

yeah but compare the amount that is off by the amount the locknut is off in this pic



It could just be loose and the headset needs tightening. Alot of tightening.

Yeah, but could it be related to headset installation?

Maybe... but more likely both issues are from the impact. Chrome chipped from head tube bottom because the metal moved underneath it, and the head tube is slightly off as well- causing the headset to not seat properly.

I would check out all of the seams to look for tiny crazing in the chrome. That will tell the whole story.

Yeah, you're right. That headset isn't seating properly at either end. Something's wrong.

maybe he got his headbadge rivets from this dude:https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/bik/1661946203.html
no, actually they look different.

The steerer tube is bent in two places (or very significantly in one) - quite positive of it. Doesn't matter much in this case; it isn't original to the bike. A 25" Schwinn Continental II should be a perfect replacement source.

-Kurt

Thanks for that link. I need those.

They sure did a lousy job on those lugs. I've spent the last two evenings trying to clean up the lugwork on a Capella-lugged Raleigh.

"Thanks for that link. I need those."

no problem! I was just looking for an excuse to post a link that only one of us would appreciate!