Hello folks-

Just getting together my 1st bike since moving to Maine, can't wait to ride these old country roads.

My employers had sitting around outside an old Raleigh road bike that I could tell had potential.

It had been sitting for, oh, maybe 10 years? I'm not even really sure. There is surface rust but I think its going to come out okay.

I have it stripped down now ready for clean/rebuild, I still can't figure out what it is?

No decals, they're long gone.

Seems like Nervex lugs, so I'm assuming this is a Reynolds frame.

The front for is likely non original, a chrome Tange.

The seat post and stem were both stuck but I managed to get them both out with patience and no damage to the frame.

The components were:

-Weinmann brakes all around w/ cool white Carlton hoods
-bar end shifters, "Scwhinn approved", likely not original
-Shimano 600 arabesque derailleurs
-very cool Nervar Star crankset (original probably? )
-original Sheffield Spring pedals.
-Saddle was a trashed San Marco
-stem and bars were Kabuki? Not original and damged anyway
-wheels are Normanday/weinmann 27s, alloy

The headset is unmarked and I think the bottom bracket is too (didn't disassemble, its SO smooth...)

The only "serial number" I could find was an "X" under the bottom bracket.

Oh, and the dropouts on the rear are stamped.

Lucky for me I have a parts bike, an old 1962 Gran Sport thats wrecked but has the original GB stem/bars/brakes/Brooks B15 Swallow saddle.

Any ideas on what model this was, what year? I've done a ton of looking around but I can't make an clear decisions, thats why I'm posting here.

Thanks!

Mark in Freedom Maine

Nice bike! Nervar cranks are cool, and the Normandy/Weinmann wheels are bullet-proof. Not light, but durable.
I don't know much about Raleighs, but if you check Sheldon Browns website, he was a lover of old British bikes. I'm sure he'd have some info for you, or have links to sites that do.

Yes, been there, lots of info but mostly for the older 3 speeds.

I'm hoping I can keep the Normandy/Weinmanns going......there's some rust on the rear spokes but I'm gonna re-pack the hubs 1st and go from there, see how true they are!

mark

I'm sure someone else will know, but I've never seen a Raleigh with stamped dropouts and Nervex lugs. Mysterious.

Looks a lot like an early seventies Super Course frame and fork set.

I think you're right. One that's been repainted at some point. I know 72-73 (and maybe more years?) had Nervex lugs. I thought they had forged drops, but I was probably wrong.

OP, check out some catalogues on Kurt's site here: https://www.kurtkaminer.com/TH_raleigh_catdata.html#1970

Also, maybe it's just the photo, but the top and downtubes look slightly bent to me. That combined with a replacement fork is bad news.

I think it might be the photo, this camera has a way of distorting lines, its happened before. BUT.....I will check the tubes for true tomorrow, just got the seat post out and battling a cold.......

Oh yeah, as well, on the Super Course tip, ya'll may be right. But I did read somewhere (have to dig it up and link to it) that some 70's Gran Sports had stamped dropouts and Nervex lugs.

mark

Looks a lot like a Carlton built bike but could also be a Gazelle built Grand Prix. They have very similar braze ons.
Look inside the seat tube now that you've got the post out. Is it seamed or seamless? What are the frame angles? The Gazelle is steeper, closer to the more modern Japanese bikes, while a Supercourse will be slacker. There were also a few Carlton models that are pretty obscure and didn't necessarily get imported.
Any sign of the original color?

Repainted pre-1977 Super Course.

-Kurt

Didn't Super Sports, and also some Competitions, come with Nervar Star cranks? But I think Competitions had nicer dropouts.

What size is the seat post? 26.4 or 26.6 = 531 straight gauge, which means Super Course. 27.2 = butted 531, so Super Sports.

Hi rhm !
Some Grand Sports did come with Nervar Star cranks instead of SL. However, I have never personally seen one of these with Nervex lugs - All those that I have seen had Bocama lugs, for which reason I think the OP's bike is a repainted SC as Kurt suggested.

- But of course as you said - if it is butted 531, that precludes its being a SC.