Color opinions
 

Despite my best intentions to leave the frame alone, I'm very strongly considering a powder coat on this 1971 Raleigh International. With that in mind, I'm considering one of the following options: (1) the original maroon, (2) not original - but authentic all the same - Raleigh green, or (3) not original or authentic, a metallic copper.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8349/8...1eca8c72_b.jpg

I know this is opening a can of worms, but I'd like to get opinions from the forum - especially your rationale for those opinions. Other considerations: I plan to keep the gold bars, cages, and MAFAC brakes; my powder coater does a marvelous job of masking the lugs so I'll also be keeping the chrome.

OK - opine away!

Arrrhgh! :(

Oh Azorch. ..........Azorch, Azorch, Azorch,

I like the first option: leave it alone. Sorry.;)

Once you've decided to repaint, especially with powdercoat then it's no longer original and all options are open, so go with your own colour preference never mind what others think.

That said, I think the original maroon when matched with gold is a classy combination.

What colour are the decals, if you're going to have new ones printed? That could influence colour choice.

Any chance of paint rather than that evil powder stuff?

Azorch - I like the copper because I think it will look best with the parts. I don't think powder coating a mass produced Raleigh is any tragedy and you're riding it, not taking it to shows. I say go for it.

We've got a superb powder coater locally who specializes in bicycles, but paint is certainly an option - as is simply leaving it alone. No decisions are made at this point - this will be my winter project.

I'm pretty vocal about leaving the frame original, but I'm concerned about ensuring long term integrity to the frame and there is a ton of missing paint, especially around the derailleur band and along the down tube where there've been metal bands holding on water bottle cages. The plan is to use this bike for the way it's built: touring, so the rationale is to look into a coating that will protect the frame from the rigors associated with that.

use paint not powder.
I like the green!!!

I'm a fan of black and gold. There are some powder coatings that have color shifts and effects in different lighting. Maybe black with a gold flake in it...

Orange, Orange , for gods sake man Orange , (did I mention Orange ?) ---- (I do NOT have an Orange fetish !).ORANGEEEEEEEEE

The small braze-ons on a Raleigh international and the Nervex Pro logs do not lend themselves to a great powder coat job. Especially if you want to save the chrome.
Powdercoat opinions have been expressed here vigorously and repeatedly, I am sure you are familiar with them.
I would leave it original or go wet paint.
Someone did one of these in Black, it looked very regal especially with the earlier gold decals.

My vote is Copper. Have you considered adding brazen ons before the pc or paint?

Cheers,
Chris

As much as I appreciate the feedback, my original question wasn't intended to be about powder coat vs. paint (nor was it intended to be an "It's only original once" thread either.) The question is about color choices, and the reasoning behind your color opinion.

Ok, the premise of the thread clarified, I'd go with the maroon as the darker tube color gives great contrast and thus visibility to the chrome... which is what the frame is all about. Black would be great also, for similar reasons. If you do this, I'd love to see the result.

Aw c'mon. Don't limit our pontification possibilities. You started this. ;)

OK. I'm for paint.

Green paint. Reasoning? None. I like green. Wish I had a green bike.

Short of that. Green powder. BTW, can they replicate that subtle Raleigh green metallic in powder? If so, you go there. If the flake is too large, it'll look goofy. I've got some extremely fine sieve bronze and brass powder. Lemme know if you'd like some.

+1 Green, I really like that particular green.

:)

Maroon was the original factory color? I'm not familiar with Raleigh ever producing the Int'l in that color. What year is yours?

Burgundy is probably a better description of the color. Either way I wasn't familiar with that as a Raleigh color either. i have been told that it is a correct Raleigh color however. Chalk that up to hearsay though because I haven't checked catalogs. This is a 1971 model.

What's the serial # under the BB?

The '71 catalog lists "champagne" and "chartreuse" as the colors available for the Int'l. Maroon might be a Raleigh color, but I've never seen it on one of the lightweights from the 1970s.

Maybe that means there's no need to be concerned about originality!

My opinion is that Maroon/Burgundy goes best with the gold. Black would look good also. You need a dark colour to make the holds pop. The lighter metallic colours don't do that. They are nice but they dampen the gold rather than compliment it. Burgundy is a royal colour and the other two are not rich enough for the gold components as much as I like them.

Dark metallic blue, white headtube and seat tube panels , gold lug lining. With correct style decals under clearcoat.

The S/N is F3875, which if I've interpreted the numbers right indicates a 1971 model (F = 1971, right?) I've worked with a lot of original paint and this sure looks original to me, as do the 531 decals and the Campagnolo decal on the seat tube. But I guess it could have been a high end factory/dealer repaint early in its life. I'm trying to remember - I think it was someone here on the forums who led me to believe there were burgundy Internationals (rare ones, I took it to mean) roaming the streets here and there. After looking at the catalog page I'm a lot less certain.

Raleigh did do some factory paint jobs that were not cataloged. The purple Competitions come to mind - and these are especially desirable.
I could be wrong, but I'd bet yours is an original factory finish too.