Raleigh Mixte. Date??
 

Trying to figure out the age/date of this little Raleigh Gran Sport mixte I picked up today. Serial number appears to be: NOL1922.

Any thoughts appreciated. I can't figure it out looking at other online resources....

Thanks again!

probably ~1977. one of the machines assembled on a piece-rate basis at the Raleigh facility in Oklahoma.

is the gold oval transfer at the base of the seat tube from a bicycle shop?

how does the transfer near the top of the seat tube read?

Moved from C&V Appraisals to C&V.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=434299Sticker at the bottom is from a shop in the Kansas City area...Independence, Missouri...that (to the best of my knowledge) no longer exists.
Also has "Made in Japan" on the downtube...so wasn't sure what to make of that.

Photos attached.http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=434298http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=434299

Is there a code to tell if you have a Raleigh that was assembly in Oklahoma???

thanks very much for this additional information alexander55.

so much for Oklahoma! :o

bike looks slightly too early to be from the Huffman period. more like something one would expect to be badged as Rampar.

will look forward to read the contributions from the forum's numerous Raleigh experts.

Looks like a 1981. A Gran Sport with same paint scheme is pictured and listed in the 1981 Raleigh catalog at theheadbadge.com. Check for a date code engraved on the backside of the crank arms. It might be 2 digits.

Thanks for the crank arm tip. Back of the crank arm says "80F Japan 165 SR".

Based on that...I am guessing the crank arms were made in 80...which makes your estimate of 81 quite logical.

The 80 catalog is not on Kurt Kaminer's site...but on another site there is what claims to be an 80 catalog that is identical to what Kurt's site has as an 81 catalog. I'm guessing the cranks were made in 80...put on the Raleigh...and sold in 81.

Thanks again for all your help. This board - and the knowledge that you all bring - is amazing.

I'm not sure I've ever seen the Japanese-made models in a Raleigh catalog, but it does seem that production in Japan was only for a couple of years or so, 1980-82.

My 84 is made in Japan. My suspicion is that they were made for Raleigh U.S.A. by Kawamura. The resemblance to Nishiki Cresta's of that time is uncanny. I've seen one that looks to have the same dark blue metallic paint as mine.

1980 Raleigh Mixte Gran Sport of Japan.
 

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=456566http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=456567

If it has a sticker, built in Japan on a Raleigh road bike then it will have a date stamp on all the Raleigh brand named Sun Tout components.
Maeda Industries LTD Japan was the parent company of Sun Tour.

All date stamps on the components will have a letter from "A" for Jan to "L" for Dec.
On the end of the drop bar will have a letter and year date.
Crank Arms will have "SR" (Sakae/Ringyo) with a letter and year.
Front and Rear derailleurs will have Maeda Industries LTD Japan with a "W" "L" that stands for Dec 1980.
The Alloy stem will have "SR" with a letter and year.
Inside the chicken wings on the brake levers will have 11-80 and 12-80.
inside the brakes will have the the month and year.

Raleigh of Nottingham England and the US only had a one year contract with Maeda Industries LTD Japan to build the Mixte road bikes from late 1979 to late 1980 for the US and Europe specifications respectfully.

The Mixte Gran Sport that were built for the US division, the brakes were mounted under the twin stay parallel rails and had alloy chain guards unlike most other Mixte road bikes built by other companies didn't have chain guards and the brakes were mounted either above the twin stay parallel rails or on the seat stays and used other brands of derailleurs like Shimano.

SN:
N1E E = Europe.
N1A = North America.

The "1" in the SN:
N1A, N1E stands for one year contract with Maeda Industries LTD Japan with Raleigh brand name Sun Tour components.

Raleigh of Canada manufacturing facility in Waterloo, Quebec Canada equipped their Mixte road bikes with Shimano derailleurs and other brand name components.
I'm not sure what system Canada used for their serial numbers?
NOL1922 could stand for North America Canada division?
I do know that the SN: with "N1A and N1E" are Raleigh Mixte bikes built in by Maeda Industries LTD Japan for Raleigh US and Europe divisions.

There were no catalog printed for the 12 month period Japan built the Mixte road bikes for the Raleigh divisions.

I have not found any info on any other models of Raleigh road bikes that were built in Japan in 1979 to 1980.
The Mountain bike era come about around 1982
==========================.
Bridgestone of Japan built some frames for Maeda Industries LTD Japan but not clear if any were actually built for the Raleigh Mixte road bikes?

Bridgestone Mixte 300, there was also a Mixte 400.
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