Here's my latest commuter bike, a Kogswell Porteur/Randonneur. I finished the build this weekend. It will eventually sport a large cargo rack on the front, instead of the mini-rack it's got now.

Lots more pictures here: https://flickr.com/photos/aalpern/set...7594223239775/

must... have... that... Raleigh... Must... have... that... Raleigh... MUST HAVE THAT RALEIGH!!!

Nice Raleigh

Which Raleigh?

-Kurt

The green one with the drop bars and white brake levers... MUST... HAVE... THAT... RALEIGH

That's my bike in the background... Cannondale T2000, Arkel panniers, probably 5000 miles by now.

Dang that's a nice bike. I've not been convinced about the 650B wheels yet, but the rest is a very well thought-out ride. Especially those super long fenders. My neighbor has one also so maybe I'll get a chance to ride the magical wheels soon.

Oh, my full Campag Triomphe-equipped, 531-framed '86 Grand Prix? No way, Jose!

I'd highly suggest that you keep your eye out on ebay under the search "Raleigh Grand Prix" if you're looking for one. They have been rather plentiful recently, as two or three complete ones (with their original 105 gruppos - yech) have popped up in the last two weeks, and a pretty nice frameset as well.

And the framesets usually go quite cheap, considering it is 531:
https://cgi.ebay.com/Raleigh-Grand-Pr...QQcmdZViewItem

-Kurt

P.S.: I bought that one as a frameset as well - the Triomphe components, handlebar & stem, wheelset and seatpost came off a 1985 Basso that had some wrinkling behind the head lugs.

Yeh that raleigh is nice! I would agree, you have a lot of bikes btw, do you ride them all yourself (obviously not all at once) or are some your friends/ family bikes

All my own - I ride whichever one I wish to ride when I head out, although the path, destination, and purpose of the ride sometimes dictate what I'll ride (in other words, the Robin Hood). The ladies machines are usually set up for my Mum to ride.

Moxfyre, since you liked that '86 Raleigh Grand Prix, may I solicit your opinion of this '84 Raleigh Competition?

-Kurt

Simply amazing. I really like the idea using the rear rack mounts for lighting. What Brooks is that?

My opinion is: MUST... HAVE... THAT-- oh, you get the idea!

Yeah, they both look awesome. I have to say I think I'm partial to the light green color of the Grand Prix, and the Brooks saddle. The chromed fork and stays on the Competition are cool but I don't think they go as well with white. It looks like the Competition is a little more agressive racing geometry? Any other differences between the frames? To be on the safe side, I would steal them both

You're right about those Grand Prix frames going cheap, very nice. I was sorely tempted to bid on that one you posted, except that I'm in some kind of self-inflicted bike-buying moratorium right now... I can't believe it went for only $105 shipped. I already have one high-quality lugged steel touring frame, but I would like to have a sportier steel bike as well. Where have you obtained yours from?

Actually, it's the Competition that has the Brooks - a Brooks Pro, in fact. The '86 has a cheap Belt saddle on it which will be replaced with a Brooks Pro I have since aquired a few days ago.

I've always been a sucker for the white/chrome. Has a slick "iced" look, IMHO, as the white has a pearlescent tint to it in person - photo doesn't show this very well.

I believe each frame has the same geometry, although I believe the fork on the '86 might have a tad more rake. Don't quote me on the frame geometry, for both the '84 and '86 have slight differences in their frames, and the definite manufacturer of these Raleigh USA frames have not been confirmed to be Panasonic alone.

In fact, even the '86 frame on eBay differs considerably from that of my own '86. The seat lug sticks out in particular as being completely different (quite similar to what was used on the Schwinn Prelude), other differences include the lack of fender eyelets, slightly different head lugs and "Cycle Company Of America" ommitted on the badge (which curiously states "THE RALEIGH", as most post-'82 Nottingham badges).

I bought mine on eBay as a frameset, around $57 shipped, if I recall. Helped that the frame was in-state.

https://cgi.ebay.com/Raleigh-Frame-an...QQcmdZViewItem

The donor Basso with the Triomphe components was a local find from a cycle-reseller, $50.

Take care,

-Kurt

This is the best thread on the site IMO.

That Kogswell fills me with serious bike envy. I followed its build a little bit because I check out your blog, and the Zugster bag site every so often. I've come across your pics on Flickr a few times too. Actually I think I saw the messenger bags on Etsy originally. My wife sells on Etsy and sent me a link to the red squid bag, knowing I would like it.

I've never seen a picture of a Kogswell that I didn't like, but your's may be the best because it is more like the type of build I would like to do. Does the Nexus 8 handle those hills there in San Francisco well? If it had a Rohloff, I would pretty much have to hate you. The muted color is great too. Do you lock that up around SF? All the bikes I saw there locked up on the street were ugly as hell.

Keep up the great Zugster work. Hopefully I'll get one soon, when my house and vet bills stop sucking up all my spending cash.

Thanks for the compliments! The bags, they are getting better all the time.

I just rode the Kogswell to work for the first time yesterday. Naturally, I was more nervous all day about it being locked on Market Street . There are some other nice bikes that I see locked up on Market regularly. I even saw an ANT Major Taylor about 3 months ago.

The Nexus 8 does pretty well - I have it geared 44 x 21 (you can use Sheldon Brown's gear calculator to get the range with that), and 1st gear is a pretty good spinning gear - around 28 gear inches, I think.

I'm diggin' it.

Curious, can that particular Kogswell frameset be ordered with a longer top tube?

It's a beautiful machine otherwise. Just looks as if the C-to-C is a bit cramming.

Take care,

-Kurt

There aren't any variations in other than the 5 frame sizes available (the dimensions are all listed here: https://kogswell.com/PR.html ).

It actually fits almost exactly the same as my 56cm Nishiki (link to that in my sig as well) - the facts that the seat tube extends 2cm above the top tube, the top tube slopes upwards (2 degrees, I think), AND the head tube is extended all conspire to make it look visually like it's proportioned differently.

I like to stretch out, and I don't feel cramped on it, despite the fact that I've got a VERY different position than my Nishiki thanks to the radically different handlebars I've chosen for each.

YMMV, of course.

Aha. I knew the down tube appeared to be angled as on a standard length frame - it was the headtube height (particularly as it extends past the top tube) that caught me off guard.

-Kurt

Locking it on Market Street huh? From your pictures it looks like you lock it up well though. If I had that bike and it got vandalized or stolen I would cry for a week. The lack of decals may fool the less sophistacated, too.

Twenty eight gear inches sounds plenty low. I love that gear calculator. I use it when I fantasize about building up a Rohloff equipped bike.

Just beautiful!! Loved the slide show.

No rear rack, though, huh? Obviously it would block the lighting set up.

Yup, and anyway, this bike was designed to carry weight in the front (although it's fine with the weight in the rear with the 50mm fork. I bought the 40mm (moderate front weight), and 30mm (CARGO!) forks). That said, one of these beauties would look great on the back.

That Kogswell is sooo insanely sexy. Bravo.

And.. the price is pretty hard to be. Dangit. Too many bikes, not enough budget!!

No doubt...and that applies to every sentence. Seeing FlippingHades bike completed got me back onto the Kogswell site, and the P/R frame, with fenders, and two forks is a bargain. Surly price, but much nicer.

FlippingHades,
Are those frames made by Toyo, or what? Do you know? I noticed on their site that they had pictures of some of their bikes that seemed to be in the same factory as some Rivendells. Those seemed to have lugs though.

Kog frames are all made by Maxway. (I think it's all the frames - I know the P/R is). Matthew's mentioned that they use a couple of different shops for the forks. Riv's new Bleriot is also made by Maxway,

The frame price, btw, includes one fork, not two (but it also includes a headset, seatpost, and seatpost binder) - you can pick one of the three different rakes. Additional forks are $60 each, I think. I'm glad I bought two, since I shipped one to Ira Ryan to build a rack for it!

here's my commuter bike for now