old's'cool

I have a tentative deal with the seller of a 76 Raleigh Gran Sport, if I can get someone to facilitate in Portland OR.



Here are more pics: https://www-hsc.usc.edu/~rpinder/gransport.html

What I have in mind is, once the facilitator has inspected the bike and assured me that everything is legit, I will paypal the funds directly to the seller.
I'm in no big hurry to have the bike shipped to me, so we can work that out afterward, but of course I'll pay all the shipping and incidental costs. Anyone up for it?

For faster communication, please email via my profile and we can exchange phone #s.

due ruote 

I feel almost sure I've seen that picture before on the web. Also, that link didn't work for me. I'd proceed with caution.

old's'cool

Thanks for the cautionary advice. I believe I am being cautious. The picture is from the seller's bike photo album. I just tested the link, and it works for me. Here it is in plain text: https://www-hsc.usc.edu/~rpinder/gransport.html

jyl

Emailed you.

old's'cool

Whaddyaknow, jyl put me onto a bike in Seattle area that a buddy over there facilitated for me, so I'm the new proud owner of the Gran Sport depicted below. I will be a while before I physically get my hands on it, as I'm in transit so to speak, and won't have a permanent residence until the end of summer; so no point in having the bike bounce from place to place with me. Once I've got it in my stable, I plan to restore the stock colour bar tape and cable housings (white, I believe). White brake hoods could be tougher to come by. And, as is my wont, gearing mods, probably confined to the freewheel and RD (I may substitute a short cage Crane, from my parts stash).
I always thought the Gran Sport from the mid-70s came with Simplex derailleurs & shifters. Does anyone know anything different? Campy & Shimano Crane are certainly plausible period correct mods, but would they have been factory installed possibly?
Does anyone know the seatpost diameter? I'm pretty sure I'm going to need a longer than stock seatpost to get the fit I prefer, so I might as well start looking. Enjoy, and big thanks to jyl for the lead.

Sixty Fiver

The Campagnolo and Crane are beautiful upgrades on a beautiful bike.

Even if the first bike was a legit sale you'd probably be paying a premium on a bike this in Portland.

auchencrow

Wow - That's a beauty Old's'cool! Welcome to the brotherhood of Lagoon Blue madmen.

wrk101

Bike deal and Portland, now that's an oxymoron. I think the bike you ended up with is a much better choice, and a safer deal. Well done!

old's'cool

Yes, the Seattle bike was priced a little higher, but well worth the difference. The Gran Sport is my grail bike, since I was a teenager, and until now it was "the one that got away". I'm very pleased.

For now I think I'm going to respect the sensibilities of a previous owner, and leave the Campy as is, and just change to the short cage Crane RD that I have. To me, a long cage RD looks a little silly on a bike that doesn't need all the chain wrap. Nothing silly about the Crane GS in and of itself, however.

Thanks for the positive comments.

Seatpost diameter, anyone?

Jeff Wills

And backing out one notch:
https://www-hsc.usc.edu/~rpinder/
Points at a USC-served personal web page. Not much info there. Here's the base address:
https://www-hsc.usc.edu/
Certainly anyone can point to photos on the web, and certainly graduates of the University of Southern California can move to the Portland area. (Hell, I did too!)
However, the grass and sidewalk in those pictures are not typical for the Portland area. I am suspicious.

jyl

I'm very happy you got it!

What year is that GS?

Mine back when was white-with-lagoon-accents, or the reverse of this bike, and I think it was a 1975 or 1976. Were the lagoon-with-white-accent models, like this beauty, produced in different years, or concurrently?

mkeller234

Seat post should be 27.2, that is what I have in my 1973 Gran Sport. I might have some Carlton white hoods, one pair is promised to someone else but I think I have two sets.

I think Simplex or Suntour would be more likely from the factory. That's a super nice one, you don't see many in that condition! Atom 440s were the standard pedal for earlier models, not sure about yours.

due ruote 

Very cool; glad you found one. Maybe I was being paranoid about that other one, I don't know.

I in fact bought mine when I was a teenager. I've always liked the ride, and plan to keep it forever. Hope it lives up to your expectations.

old's'cool

Good sleuthing Jeff... I didn't think to clarify (in all the excitement of the chase); the seller of Portland bike did not hide the fact he's not from Portland, only passing through. Kinda cool actually, apparently he travels alot, and often buys a CL bike at his destination, goes on some rides, then unloads it when he moves on. If you know what you're doing, I guess this can be a lot cheaper than taking your own bike with you (assuming air travel). So I have no reason to think the seller wasn't legit; but his busy schedule and limited window for dealing added to the difficulty of a long distance CL transaction. At any rate, the Seattle bike was better for me in every respect. I'm so glad I posted up this thread and jyl tipped me off.

I don't think the seller gave the year in any of the information I saw. On review of the catalogues online, it appears that the Lagoon Blue & White schemes were extant in the years 1972-1976. According to the catalogue information, 1972 & 1973 were exclusively blue on white; in 1974 both blue on white and white on blue were offered, and in 1975 & 1976 only white on blue was available. To do your own catalogue perusing, start here: https://www.kurtkaminer.com/TH_raleigh_catdata.html#1970
Other than colour scheme, it appears that the only significant change during these years was the rear derailleur, which was Simplex Prestige in 1972, and changed to Simplex Maxi thereafter.

Atom 440 is listed in the catalogue from 1973-76; Atom 700 in 1972. I'll PM you about the hoods.

old's'cool

email sent some days ago. Did you get it? If not, should I send a PM?

Bikedued

I think the white one may have actually been a Grand Sports. Doesn't amount to much, the name is just different on some. Gran Sport on some, and Grand Sports on others. I have a white Grand Sports frame.,,,,BD

jeirvine 

Nice score - you're gonna love it. My white-on-lagoon is a '74, and the seat post is 27.2. I Suntoured mine and it is by far my favorite ride. I love those GB rando bars, especially with bar-cons.

auchencrow

Nobody doesn't love a Grand Sports! (Especially those GB rando bars).

redneckwes

Undeniably beautiful machines, I need to start gathering parts/decals for mine.

4Rings6Stars

I've got some Weinmann levers with white Carlton hoods from a 70's Super Course available cheap if you don't find another set.

old's'cool

Beauty!

Yours too, Auchen.

jyl

I think the thing about the lagoon and white Gran Sports is, they are such HAPPY bikes. Cheery color, smiling upturned bars, shiny bits. There's not an ounce of moody or broody about them. They're like Doris Day - beautiful and beaming.

old's'cool

ix-nay on the oris-day a-day...

Can we go with Vera Lynn, or Glynis Johns, maybe?