vitaly66

Another beauty emerged from long-long-long-term storage:



1970s Raleigh International in all original condition. Purchased new by me as a young man in Corvallis, Oregon, summer of 1979. Somehow, amazingly, I still have the original receipt.

Full Campagnolo Nuovo Record, all the way down to the seatpost and seat stay bolt. The only modifications I made from the showroom floor were a set of Mafac 2000 brakes -- with gold brake levers -- replacing the Weinmanns that came on it.





Also, shortly after I purchased it (and after several annoying and expensive flats on sew-ups), I had the wheels relaced with Super Champion Gentleman rims, to run 700c clinchers rather than the original tubulars.

Black Ideale saddle with some nice verdigris:



What is it about these British bikes from Carlton that are so classicly beautiful, so right?





With new tubes/tires and some fresh lubrication, the bike should be perfectly rideable. I am thinking to get something like the Grand Bois in 700x32c, and the Kool Stop salmon pads for the Mafacs.

due ruote 

That is indeed a gorgeous one. Do you mind saying what the original price was in 1979?

[edit] I'm a little confused. I thought I read you purchased it new but I see it's a '74 and you bought it in '79.

vitaly66

The price: $495. To be honest, I don't know how I ever could afford it back then.

As for the dating, I tried to do some research online, and the best I could come up with is a 1974 model. But I am not certain about this date. My serial number matches no scheme that I have found published.

The date of this model was not disclosed at the time of sale. All this time I believed this Raleigh must have been a 1978 or 1979 model. I never would have imagined it had been sitting in the showroom for nearly 5 years.

But it is actually a distinct possibility. From what I have gathered, the International was already discontinued for several years by the time I bought this one. I should have gotten a discount!

repechage

Looks pretty clean. May I suggest you lower the front derailleur a bit, to about 3-4 mm away from the big ring. Plenty of parts on this were not on the original build, brakes saddle... maybe it was an shop owner's bike? When you mentioned fresh lubrication, I do hope you mean repack the BB and hubs at least... pedals could use it too, the original grease was never meant to endure so many decades. The bottom bracket grease may not be Campagnolo but a mix of that and Raleigh's finest factory floor grease, and it may not have a bottom bracket liner either, with Raleigh every teardown was a surprise.

Peugeotlover

Look at the serial number on the bottom of the bottom bracket.
For 1970 and 71, sn began with "F".
For 1972, sn began with "G".
For 1973, sn began with "W".
For my 1974, WH4 meant Champagne color, built in 1974 @ Worksop facility.
A copper color, built in 1974 would have a sn WK4xxx,xxx.
So, what is your bikes serial number?

vitaly66

Serial number starts with "00", ends with an "E" that looks like a backwards 3. As I said, this matches no scheme as I have seen in reference to the International.

b dub 

I own it's twin, also 1974.

vitaly66

The saddle is original build, you can believe that or not. I also still have the original Weinmann brakes that were swapped for the Mafacs at time of purchase. And except for the swap of rims I mentioned, the bike is all otherwise absolutely original and period correct. From the GB stem, to the Silca Impero frame-fit pump with campy head. All these names still ring bells in my memory after all these years.

Oops, an error: it has one Sugino Super Mighty chainring, 50t. (I set up for half-step gearing, 50/45, original Regina D'Oro 14-28 5-speed freewheel).

I have fully serviced the bike since it was purchased, and will of course do so again: repacked hubs, bottom bracket, headset, pedals. I have all the original campy tools I bought to perform the service, from crankarm puller to headset spanners. The bottom bracket does have the original liner. There are no surprises on this bike. It was all perfectly sparkly brand new when I bought it, no shop owner's ride. I oogled at it through the shop window for months and months and months, walking past there many nights every week. It is a wonder I wasn't arrested. Finally I managed to scrape up a sufficient number of dimes to actually buy it, and the treasure it represented at the time made me especially reverential toward its care.

vitaly66

Outstanding! And such a beautiful photograph! (I need to find a better hosting solution for my own bike photos...)

I see you went ahead and put the Campy sidepulls on yours.

What tires are you riding now?

b dub 

You can read about the details of this bike here.

The original owner wanted ALL components to be Italian, so bars & stem are Cinelli & brake levers and calipers are Nuovo Record. To make these calipers work 27" Weinmann's were laced to the original high-flange Record hubs. The tires are 27" Panaracer Pasela's.

Rabid Koala

I had a 74 champagne International a few years back, it was a beautiful bike and really enjoyable to ride. I sold it after I bought a 74 Professional and a few Paramounts, but I often wish I had it back again.

Lascauxcaveman 

I do not approve of the 'verdigris' on the saddle. You need to give that thing a serious application of buttwax, as soon as possible. About 500 miles worth oughta do it.

Maybe a touch of Proofide would be helpful, as well.

rootboy 

And Repechage is correct. Stock for that bike was a Brooks Pro. Though I'm sure a customer could ask for anything they wanted. By the way, that Ideale looks lie it may have been customized a bit, or, "butchered". Hard to tell. May just be the angle.

Peugeotlover

Here are some more pics.
This is a really nice riding bike.
It does have Cinelli bars and stem; original "Carlton" black brake lever hoods and QR drilled Weinmann levers and calipers and even brake pads- they do stop the bike quickly.
And, it has polished Sprint alloy tubular rims, with stainless steel double-butted spokes, which look original.
All bearings were repacked recently.
Chain stays are the rapid taper style; Nervex lugs, head lugs chromed, Campagnolo dropouts; chromed: trident fork crown, chains stay, seat stay and fork ends.
Campagnolo engraved crank, bottom bracket, pedals, crank dust caps, derailleurs, shifters, seat post, seat post binder bolt, and headset.

What's not to like?

David Newton

I also bought my champagne '74 International in Corpus Christi Tx in '74. I also still have my reciept, and it says $475.
Stolen in '84, sadly.

repechage

Having a bike stolen is no fun, I have had it happen a few times.

I have a soft spot for these Internationals. I own one, somehow passed up the chance to get one when I first had cash looking for a good road bike. Mine is the screaming lime green, Pretty original save for the handlebar tape. Some details varied from the published specs, but Raleigh was pretty closely tied to Brooks, I consider the Ideale 90 an upgrade. My bike wears cad plated spokes laced to the original Weinmann tubular rims, the one disappointment on mine. But that was Raleigh in the bike boom.

I would address Ideale saddle's leather. It deserves a good cleaning and some fresh dressing.

VonCarlos

$475 was a good chunk of change back in 1974. As a comparison, my rent for a 1 bedroom apartment back then was $123.00. That was in West Los Angeles.

kroozer 

I think Internationals were kind of out of style by the mid-70's-- everyone wanted one of those stiff Italian bikes. For that reason, and maybe over-production, you could get them pretty cheap during the late 70's. I bought a copper '74 in 1977 for $425. Like everyone else, "wish I still had it". Better yet, wish I was still 17!

David Newton

It was, but money meant nothing to me at the time, I was in the Navy, single.
I gathered all my money and traveled to the bike shop and picked out a bike that cost the closest to how much I had in my pocket.

Funny, later when it was stolen, my insurance rep mentioned it was covered on my homeowners, less deductable. I believe he thought "what bike could be more than the deductable?" I asked him to call the local Raleigh dealer for a replacement cost. I ended up with a insurance check for $750.

dbakl

Here's mine, 71 I think. Way too small though...