Show us your Raleigh Super Course!
01-01-15, 05:03 PM
#951
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BTW, it seems difficult to figure out a specific model year for this one. I thought that particular head badge was only on 1970 models, but the catalog for that year shows Huret mechs. The 1968 and 1969 catalogs show Simplex Prestige as this one has. The '68 also mentioned a Williams crankset. This crankset on this one doesn't seem to have any mfg. marks though I haven't looked carefully on the backside of the arms. The Crespera/Carlton lugs might also pin it to 68/69 as I think the 1970 model had Nervex Pro. I bought it from the wife of the original owner, but I don't trust 45-year-old memories necessarily (or at least I don't trust my own). Anyone have recent insight into the usual when-was-my-SuperCourse-made quandary?
01-01-15, 06:19 PM
#952
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01-01-15, 10:10 PM
#953
aka Tom Reingold
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I picked up this I believe '73 Super Course from the incredibly kind original owner for $90. It is in great condition and is close to the top of the queue of bikes that will be fixed up this winter for the spring. It is in incredibly good condition being that the owner said he has had it in dry storage for over 35 years.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
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“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
01-01-15, 10:12 PM
#954
You gonna eat that?
Thanks. I can't help but to make them mine.
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I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi 
"However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
01-01-15, 10:13 PM
#955
You gonna eat that?
01-01-15, 10:14 PM
#956
You gonna eat that?
I picked up this I believe '73 Super Course from the incredibly kind original owner for $90. It is in great condition and is close to the top of the queue of bikes that will be fixed up this winter for the spring. It is in incredibly good condition being that the owner said he has had it in dry storage for over 35 years.
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I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
01-03-15, 09:01 AM
#957
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Thanks Tom. Do you think the original Simplex derailleurs and the cottered crank are best for the Super Course? The whole bike is in great shape and I don't want to change much if it isn't necessary. I always here people panning Simplex derailleurs but I have also read that they are fine as long as they are in decent shape.
I can't wait to do the little cleanup/tune up to this Super Course and ride it. I definitely got lucky!
I can't wait to do the little cleanup/tune up to this Super Course and ride it. I definitely got lucky!
Last edited by greg3rd48; 01-03-15 at 09:06 AM. Reason: More
01-03-15, 09:14 AM
#958
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The dérailleurs will fail eventually, but you can use them unil they get loose or they fail. They work well before they get wobbly.
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“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
01-03-15, 10:18 AM
#959
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Beautiful example.
01-06-15, 10:10 AM
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01-06-15, 10:23 AM
#963
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What size is your Super Course Tom? Mine is the 58-59 Cm ST (23.5 in) an I am 5'10" and I feel comfortable with that size. I just want a comparative example. since some people say that if it feels good great while others say a 56 cm should be more suitable… Thoughts?
01-06-15, 10:57 AM
#964
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Mine is a 21" or 21-1/2" size. I'm 5'9" but with short legs. It feels OK to me, and I suspect the next size up (if it's 22-1/2") would feel fine, too. If yours feels good, it is good.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
01-06-15, 11:02 AM
#965
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+100 That is so important...the FEEL is more important than the numbers...they are but a guide!
01-06-15, 07:26 PM
#966
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Here's one I restored for a 20-something about a year and a half ago. It was equipped a bit odd from what I've usually been used to on a Super Course: Huret derailleurs, and the crank was a Nervar cotterless of some odd BCD (128?) which he was attempting to use with 130BCD chainrings. I swapped him the Nervar for the Shimano that its pictured with. If this bike had been one frame size larger, I would have put some heavy pressure on him to sell me the bike, rather than restore it. It was definitely one of the finer mid-70's Super Course frames I've run across in the last ten years:
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“No one in this world, so far as I know — and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me — has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.”
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Syke
“No one in this world, so far as I know — and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me — has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.”
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01-09-15, 11:05 AM
#967
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Nice job! Mine is waiting to be fixed up this winter. I can't wait to ride her soon.
Here's one I restored for a 20-something about a year and a half ago. It was equipped a bit odd from what I've usually been used to on a Super Course: Huret derailleurs, and the crank was a Nervar cotterless of some odd BCD (128?) which he was attempting to use with 130BCD chainrings. I swapped him the Nervar for the Shimano that its pictured with. If this bike had been one frame size larger, I would have put some heavy pressure on him to sell me the bike, rather than restore it. It was definitely one of the finer mid-70's Super Course frames I've run across in the last ten years:
01-10-15, 06:45 AM
#968
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Tom- Unfortunately they only came in 2" increments on the half-inch : 21-1/2", 23-1/2", 25-1/2", and I seldom see the tallest one.
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- Auchen
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01-11-15, 01:16 PM
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I finished up the '69 SuperCourse today and took it for a test ride. Smooth as buttah'! While my hanging scale says it weighs 27 lbs as shown, it doesn't have that heavy bike feel.
Here's a pic of it as found:
I swapped out everything except the brakes, seat post, saddle, and the frame itself. I even had to use a different SuperCourse fork as the original was kind of cockeyed:
I went for an IGH build w/ 27" wheels, Pasela 27 x 1 1/4" tires, a rear S-A AM hub in an alloy AW shell, a Nervar 50.4 crankset w/ a new V-O 46t ring, SKS fenders. I modified an old single-sided clamp to accept a new S-A 3-speed shifter on the top tube:
The finish cleaned up pretty well though the corrosion on top of the top tube and down tube will just be a feature.
Here's a pic of it as found:
I swapped out everything except the brakes, seat post, saddle, and the frame itself. I even had to use a different SuperCourse fork as the original was kind of cockeyed:
I went for an IGH build w/ 27" wheels, Pasela 27 x 1 1/4" tires, a rear S-A AM hub in an alloy AW shell, a Nervar 50.4 crankset w/ a new V-O 46t ring, SKS fenders. I modified an old single-sided clamp to accept a new S-A 3-speed shifter on the top tube:
The finish cleaned up pretty well though the corrosion on top of the top tube and down tube will just be a feature.
01-11-15, 01:44 PM
#971
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I finished up the '69 SuperCourse today and took it for a test ride. Smooth as buttah'! While my hanging scale says it weighs 27 lbs as shown, it doesn't have that heavy bike feel.
Here's a pic of it as found:
I swapped out everything except the brakes, seat post, saddle, and the frame itself. I even had to use a different SuperCourse fork as the original was kind of cockeyed:
I went for an IGH build w/ 27" wheels, Pasela 27 x 1 1/4" tires, a rear S-A AM hub in an alloy AW shell, a Nervar 50.4 crankset w/ a new V-O 46t ring, SKS fenders. I modified an old single-sided clamp to accept a new S-A 3-speed shifter on the top tube:
The finish cleaned up pretty well though the corrosion on top of the top tube and down tube will just be a feature.
Here's a pic of it as found:
I swapped out everything except the brakes, seat post, saddle, and the frame itself. I even had to use a different SuperCourse fork as the original was kind of cockeyed:
I went for an IGH build w/ 27" wheels, Pasela 27 x 1 1/4" tires, a rear S-A AM hub in an alloy AW shell, a Nervar 50.4 crankset w/ a new V-O 46t ring, SKS fenders. I modified an old single-sided clamp to accept a new S-A 3-speed shifter on the top tube:
The finish cleaned up pretty well though the corrosion on top of the top tube and down tube will just be a feature.
Very cool...
01-11-15, 02:24 PM
#972
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Thanks! Actually, what I like most about the SuperCourse is it as a platform for all sorts of builds. Most of the original components until the real late models (which had SunTour Cyclone mechs and barcons) were nothing special. I've built them as porteurs, single speeds, 1 x 5-speeds, and IGHs. So many possibilities!
01-13-15, 03:23 PM
#974
aka Tom Reingold
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Damn, @nlerner, well done! And I'm glad you agree with me that the bike rides lighter than it is. I don't know how they did that, but they really did.
But the CPSC is going to go after you for the top tube mounted shifter.
But the CPSC is going to go after you for the top tube mounted shifter.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
01-13-15, 05:58 PM
#975
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Damn, @nlerner, well done! And I'm glad you agree with me that the bike rides lighter than it is. I don't know how they did that, but they really did.
But the CPSC is going to go after you for the top tube mounted shifter.
But the CPSC is going to go after you for the top tube mounted shifter.
