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1973 Raleigh Gran/Grand Sports

Old 01-01-21, 07:35 AM
  #26  
Mogens
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Originally Posted by steelbikeguy
I wonder what it would cost now.

I wonder where you would go to get similar quality too.

Around the year 2000, I had a local frame builder make me a touring/commuting/travel frame from the latest True Temper tubing with S&S couplers. I even adapted the Gran Sport's paint scheme... at least in the sense of having a contrasting head tube and two contrasting panels on the seat tube. The cost was $1600, and about $400 of that was the S&S couplers.
Even as a small frame builder, the quality was much better than the Gran Sport ever was, and the paint was much, much better quality! I think I had $2600 in the bike when it was built up....



This bike has dimensions that were evolved from the Gran Sport, including the fairly low bottom bracket. The top tube is a bit longer, though, and the chain stays were made longer to handle rear panniers. Less fork rake too.

Steve in Peoria
Whoa!
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Old 01-01-21, 09:18 AM
  #27  
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Here's a "Gran" Sport being offered by one of the local flippers here. No comment on the asking price.
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Old 01-01-21, 11:05 AM
  #28  
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That is a nice looking bike. My experience with Raleigh bicycles is limited but I own three very different models. The 1971 Grand Prix made in Holland that I never built up but will someday because I love the look of the green frame , another 1978 Super Grand Prix with SunTour ( Raleigh branded) derailleurs and bar cons, and a 1977 Competition GS with mostly Campagnolo equipment. The two that I have ridden are great bikes and worth far more than what yours cost. The Carlton frames are a step up in my view . $150 is a decent price taking into consideration that you will be adding your own finishing touches to it with tires , cables, derailleurs.
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Old 01-01-21, 07:46 PM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by steelbikeguy
The Cyclone II is a better match than the Superbe, both chronologically and level of sophistication/technology. I've got a first generation Cyclone on my Gran Sport in the photo above.
Sounds like you are pretty well equipped to fix the bike up!

Steve in Peoria
I have a set of suntour bar end shifters that I pulled off my 74 Raleigh Pro, how would those work with this setup with the cyclone derailleurs, I have never actually used bar end shifters before
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Old 01-01-21, 09:58 PM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by Gashepherd
I have a set of suntour bar end shifters that I pulled off my 74 Raleigh Pro, how would those work with this setup with the cyclone derailleurs, I have never actually used bar end shifters before
Mechanically, there should be no problem. I suppose you need to make sure that the handlebars are the usual 1" (approx.) diameter, but that's about it.

I've got bar end shifters on one bike, for about the last 10 years or so. It's a nice bit of variety, but I don't think they are any better than down tube shifters (for me).
The bike has "compact" gearing, meaning that the chainrings are 34T and 50T. It's a nice way to get wide gearing, but when you do need to switch from one chainring to the other, I usually need to shift at least 2 cogs in the back. This means shifting both derailleurs at the same time, which means I need to move both hands to the drops.
Compared to down tube shifters, where I just use the right hand to shift both derailleurs quickly (and sometimes simultaneously), this is a bit clunky.

You also have to give some thought about how you want the cable to exit from the handlebars, and wrap the tape to get that result.
You also need to protect the paint on the headtube from the derailleur cables rubbing on it. This isn't really a new problem, though.

Overall... I wonder why I don't go back to down tube shifters on this bike. Must be inertia.
Here's the bike...



Steve in Peoria
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Old 01-02-21, 10:25 PM
  #31  
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There were also Sport and Sports. I have owned two Grand Sports. I no longer own either of them. I thought they were just ok bikes. I expected more.

Originally Posted by cb400bill
Typical Raleigh hijinks. They switched back and forth on Gran/Grand a few times.
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Old 01-14-21, 12:25 AM
  #32  
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So I picked up the bike this last weekend, it's in amazing condition other than the shifters and the rear derailleur, and the seatpost decals. Could somebody post a photo of the Carlton decal that was on this frame and would it have had the black carlton decal in the middle of the seat tube between the stripes, I peeled a foil sticker off of that area there was nothing left on the sticker I'm assuming that it was a bike shop sticker. Any secrets for removing the remnants of the old decals, Thank you for all your great information so far - Gerry


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Old 01-14-21, 02:38 PM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by nlerner
And then there's the Competition dressed as a Gran(s) Sport(s):

Or the Competitions with this paint scheme, but in two tone lavender. 😄 Took a lot of ribbing about mine BITD
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Old 01-14-21, 02:56 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by nlerner
And then there's the Competition dressed as a Gran(s) Sport(s):

I still think the Gran Sport shown in the 1972 Raleigh USA catalog is a 1971 Competition like the one nlerner shows above. Look at the top tube on a big enough screen - I swear it looks like the one long word "Competition" and NOT Gran Sport or its variants. Note also the crankset - is that a Zeus like the ones used c.1970? And note the unchromed rear, too. I still think it just took Raleigh a while to figure out how to market the same geometry as a racy bike and as a general purpose sports tourer. I will note again that my '73 Competition and my '73 GS have identical geometry despite different lugs and chainstays and crowns.
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Old 01-24-21, 03:52 PM
  #35  
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A possible answer to the Grand Sports mystery

https://www.kurtkaminer.com/raleighdecals.html
From this website
or at least a time-line

Last edited by Gashepherd; 01-24-21 at 04:41 PM.
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Old 02-08-21, 08:38 AM
  #36  
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so, I updated the shifters and derailleurs to a Raleigh branded suntour V-GT rear, compe-V and power shifters, after finding that I apparently threw out all the Simplex shifter parts that I thought I still had and that a long cage simplex maxi rear derailleur would cost more than all the other components together. I think that it looks pretty nice, the cyclone mkII just didn't look quite right

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Old 02-08-21, 09:27 AM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by oneclick
That's a nice looking GS. The crankset is quite a piece, if you wanted to you could remove the chainguard and use the long bolts to make a triple (need a longer axle of course). Check the front mech for cracks, they all do that sooner or later.
if that Stronglight 93 came like the one on my ‘75 Super Course, you wouldn’t need a longer BB spindle/axle. The chain guard occupies the outermost position of a Triple. One need only obtain a 122 BCD chain ring ( no small feat these days...) and arrange as desired. The smallest chainring available is a 37 tooth version currently made by BikeForum member Jon Vara. . See:
122 BCD Conventional Chainring, 37 Teeth
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Old 02-08-21, 11:16 AM
  #38  
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I think it is a really nice touch and an elegant solution that you used Raleigh-branded Suntour for the derailleur system.
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Old 02-09-21, 12:15 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by elcraft
if that Stronglight 93 came like the one on my ‘75 Super Course, you wouldn’t need a longer BB spindle/axle. The chain guard occupies the outermost position of a Triple. One need only obtain a 122 BCD chain ring ( no small feat these days...) and arrange as desired. The smallest chainring available is a 37 tooth version currently made by BikeForum member Jon Vara. . See:
122 BCD Conventional Chainring, 37 Teeth
I think Jon also offers a 42T tripleizer ring for the mod. 93; that with a 46T outer ring and a 26 or 28T inner would be the bomb ...
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Old 03-03-21, 08:31 AM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by Gashepherd
So I picked up the bike this last weekend, it's in amazing condition other than the shifters and the rear derailleur, and the seatpost decals. Could somebody post a photo of the Carlton decal that was on this frame and would it have had the black carlton decal in the middle of the seat tube between the stripes, I peeled a foil sticker off of that area there was nothing left on the sticker I'm assuming that it was a bike shop sticker. Any secrets for removing the remnants of the old decals, Thank you for all your great information so far - Gerry
Any reason why the bike is chrome at the rear and fork? Good to have?
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Old 03-03-21, 08:51 AM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by AtoZ
Any reason why the bike is chrome at the rear and fork? Good to have?
For the chrome, you'd have to talk to the Raleigh people, it was their decision, it is a beautiful bike but I haven't had a chance to ride it yet, just waiting on the weather now.
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