30+ year old Raleigh Road bike - Anyone recognize it?
07-01-12, 07:25 PM
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30+ year old Raleigh Road bike - Anyone recognize it?
My wife has an old made-in-England Raleigh road bike she loved to ride years ago. It has been hanging in the garage collecting dust. I thought I would see if I could bring it back to life. But I am curious if anyone recognizes what sort of Raleigh it is and better yet, what my chances are of finding replacement components if I need them once I attack this project.
07-01-12, 07:32 PM
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I think that's a Super Course, perhaps Super Course Mk II, from the late 70's.
Aside from the standard replacement parts --cables, brake shoes, tires, etc-- none of the original parts are in now being made. But you can find most of them used on ebay if you ever need to. It's a good bike. What does it need?
Aside from the standard replacement parts --cables, brake shoes, tires, etc-- none of the original parts are in now being made. But you can find most of them used on ebay if you ever need to. It's a good bike. What does it need?
07-01-12, 07:34 PM
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78 Super Course? Everything you need is readily available.
https://sheldonbrown.com/retroraleigh...talog-1978.pdf
Damn...beat to the punch again!
https://sheldonbrown.com/retroraleigh...talog-1978.pdf
Damn...beat to the punch again!
Last edited by clubman; 07-01-12 at 07:35 PM. Reason: punch
07-01-12, 08:25 PM
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Yes, it is definitely a Super Course, thanks. I see some faint "Sup.." letters on one side of the frame.
Not sure what it needs quite yet. It has gunk everywhere, so I need to take it apart and clean it up first.
Not sure what it needs quite yet. It has gunk everywhere, so I need to take it apart and clean it up first.
07-01-12, 08:28 PM
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Super Grand Prix came in that color.
07-01-12, 09:05 PM
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That's a darn nice bike you have there. Worthy of a restore, massive upgrades, or anything in between. Hold onto it and either you or your wife keep riding it.
Your wife had good tastes or someone who gave her some good advice when she acquired that gem. But then again I'm a known Raleighphile.
You can see where that bike fell in the Raleigh product line on this chart.
Learn more about Retro Raleighs on Sheldon's Retro Raleigh Page.
Your wife had good tastes or someone who gave her some good advice when she acquired that gem. But then again I'm a known Raleighphile.
You can see where that bike fell in the Raleigh product line on this chart.
Learn more about Retro Raleighs on Sheldon's Retro Raleigh Page.
07-01-12, 09:36 PM
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07-01-12, 11:14 PM
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It's a Super Course. Super Grand Prix had stamped dropouts with a bolt on derailleur claw. Then again, the Super Course would have a bolt on claw as well, if it were a '78. Weird. It's a good frame and that's good enough for me. I vote 1979 Super Course. Almost certain. The serial pegs it as a bike built in January of 1978, though. Maybe Raleigh put nice dropouts on a few, then decided to keep doing so in 1979.
Last edited by realestvin7; 07-01-12 at 11:22 PM.
07-01-12, 11:19 PM
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Nice bike, and worth restoring. However, from the way it's set up it looks like it doesn't fit her properly. That said, whatever's comfortable goes, in my book...
07-02-12, 12:27 AM
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You mean because the seat and bars are at their lowest? I have no idea who last rode this thing actually, and no, it isn't set up for her at all right now. The frame size is the right size for her.
07-02-12, 04:49 AM
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1979 Raleigh Super Course. 1978 had stamped dropouts. In 1980 they became a whole different bike and were made in Japan. I also see someone got tired of that wonderful "Raleigh" Suntour Front Derailleur. They changed it to a derailleur without a cable housing stop.
07-02-12, 06:58 AM
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1979 Raleigh Super Course. 1978 had stamped dropouts. In 1980 they became a whole different bike and were made in Japan. I also see someone got tired of that wonderful "Raleigh" Suntour Front Derailleur. They changed it to a derailleur without a cable housing stop.
It's a '79, 1980 differed only in that the S.C. received sidepull calipers, and was marked as Super Course 12. 1981 was the first year of production in Japan.
I have a 1980 Super Course 12 Very clearly marked as "Made in England", Carlton seat tube decal and Worksop serial number.
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07-02-12, 08:03 AM
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You're right.
07-02-12, 09:11 AM
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Almost, not quite.
It's a '79, 1980 differed only in that the S.C. received sidepull calipers, and was marked as Super Course 12. 1981 was the first year of production in Japan.
I have a 1980 Super Course 12 Very clearly marked as "Made in England", Carlton seat tube decal and Worksop serial number.
It's a '79, 1980 differed only in that the S.C. received sidepull calipers, and was marked as Super Course 12. 1981 was the first year of production in Japan.
I have a 1980 Super Course 12 Very clearly marked as "Made in England", Carlton seat tube decal and Worksop serial number.
07-02-12, 09:49 AM
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Naaa.... there are some folks on this forum that make me look like a total noob. I just like old Raleigh's and collecting catalogs. 
'77 through '80 was a real evolutionary period for the Super Course. A move towards Suntour parts and shorter wheelbases from the MK II's French parts and relaxed geometry.
I'm not 100% sure that It could not be a late '78, check out this scan of the '78 catalog. It sure looks like it has an integral claw. Only discerning feature is the unpainted rear drops on the '78.
'77 through '80 was a real evolutionary period for the Super Course. A move towards Suntour parts and shorter wheelbases from the MK II's French parts and relaxed geometry.
I'm not 100% sure that It could not be a late '78, check out this scan of the '78 catalog. It sure looks like it has an integral claw. Only discerning feature is the unpainted rear drops on the '78.
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I have a white PX-10, a Green Dawes Galaxy and an Orange Falcon, now I'm done.
I have a white PX-10, a Green Dawes Galaxy and an Orange Falcon, now I'm done.
Last edited by redneckwes; 07-02-12 at 09:57 AM.
07-02-12, 11:39 AM
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The bike you have I believe is a great frame to start with. It is made of Reynolds 531 on the main tubes. The Super Course is a great bike and would make a great project! Good luck!
07-02-12, 12:09 PM
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When it comes to Raleighs it might have 531 on the rear triangle. When it comes to Internationals/Competitions/Super Courses the frames are pretty interchangeable and I bet the differences were only on how much effort they put into cleaning them up after brazing them together and how nice (and what color) of paint they threw on it.
When it comes to comparing these vintage frames about the only way to know what the rear triangle was really made of is to weigh the bare frame. If you look at some of the websites that have looked into this phenomenon the weight of the actual frame was all over the map. I have a feeling that much of the time the folks on the line grabbed whatever tubing was available in the stockpile and built a frame out of it.
When it comes to comparing these vintage frames about the only way to know what the rear triangle was really made of is to weigh the bare frame. If you look at some of the websites that have looked into this phenomenon the weight of the actual frame was all over the map. I have a feeling that much of the time the folks on the line grabbed whatever tubing was available in the stockpile and built a frame out of it.
07-02-12, 12:58 PM
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When it comes to Raleighs it might have 531 on the rear triangle. When it comes to Internationals/Competitions/Super Courses the frames are pretty interchangeable and I bet the differences were only on how much effort they put into cleaning them up after brazing them together and how nice (and what color) of paint they threw on it.
When it comes to comparing these vintage frames about the only way to know what the rear triangle was really made of is to weigh the bare frame. If you look at some of the websites that have looked into this phenomenon the weight of the actual frame was all over the map. I have a feeling that much of the time the folks on the line grabbed whatever tubing was available in the stockpile and built a frame out of it.
When it comes to comparing these vintage frames about the only way to know what the rear triangle was really made of is to weigh the bare frame. If you look at some of the websites that have looked into this phenomenon the weight of the actual frame was all over the map. I have a feeling that much of the time the folks on the line grabbed whatever tubing was available in the stockpile and built a frame out of it.
Not just with tubing.
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I have a white PX-10, a Green Dawes Galaxy and an Orange Falcon, now I'm done.
I have a white PX-10, a Green Dawes Galaxy and an Orange Falcon, now I'm done.
07-02-12, 02:19 PM
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Your bike is not worth restoring. Nothing available to restore the bike.
Send bike to me. I will be happy to take this dust collecter!
Send bike to me. I will be happy to take this dust collecter!
07-02-12, 02:33 PM
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I'm not planning on a real authentic restoration anyway. Would just like to get it back on the road. It seems sad for it to just hang in the garage year after year.
07-02-12, 02:53 PM
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The other bike hanging in my garage. This one is less mysterious (although I am not sure exactly what year it is from, 72 maybe?):
07-02-12, 02:57 PM
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OK, now you are just messin' with us...