Slightspeed

Beautiful job on the black SC. I have the dark green SC a couple of posts up. Mine was too far gone to salvage paint (originally copper color like yours) too, but at least the previous guy's spray paint (pea green) saved the chrome, which was in good shape. I'm curious how much the powder coat cost. I paid $450 for some frame brazing repair, automotive paint, decals and clear coat.

noglider 

Maybe oversteer isn't the right term, but old Raleighs have what I call floppy steering. At low speeds, the front wheel turns with little effort. It's comfortable at low speeds, but it is a little less confidence inspiring at high speeds in tight corners than other designs.

Prowler 

Are youse guys actually talking about 'trail'? My low trail (~30mm) free spirit behaves as @noglider describes. Other longer trail bikes (~45 or more) are the opposite - more input needed at low speed but much more serene at high speeds.

Granted, I'm still exploring the trail trail. Trying to understand the numbers and their effects. Still puzzling out the idea of "neutral".

tiredhands 

Yeah, I'd say it was a little floppy, and it was accentuated by the upright riding position and the width of the flat bars. Cornering at high speed gave the slight feeling, either real or imagined, that the front wheel was being pulled in the direction it was turned. So maybe "oversteer" is the wrong word. It responded well to aggressive leaning through corners, though, which I might also attribute to the trail.

noglider 

Now that you mention it, my Super Course was floppier when I had upright bars on it. I guess leaning on the handlebars keeps it straight more easily.

Slightspeed

I just finished restoring my '73 SC, including new headset bearings. The front is nice and tight, and the bike is as stable at speed as any bike I have ever ridden. I have a modern carbon bike with high section carbon rims that is way more sensitive, especially in the wind. I was suprised that I took a recent downhill with sweeping curves with absolutely no drama. I checked the Garmin later and found that I was doing 33 mph on the old Raleigh. I did replace the fork with a NOS Rampar steel Ebay find. I am loving the old SC

beicster 

I have a fantastic wife who brought home a mostly complete 79 Raleigh Super Course and a box full of parts from a yard sale on Saturday (pics later). Unfortunately, the seat post was missing a few parts so I have to wait for a new one to come. The incomplete seat post fits perfectly and is marked 26.4. There is a seat post in the parts box that is marked 26.6. It is too big. But, the 79 catalog shows that the seat post should be 26.8. Anybody know for sure what the seat post size should be?

as50x20 

This is in South Florida. The chrome was EATEN ALIVE. I wish I could have saved it. The bike itself is a very nice rider, and will be much better when I learn to adjust the center pull brakes correctly.

as50x20 

The powder coating was $125.00, which is fairly common here in South Florida.

PilotFishBob 

A trick I use for setting up centerpulls is, with the wheels on the bike, use a long (or two medium) nylon tie-wraps to pull the pads against the rims - firmly but not too tight. Then I use a pair of locking pliers to pull the brake cable down in the straddle and cinch the bolt down. Cutting the tie wrap and squeezing the lever once usually givesf me about 1/8 inch clearance from pads to rim on either side. If a bit too tight I take off the wheel, hold the pads by hand and loosen the bolt just a bit and my grip very slightly to allow the cable to pull up. Almost always have it right by then.

YMMV, and no doubt other forum members have better tricks of their own. It's a bit of an art.

Narhay

My 74 was a 26.4. Check that the seat tube isn't pinched together if the 26.6 is supposed to fit but doesn't.

beicster 

The seat tube does not looked pinched. I am guessing that it is a mistake in the catalog and that 26.4 is correct. The seat post that is missing a piece has Raleigh etched into it so I bet it is original.

jeirvine 

I just clamp the pads to the rim with one of these. Tighten the cable clamp, and done.

beicster 

Is there any consensus on the BCD of the Raleigh branded SR cranksets on late 70's Super Courses? I like the looks but 52/42 is useless to me in the mountains. If it is 118, I will just look for a replacement. Those rings are too hard to find.

beicster 

Just gotta through the work day today and then I am on vacation. First on my agenda, get the 79 Super Course my wife snagged for me and the 82 Trek 61x i snagged from ebay roadworthy so I can get out and ride them. I can't wait to get them out for a road test.

beicster 

Finally! Got my Trek and my Super Course built up. I posted a few pics of the Trek in the Show us your Trek thread.

A couple of weekends ago I was mowing and when I took a break I noticed a voice mail from my wife telling something about some bike parts she found at a moving sale. I called her back, and being the fine human being she is, she had already bought everything. It included this 79 Super Course in the lot. It needed new cables, a new seat post and to have the brakes mounted. Otherwise, it was complete.

I ended up switching out the handlebars and stem with the mustache bars and Nitto Dirt Drop stem you can see in the pics. I also switched out the crank set while I wait for a 40 tooth ring to replace the 42 on the Raleigh branded OEM set. The fenders are some Velo Orange that have been a few different bikes over the years. I will probably replace those with something else. I think I am going to make it my commuter, grocery getter and bad weather rider.

Looking forward to getting to know this bike. Not sure what it will end up being but I am very tempted to convert it to 650b.

I'll try to get some better pics later. Right as I started to take pictures my wife pulled up with some new furniture I needed to help unload.

image by Andy Beichler, on Flickr

image by Andy Beichler, on Flickr

wallythewhale

Generally speaking, how much would an '85 Super Course RacingUSA cost in good condition?

Real1shepherd

About the only models that have predictable pricing are the Competition GS, the International and all the SBDU variants....especially the latter. Everything else down from the Competition GS's are widely variable in price....a lot depending on locale and originality. When Raleigh quit making the frames in England, prices go down. There were Raleigh's made in the US too under license...some love them, some hate them, but everyone generally agrees that the golden yrs for Raliegh were from the early 70's to the early 80's. SBDU bikes made in that range ruled the world in the sport of professional bike racing......every Euro team wanted them. They were possibly the best steel framed racing bikes ever made.

So in answer to your question, whatever you can get/or have to pay. Original, low mileage, unmolested bikes bring the most, of course. A lot of these bikes have been torn down to make fixies....their numbers are dwindling for original units.

Kevin

capnjonny 

I just pulled a Raleigh Supercourse mixte out of the pile at the bike Exchange for some love and I need some advice.

Super course Mixte
Serial no. on bottom bracket UC 6126
Size - seat tube 55 cm
Crank- Raleigh SR 52-40
Freewheel 14-28 Suntour Pro comp

Rims Super Champion
Hubs Miche Compition
Spokes HD Galvanized

Rear derailleur Suntour V Gt luxe
front Suntour NSL

Weinman Center pull brakes
Sr stem
Narrow riser bars
Mafac levers

Paint color Root beer brown

First off , Anyone know what the year might be.

I stripped the bike down to the frame and inspected it .

The paint is in rough shape with just a corner of the Reynolds decal and a small script "super course " on the twin upper frame tubes .

The big question

Looking down on the frame from behind the right side (drive side ) mid seat stay is bent outward by 5 mm in the center (determined by placing a straight edge on the inside of the stay ) I can find no dents or cracks on the frame and just that stay is bent. I might be able to straighten it by clamping a block on each side and tightening the clamps or something similar.

Is this bend enough to trash the frame? Will straightening it (no heat used ) weaken it ?

Any suggestions?

This is a very large frame and I really want to get it back on the road. All the other mixte's that come in are 48 or 50 cm and too small for tall people to ride.

Lascauxcaveman 

Hi-ten or cro-mo, that steel should be forgiving enough to bend it back. I'd say your plan is solid. Couple of 2x4s or similar, with shims in the right places to bend it the right way, and that should work pretty well. Keep in mind you have over-bend it to make it straight, as steel will spring back a bit once you loose the tension; but you probably knew that already.

grayEZrider

My average speed is faster on my SC but the degree of flex (EVERYWHERE) approaching 30 mph keeps me nervous. I can confidently break 30 on my other 80s steel road bikes (Trek 614 and a Nishiki Landau. Bear in mind this is going down the mountain (after all I'm 66).
ps- can't get a pic to load- will try again

noglider 

@grayEZrider, I take my SC on fast descents, and it's good. Maybe yours is one of those that shouldn't have passed QC, which as we know, Raleigh didn't have.

grayEZrider

noglider;
Could be. My SC is the "screwed and glued" technium alum. It also lacks the rake my steel bikes have. Do you think going to a larger tire than the 20c would help any?

ryansu

Last year I worked on a project for a friend who was the second owner of the 1969 Super course, after getting used as a commuter in the 70s it got hung up in the basement for 20+ years until he asked me if I could refurb it for him.

We started out with a dusty old 10 speed road bike, dry rotted tires, dried out brooks saddle, the usual
[IMG]Super course beginning by Ryan Surface, on Flickr[/IMG]

I tore it down to the frame
[IMG]Super course middle by Ryan Surface, on Flickr[/IMG]

And it got built back up as the "Sophisticated Gentleman's Upright City bike"
[IMG]Super course finished by Ryan Surface, on Flickr[/IMG]

noglider 

@grayEZrider, I don't know anything about the screwed and glued frames. I don't know if wider tires will help, but they can't hurt. Narrow tires can make for a wiley ride.