cudak888 

It's a rainy Memorial Day here, so I figured I'd look for projects to finish - and decided on a three-tier set of projects: Ream the seattubes on the "Velo Yellow" kids bikes, swap the Velo-Orange Porteur bars on my Birdy BD-1 back to flat bars to sell it (sick of it), and use those Porteur bars and a whole lot of random leftovers to build an upright bar, sportabout mutt around the 1975 Raleigh Professional Mk.IV frameset that I have kicking around here doing nothing.

The Pro Mk.IV has been sitting dormant as it really needs some seatpost binder repair and a repaint on the top tube - but the paint on the top tube isn't going to stop a build, and the binder isn't bad enough to prevent it from being used.

Hey, it's a lot more fun just to throw together and ride for once, right? (For those curious, I covered the Velo-Yellow job here).



I didn't have an English Nuovo Record headset on hand, so this beat up Italian one would have to do.

The Italian threads are close enough, after all. Pluis, the condition of the top nut is a match to the grungy frame. Couldn't find a washer until the last minute.



I've been keeping this crusty sprung Brooks B66 Champion Standard around for a while. Don't be fooled by the name - this is a much older incarnation of the Brooks Flyer: A B.17 with springs.

What better use for it than a on completely mad, slapdash build?





Onto the drivetrain. Again, making use of what I had, I dug out a beat Nuovo Record mech, my mismatched chainring Dura-Ace crankset, and a Suntour Superbe front derailer. I do have a Nuovo front derailr, but no binder bolt for it so the Superbe will have to do (and the Superbe/Cyclone/Cyclone M.II shift a darn sight better than the Nuovo anyway).



This 700C wheel has been with me since I picked up all the bikes that came with this Raleigh Professional - it's from a Raleigh Super Grand Prix. Or at least was put on it at one time. Normandy hub, replacement stainless spokes, don't remember if it is a Weinmann rim or not. Has a weird, curved drop center pattern to it.

The modern quick release is just crappy enough that I hate it. But hey, it truly is a parts bin build. Shifters are second-gen Record because I'm too lazy to swap the set off an oxidized Nuovo Gran Sport clamp.



...and this is right about the time that the build started to fall apart. A thunderstorm approached, and I realized I did not have a short enough stem - not one that didn't look like it came off a Wal-Mart bike, anyway - for the Velo-Orange bars.

That, and I need to dig up a 120mm axle for the other mis-matched 700C that's visible in the bottom left of the photo above. I also realized that while I have a nice and crusty rear nutted Nuovo Record caliper, I don't have one for the front. Bugger. Well, at least it looks like it'll look cool - though I must emphasize that I do not consider that awful stem in the picture below "cool."



Really looking forward to finding how Nuovo Record brake calipers feel using the modern 4-finger Nexus brake levers. High hopes.

-Kurt

Mad Honk 

Kurt,
Looks good so far. Lemme know what your missing, I have a bunch of hubs around here that are getting parted out, and scrapped when I can find a blind bore bearing removal tool. Hard little bugger to source. Smiles, Honk

cudak888 

This is what I'm missing:

• A 50-75mm quill stem with no rise, 22.2/25.4. I think a GB would be particularly suiting to it.
• A crusty, nutted Campagnolo Nuovo Record front brake caliper
• I think I'm going to risk the possibility of having the right spokes on hand, so perhaps a Normandy high-flange rear hub in 120mm? I have a Super Champion 700C rim I can lace, and I'd prefer it over the single-wall Weinmann that'd otherwise be used.
• Four or five feet of gray brake cable would be nice...
• This would defeat some of the "build it with what you've got" attitude - as I have a pair of Gatorskins here - but some skinwalls would offset the major trash-pile-fresh look this thing will have with blackwalls.

-Kurt

Mad Honk 

Kurt,
Only black and white cable housing on hand. NR brakes are made of Unobtainium! I don't have a Normandy but a sunshine that is Campy sized(63mm) and looks about the same as Campy. Normandy will be available when my co-op re-opens,and stem may be available then as well. No skin walled tires they have become difficult to source. I am about to send a note off to one of the principles of our co-op to see when I can get in, and order 36* Weinmann rims. I'll let you know. Smiles, MH

Pcampeau

The worst Raleigh Pro MKIV build for is better than the finest unused MKIV frame collecting dust, besides that you’ve got enough Dura ace, Superbe Pro, Nuovo Record, and Brooks to make this interesting. Can’t wait to see it completed!

Narhay

I tapped a helicoil into the seat binder for my pro.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...eat-lug-2.html

cudak888 

I've got both of those. Had just enough silver for the RD, which is ironic, seeing as I have a 13' long roll of the classic stainless stuff kicking around too; got it from the LBS a few months back.

Sunshine sounds interesting. Send me a pic. Don't mind the Weinmann rims, I'm not a fan. Super Champion Gentlemans are my usual go-to when I can find them. I used to use the old Rigida AL1320's because I didn't have a hard time finding them, but they're never straight. 40 years on, they're banana peel rims.

I hope so. My only regret is that this thing has no fender eyelets. Upright, swept-back bar bikes don't look right without fenders, and an English upright-bar bike without white Bluemels just seems wrong to me.

But hey, at least I didn't build an upright bar Pro with an IGH and no fenders. That'd be inexcusable for my personal tastes.

My sealug ears are rather smushed. I have some stainless rod here, and I just need someone to braze it in and ensure the paint doesn't get completely burnt off. That would fix the ears and only require paint on part of the rear triangle and the top of seat tube.

I know gugie would prefer to put on one of those Long Shen ear replacements on it...may go that route if I decide to un-trashify the Pro later on. We'll see.

-Kurt

scarlson 

I might have that hub. Let me look tomorrow. Ironically given to me by Mad Honk! All I needed was the freewheel that was on it.

cudak888 

10-4, let me know.

-Kurt

jyl

P clamps save the (fender) day again!

cudak888 

Thought of it, decided against it. I reeeeeealy hate the way P-clamps look.

-Kurt

scarlson 

It's a Maillard 700 high-flange with original foil label intact. Definitely English freewheel threading. Spacing is 122.5. If you want I can remove a washer or two to get it down to 120, buff it up on my polishing wheel, and send it your way. You just pay me for the shipping, it's under 13oz so can go first class. Yea or nay?

cudak888 

Wow. Mallard 700? Almost too nice for this crappy build! Do you think it'll space down to 120 without requiring the axle to be cut? DM on the way.

-Kurt

Mad Honk 

Kurt,
Here are pics of rear hub. If you want it I can polish the bearing races up to mirror finish and polish the outer shell to close to mirror finish. Should ride like Campy when finished. I pulled this one off an old Plantenga that I was riding with tubs. I replaced it with HF record hub, but I have had it riding the bench for a few years. Let me know and PM me addy. Smiles, MH

scarlson 

Ooh, I just did some measuring and it looks like it will be close. You have standard 7mm wide Campa drops? Also full disclosure, one of the flanges is slightly bent. Maybe this thing is a can of worms. I can still send it if you can use it. Maybe you are better off with Mad Honk's offering, however.

cudak888 

Bent high-flange? You're right - better to go for Mad Honk's Sunshine. Honk, will send a PM.

-Kurt

Mad Honk 

Well Kurt,
The clean up went fairly well. And pics are below. My co-op will be open on Saturday and I can look for a Normandy hub then. Looks like they need some help with repairing wheels, so they are asking for my help. And will get in to see some parts that are available. So the question is do I wait, and send you a Normandy hub that matches your front wheel, or send you this hub? Which can ship out tomorrow. Or wait and send you both after I can get one. Lots of questions on my part. Or am I over thinking it? Smiles, MH

cudak888 

That will work

DM sent.

-Kurt

cudak888 

The lovely gift of a Sunshine high flange rear hub arrived today, courtesy of Mad Honk. I started running calculations in EDD and the Sapim spoke calculator and came up with 292mm spokes for 3-cross...which I have 20 of.

Well, it so happens that I have 16 283mm spokes, and that's just what I'll need to do the non-drive-side in 2-cross. With any luck, I won't turn the flange into shrapnel as I would if I tried 0-cross.




-Kurt

cudak888 

Apparently, I can't count. 16 ≠ 18. At least I'm only down two spokes.

-Kurt

cudak888 

I've been so busy with the JUMP and Spin bike donations this weekend that I forgot to take pictures of this thing.

I might as well share a few updates for now:

1. Rear wheel is built. Got a great deal for a set of 18 291mm spokes on eBay, so I was able to build it with a proper 3-cross pattern on both sides. Mad Honk, the Sunshine hub looks unbelievable. The whole rear wheel looks amazing in comparison to the shed-fresh front.
2. I had an old IRC Roadwinner 28c for the front, and a folding Specialized Turbo 25C for the rear. Believe it or not, they match and hold pressure.
3. All I had for a freewheel was a ginormous SunTour which probably exceeds what the NR can wrap. I also have an NOS Atom (in a Schwinn wrapper) that's much closer range, but Atom freewheels equal chain skate in my book. I'd rather stick to the bottom 3 gears of a working freewheel, than put up with crap performance from the Atom in all gears.
4. The pulley cage spring on the NR RD is caked with crap and needs to be cleaned. Right now, it lets the chain sag.
5. I decided to throw the North Roads from the 1980 Raleigh Sports (which are narrower North Roads from a 1975 Sports, not actually original to the '80) on the Professional, complete with the Dia-Compe levers and late-1970's plastic Raleigh bullet grips. Same config and equipment from the Two Hour, Yard Sale Find, Raleigh International Build.
6. The single best thing of the Two Hour International build was how well the Record brake caliper worked with the basic Dia-Compe upright bar levers. I'm missing a front caliper to match (the one that I used in front on the International was later rebuilt into a rear brake). I don't mind how crusty it is, all I really want is another crusty Record front brake to match the rear. No pad holders necessary.
7. I need to know what's the best thing to put on that bare steel to prevent it from rusting, for now. I don't want anything that might make painting a bear later on.

-Kurt

Pars 

Curious. Raleigh Pros were std. 6 speed from at least 1973 (whatever mark they were then). Why do you need 120mm when the frame should be 126?

cudak888 

Now that's strange. This one is 120mm on the nose, measured with a caliper - and re-verified five minutes ago.

One thing that does stick out is that the seat stays are tweaked about 3mm to the left at the brake bridge, so someone could have done some hack-job cold setting back in the day. I don't necessarily buy into my own theory though, as the seatstays are tweaked after the dropouts, while the chainstays appear to be aligned based on the wheel dish. I'll put the frame alignment tool on it this week, and will also check to see if the dropouts are parallel with each other.

The odd thing is that I could swear that my other Mk.IV Pro - another '75 with a 3rd-party chrome job - is also 120mm. Not that I remember measuring it, but I remember finger-spreading the dropouts to accommodate a 126mm wheel in the back for storage, as it was all I had on hand.

-Kurt

Prowler 

Kurt, my August '76 Pro MK IV is spaced 126mm so has been wearing a 6 speed FW for ages. No worries. And I'm using the 28t sprocket just fine. IIRC the 76 was spec'd with a 6spd.

BTW: Northroad bars on a Raleigh Pro!😳 How will you get it to go out in public dressed like that? The poor old bike will WANT to wear a mask. And a shawl. And muck luck boots. Poor ole thing.....

cudak888 

I wonder if some racers made the odd decision to have their new Professionals respaced to 120 for use with their existing wheelsets. The possibility of getting two '75's like this, in the same city, from different bike shops, within weeks of each other...well...strikes me as odd.

It'll wear those North Roads proudly, because North Roads look good on anything. Show me a Raleigh Pro with flat bars, and I'll show you a bike that ought to be embarrassed.

-Kurt