FrkYrPrk

Found this on CL - It's a franken bike with a Peugeot fork. So far all I can make out of the serial number is G1104, stamped on the bottom bracket. What have I got here?

howsteepisit

Looks like the front end is severely damaged- there is now way that head tube has a reasonable angle. No go except for parts.

rustystrings61 

I think some of the head tube issues are camera perspective. I am not so certain the head and seat tube angles were parallel to start with. If it is bent but isn't too bad I would say see if someone within relatively easy distance has access to a Park HTS1 head tube straightening tool and try that. It's a c.1971 first year Raleigh Competition and someone put a nice 50.4 bcd Nervar crankset on it. Worth saving if possible, even with having to replace the headset and fork. Were these ever even catalogued? The only rarer variant are the Competitions (so marked and equipped) that were lagoon blue and white like a Gran(d) Sport(s).

rustystrings61 

Go look at the last page of the Your Catch of the Day/saved from the dump and compare the same frame and color with this and factor in camera perspective. And if you find it bent and buy it for parts, don't scrap the frame without contacting me, how's that?

Bianchigirll 

I agree that HT does look steep. Frankly unless it has a CampI crank, which I doubt judging from the BB, and is under $100 I would pass.

zukahn1 

I would say only $75 for parts is the most you could go on this one. Looking at the pics everything on it will be a bit off a toss up until you take it apart and check everything. Myself I would pass miss heavily matched frame and fork even if not damgaed that fork is the wrong rake and size for that frame, and the parts look somewhat beat.

ramzilla

Way too big for most riders.

big chainring 

I think we have lots of camera and factual distortion here. I owned a '69 Competition so its not first year. I have a '71 lilac Competition now and it came with the same Nervar crank. And there are tall people who find 25" frames desirable.

FrkYrPrk

Thanks everyone for their replies.
I bought the bike for $80 with the intent of salvaging parts for my SC MkII project, plus $10 for a 27" rear wheel with a Shimano 6 speed freewheel and French rim.
The seller bought the bike as shown with the intention of doing a resto-mod, then lost interest. We discussed the steep head tube angle, but an examination of the lugs didn't yield a clue about prior damage. He said it was too twitchy for him.
I pumped up the tires, dropped the seat a couple inches and rode it briefly last night. The fixie seat is not to my liking, nor are the short cranks and stock pedals. The balance of the ride was OK. We shall see what the rest of the teardown reveals.

Rustystrings61 - If I decide to part with the frame, you have first rights

FrkYrPrk

Ah, but most frames are way too SMALL for me. I can handle the stand over on this frame, that's why I bought it.

exxongraftek

Possible custom order would explain wonky angles. Lots of people were questioning 73/73 frame angles in this time period.

rustystrings61 

[QUOTE=big chainring;19557954]I think we have lots of camera and factual distortion here. I owned a '69 Competition so its not first year. I have a '71 lilac Competition now and it came with the same Nervar crank. And there are tall people who find 25" frames desirable.[/Q

I had completely forgotten about the earlier ones with chromed Nervex lugs! Glad this one was saved, though, and wondering what an actual measurement of the frame angles would reveal!

howsteepisit

I don't recall the competition being custom available. Be cool if they were. For sure the Peugeot fork would make the handling weird. But I still think its been in a front end accident.

FrkYrPrk

[QUOTE=rustystrings61;19559048]I got the bike torn down, I will post more pictures soon. Without the fork & handlebars, the head tube angle looks closer to normal. There might be a slight dimple below the top tube lug. Other than that, I don't see or feel any dents in any tubes

howsteepisit

We need to see a picture from side view but far enough away to not induce any angular distortion.

FrkYrPrk

On the stand with top tube level - the iphone says the seat tube is 72 degrees and the head tube is 77 degrees

howsteepisit

Would certainly suggest damage to me. 77 is far too steep for a road bike, and I cannot recall any non-custom product with that steep of head tube angle. Also explains the Peugeot fork. The original fork probably looks like a curly q.

Senior Ryder 00 

Hello,

I had a 70 or 71 Competition in that same color scheme. Also, a large frame, 24.5. Way too big for me, but as it was my first good bike, I rode the hell out of it until I could get the correct size frame. As I recall, it had a steep head tube, ~74 deg. The one pictured is got to be wonked if it measures 77. Out of sentiment, I'd probably buy it if the price was reasonable.

Cheers,

Van

big chainring 

Can you take a close up picture of the headtube and lugs. I just gotta know whats up with this frame.

JReade

+1 and straight edge on the tubes, I ride big frames and that looks so steep.

FrkYrPrk

Measurements off the the string: NDS is 0.16" farther out than the DS.
I'm going to the local co-op Sunday to pop the bearing races off and see what they have for frame tools

lostarchitect 

I feel like I have seen these before with a really steep head tube. I don't see anything indicating a bend there. I wonder if it's something they did on the larger frames to keep the wheelbase from being too long.