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Raleigh Gran Sport

Old 05-23-17, 10:14 PM
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Raleigh Gran Sport

I have two matching Raleigh Gran Sport bicycles (a his & hers). We purchased these new in 1970 and (except for frame sizes) both bikes look like the attached pictured. They have been ridden very little and mostly just hung in our garage over the years. Aside from that, both are still in pretty impressive original condition. OK, I have wheel upgrades on mine but I did save the original wheels.

I took my bike into a local bike shop and just learned my fork has a couple cracks and not safe to ride on. Should I try to find a fork replacement so I can ride again or give these up to a collector? I would doubt I'll ever be able to find the exact part replacement today. Would the bike be worth more with a cracked original fork or worth more with a replacement fork that one can ride on?
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Old 05-24-17, 11:34 AM
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Originally Posted by 2222Beaver
Would the bike be worth more with a cracked original fork or worth more with a replacement fork that one can ride on?
Thread was caught in the machine, and has been approved. Also, we have moved this thread to our Classic & Vintage Appraisals forum.
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Old 05-24-17, 12:02 PM
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Originally Posted by 2222Beaver
I have two matching Raleigh Gran Sport bicycles (a his & hers). We purchased these new in 1970 and (except for frame sizes) both bikes look like the attached pictured. They have been ridden very little and mostly just hung in our garage over the years. Aside from that, both are still in pretty impressive original condition. OK, I have wheel upgrades on mine but I did save the original wheels.

I took my bike into a local bike shop and just learned my fork has a couple cracks and not safe to ride on. Should I try to find a fork replacement so I can ride again or give these up to a collector? I would doubt I'll ever be able to find the exact part replacement today. Would the bike be worth more with a cracked original fork or worth more with a replacement fork that one can ride on?
First of all, welcome to the C&V forum!

Second, the Gran(d) Sport(s) is a desirable bike - the lowest end Raleigh from that era to sport a full 531 DB tubeset. They have long "legs" (forks and stays) that allow for wider tires that many of us "C&V" riders like. Note that the parentheses that I put around the d and s are due to the fact that Raleigh kept renaming them over the years!

Finally, where are you located? By your handle, I'd guess Oregon. We have a lot of active members there, most centered around Portland, of course.

I've seen bikes that a shops have claimed had a crack in them but were only paint cracks. Can you post a picture of the crack? By all means don't ride it until and when you know it's ok.

At any rate, those bikes are right in our wheelhouse!
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Old 05-24-17, 12:19 PM
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I'd love to see photos of the cracks as well. I'd be surprised if they're real. Probably the shop wanted you to buy new bikes.
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Old 05-24-17, 03:47 PM
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Originally Posted by lostarchitect
I'd love to see photos of the cracks as well. I'd be surprised if they're real. Probably the shop wanted you to buy new bikes.
Same. I have had mine since 73 and have not babied it. Never heard of a fork cracking on a GS. Not that I am claiming any sort of encyclopedic knowledge, but the odds of two low mileage bikes with the same unlikely issue has my BS meter in the red zone. But by all means check it carefully before riding!
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Old 05-24-17, 09:23 PM
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I got a NOS Raleigh fork for a '73 Super Course for $39 on ebay. It was all chrome, but I had the upper half painted to match the frame. It rides beautifully. It has the original Raleigh 26 tpi thread. No brainer. Search ebay, they aren't hard to find.

The SC had cracks at the seatstay, seat tube junction, which I had repaired for $40, since I was repainting the frame anyway.

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Old 05-25-17, 11:54 AM
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Originally Posted by gugie
...where are you located? By your handle, I'd guess Oregon. We have a lot of active members there, most centered around Portland, of course.
I'm in Sammamish, WA. Bought the bikes from Gregg's Cycle on Green Lake. I found this site with a Google search.

Originally Posted by gugie
I've seen bikes that a shops have claimed had a crack in them but were only paint cracks. Can you post a picture of the crack? By all means don't ride it until and when you know it's ok.
Unfortunately, the bike is in shop in Issaquah waiting for a new fork replacement. When I get it back next week, I'll take some photos of my two bikes as well as the "cracked" fork.

I should mention that back in the 70's I tried to drive into our garage with my bike on top of the car. That bent the fork and at the time, Gregg's just straightened it out for me. The only thing I recall seeing is a bit of the chrome peeled off the two fork tines where it was bent and straightened. Admittedly, I never looked for cracks. However, I've been riding the bike off & on over the years, even was rear ended by a car at a Ferry terminal (but that's another story). The bike always seemed OK but I thought I'd get a second opinion before venturing out on it again. Maybe being just a bit older I've gotten a bit smarter (LOL)

Originally Posted by Slightspeed
I got a NOS Raleigh fork for a '73 Super Course for $39 on ebay. It was all chrome, but I had the upper half painted to match the frame. It rides beautifully. It has the original Raleigh 26 tpi thread. No brainer. Search ebay, they aren't hard to find.
I did check ebay and nothing there presently. But I'll keep checking. In the mean time, the Issaquah bike shop only wanted $50 for a new fork and with that, I can ride (with peace of mind) until I can find a similar part.
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Old 05-25-17, 11:59 AM
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Originally Posted by 2222Beaver
I'm in Sammamish, WA. Bought the bikes from Gregg's Cycle on Green Lake. I found this site with a Google search.


Unfortunately, the bike is in shop in Issaquah waiting for a new fork replacement. When I get it back next week, I'll take some photos of my two bikes as well as the "cracked" fork.

I should mention that back in the 70's I tried to drive into our garage with my bike on top of the car. That bent the fork and at the time, Gregg's just straightened it out for me. The only thing I recall seeing is a bit of the chrome peeled off the two fork tines where it was bent and straightened. Admittedly, I never looked for cracks. However, I've been riding the bike off & on over the years, even was rear ended by a car at a Ferry terminal (but that's another story). The bike always seemed OK but I thought I'd get a second opinion before venturing out on it again. Maybe being just a bit older I've gotten a bit smarter (LOL)


I did check ebay and nothing there presently. But I'll keep checking. In the mean time, the Issaquah bike shop only wanted $50 for a new fork and with that, I can ride (with peace of mind) until I can find a similar part.
@northbend is not too far from you, some other Washingtonians as well. Will wait for the photos.
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Old 06-14-17, 09:36 AM
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Originally Posted by gugie
Will wait for the photos.
I finally got my bike back. Pulling our other Gran Sport out of the garage, we took some pictures of the two bikes together.
"ttps://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4275/35265076596_32c073f46a_m.jpg"

My bike now has a new chrome molly fork. At some point in past years I also changed out the wheels and derailleur & shifters from the original. The smaller bike is still all original though.

I also captured a picture of the reported unsafe "cracked" fork. But from what I see, I think it is only the chrome plating on the fork that is cracked (approx. 1" above the area the plating has totally flaked off).
"ttps://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4233/35175618841_98801cf25e_m.jpg"

I am too new to this forum to include URL links. So you'll need to paste the above paths between quotes preceded by the letter "h" to view pictures.

The portion where the chrome has flaked off has been that way since the fork had been initially damaged and repaired at Gregg's cycle in Green Lake (mid 70's). The bike has been ridden in that condition ever since. But, if metal was bent and bent back, can 531 steel survive that? Let me know what you think after looking at the pictures.
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Old 06-14-17, 12:04 PM
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Linked photos are too small to see anything. I think you linked to the thumbnails, not the main photo.
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Old 06-18-17, 10:44 PM
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Originally Posted by lostarchitect
Linked photos are too small ... I think you linked to the thumbnails
You're correct. The links to the original size photos are:
ttps://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4275/35265076596_f35db83cdb_o.jpg AND
ttps://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4233/35175618841_76e057184a_o.jpg
Again, you'll have to add the "h" to the beginning of these strings to access the photos. Also, I'm not sure the quality from my cell phone is so hot. The fork appears a bit fuzzy to me. I'll try to get a better camera on the fork so you'll be able to see the detail. Sorry about that.

Also, a recent Google search turned up a number of vintage Raleigh forks under $75 that could work with my bike. Is it necessary to add this to the bike to "restore" it fully should the "cracked" fork be scraped?
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Old 06-19-17, 05:04 AM
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Fork cracked while sitting around? HIGHLY unlikely...
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Old 06-19-17, 08:58 AM
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Originally Posted by daf1009
Fork cracked while sitting around?
Bike was on a roof rack while I tried to drive into the garage. This was 40 plus years ago. While the wheel rim was destroyed, the fork was bent backwards. A bike shop bent it back into proper alignment at that time and installed a new wheel. Portions of the chrome plating on the tines flaked off also with that repair. Chances are the other cracks in the platting occurred then too.

I've ridden the bike on and off (mostly off) ever since. I never thought the fork was a problem (or cracked) until this recent trip to the bike shop. They were rather adamant that I should replace a "cracked" fork to avoid a failure that would send me flying.

I do not believe there were ever any cracks in the 531 tubing, but it had been bent, then bent back. The question is just how flexible is 521 tubing?

Last edited by 2222Beaver; 06-19-17 at 12:11 PM. Reason: grammar, clarification
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Old 06-06-20, 10:29 PM
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I was on my 21.5" raleigh grand prix (1972) when I drove straight into the back of a parked car - the trunk. I was coming home from summer swim practice dead tired and looking too much at the ground!

Every steel fork can typically be straightened ONCE, and the shop straightened mine, which had been pushed back maybe 1/2" - 1" at the tips. The chrome will wrinkle and/or flake off, the paint will wrinkle and flake off, etc. No big deal. When I wiped out a second time, 4 years later, after riding every single day, I was taking a very sharp turn at 20 mph on a curvy sidewalk and in the accident my fork bent AGAIN at which point I got it replaced with a chrome replacement fork.

Chances are good that your fork is actually okay, it's just that flexion in that area and displacement from the original bend has caused the chrome to crack. If you can do some kind of a dye penetration test (not exactly sure if it's possible or not) I think you'll find that the tubes are still intact in that area. If your fork has ventilation holes you can maybe squirt some non-rust-inducing fluid (perhaps kerosene dyed with food coloring?) Also note that the location where you have outlined, that top side of the fork is under COMPRESSION and would likely not fail, it's more worrisome if you can find cracks on the back-side or lower-side of the fork, because that's the part that is under heavy stretching when you mount the bicycle.

531 tubing is SO STRONG that the fork is usually 100% intact and straight whereas the FRAMESET bends in a head-on collision, right behind the head lugs and the downtube lugs. A 531 fork is mighty strong! I have two framesets of this type (gran sport, international), where the frame tubing bent and the forks were fine! Here is the international where the frame bent near the steerer, after straightening and repainting :

https://www.ece.ubc.ca/~gillies/ralei...l/p7300048.jpg

If you are thinking of getting rid of the fork, please sell it to me as I am restoring an international and those vagner crowns are really difficult to find. I can have a frame builder grind out the tubes and install new imperial oval tubes and campagnolo dropouts to match my new raleigh international restoration project. I'm at gillies@ece.ubc.ca.

- Don Gillies
Palo Alto, CA, USA

Last edited by systemBuilder; 06-06-20 at 10:38 PM.
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