HPL

Picked up this bike for use as my "rat rod" road/cross machine. I wasn't happy with the abuse I was doling out to the '85 Batavus so when I saw this it seemed worth while to get. No idea as to the model or year. No braze-ons except the chainstay cable stop. Labelled with Campy decals; Nuovo Gran/Triomphe (?) drivetrain except Shimano RD/hub on a replacement wheel. O.E. wheel is Weinmann concave rim with Camp Tipo hub. Specialized Bars/stem not O.E. (threadless stem with steerer tube 1" adapter used). Campy post/27.2mm. Campy headset and dropouts front and rear. Hatta BB. Weinmann 605 calipers, Dia Compe levers. Tubing unknown. Prior owner punched a couple holes in the seat tube for bottle cage. If it handles 30-32mm tires I'm set. Any knowledge as to model and year would be appreciated. Interesting lugs. I couldn't find an example, and I don't believe it's an Allez or Sequoia.

Hudson308 

Looks an awful lot like my '79 Raleigh Competition GS. Campy dropouts? Are there any head badge holes? What does the fork crown look like? Serial number format?

shoota 

That's not a Specialized. Someone spray painted a nice-ish mid-70s (or earlier?) bike and decaled it as a Specialized.

merziac

^ Agreed, no Big S or Raleigh, those lug cutouts are pretty distinct, don't think I've ever seen them on one.

Doh!, guess I haven't been paying attention, sure does look like a Competition, my bad.

cudak888 

Beat me to the punch.

-Kurt

P!N20

Those bottle mount screws

2cam16

Good Lord, it looks like the previous just screwed them straight in!

RiddleOfSteel

^^^^ My exact reaction. Yikes!!

repechage

Calling for a rivnut tool and rivnuts...

Wow, spoofing a Specialized.... and lets apply some "Campagnolo" graphics...

The handlebar center section looks pretty big... my guess it had a "threadless" adapter and threadless stem.

replacing those missing chainring bolts might be a trick too.

HPL

Thanks for the quick clarification. I forgot to put the requisite "?" in the header as most of what I find are complete mysteries to me, and even more so from the folks I've obtained them from.

Kurt, checked out your site and pretty much now ID as what "Hudson" said. Looks to be '78, '79, or '80 based on dropouts (Campy), lugs (Bocama Pro series), components (Campy Gran/Nuovo Gran Sport; Weinmann 605 brakes and A124 concave rims), and braze-ons or lack thereof. Bar and stem were modernized with an adaptor for threadless set up. Small chain ring is toast, appears to have been ridden with loose/missing hardware. Definitely a hack job on the "very loose fitting" sheet metal screws for the cage mount. I need to take a closer look at the fork crown and verify the serial number. Also need to see what is under the paint since it should have chrome "socks" front and rear. Tubing is 531 DB if it is indeed the presumed model. Looks like I stumbled onto another decent frame, better than I thought; maybe it won't end up as the "rat rod" after all. Bike actually probably looked pretty decent after previous rebuild with the new paint (decent quality) and decals; just beat up now.

Thanks again to all for your comments and insight!

HPL

So after further investigation, it appears to have all of the features of the '78, '79 models. I could not find the '80 catalogue for comparison; the '81 is essentially the same but from the photos it appears that the shifters are braze-on not clamp-on. "Hudson's" Raleigh ('79) shows braze-on shifters also, although it appears to have clamp-on per the catalog photo. Another twist, the serial number is 7 digits not 6: WM0002011, Worksop, September, ?1980. The crank date code is: <7> , 1977; hub nuts on front OE wheel: '79 & '80. Finally the last curveball; there is no chrome on fork or stays as spec'd for all the years I saw. Given the consistency of some items, and the odd range of date codes; I'm with 1979/1980. I'd love to see an authentic '80 frame to determine the accuracy, but at least we're well within the ballpark now. Fork appears to be the same as "Hudson's" design, I guess Vagner (DL) crown lug. Frame measures 21" c-c, 21.5 c-t. I guess Raleigh measures to the top since their smallest frame is 21.5"; this turns out to be a 53.3cm frame (c-c), which for the smallest frame doesn't give much respect to those under 5' 10" or so (me 5'7", ride 51-52cm normally), but I ride up to 60cm without a problem (a back problem). Rode 57cm for 30 years, so size is fine. Happy to have stumbled upon a 531 frame, seems to be a habit; ID'd another 531 frame last week as a '74/'75 Motobecane Grand Record, but a 62cm; not my cup of tea regardless of how limber I am.

HPL

I did find two badge holes about 1/3 the way up from the tube aligned horizontally, one nearly indiscernible with the paint fill. I assume that the top center hole is also filled with paint.

Kurt,

Is the "S" stamped onto the BB shell related to frame size or is there some other significance to it? I saw an example in your "Serial Number Chart" reference, but there is no mention of it accompanying the photo. Also, is the 7 digit serial number an anomaly, or was it fairly common during the use of the "Standardized" format?
Another query; is there a means of providing a monetary donation on your site? Now having unknowingly increased my Raleigh inventory ('72 Professional, '78-'80 Competition GS, 2 Sports, 2 Sprites, Royal Scot sports, 2 late '30s/early '40s Tourist/roadster), I've been utilizing your site fairly regularly. I'd be happy to contribute $ to your cause, as well as any photographic data you want. My examples often seem to be a little different than those provided by catalogue examples (as it now appears with the Comp. GS). I greatly appreciate your efforts. Due to my ignorance in most things cycling, I've been trying to educate myself and in doing so I am amassing any photographic examples (actual units, catalog/service manual/ads) of the Sturmey-Archer "Dynohub" through the years. I've not been able to find an example of the unit on my bike so in researching I am chronologically detailing the physical differences between actual units installed and bike brand catalogues/actual S-A literature. The S-A heritage site is still somewhat lacking in good "real world" photographic examples with specific years of use.

Thanks again!

cudak888 

It's been so long since I've broached that chart (and so much that others have unearthed since) that it'll probably teach me more than I'll make any decent explanation of it. Plus, there's better info out now, and I have to touch base with those who have it so as to update the chart* with proper data.

But in answer to your question, the S may be a manufacturing stamp from when the BB shell was created. If it has any greater meaning, I'm not aware of it. Also, the reference to "six digits" may be a typo - both of the examples in the picture have seven digits, so I don't know where that reference to six came from in the first place.

As for support, I do have a donation link on my newer Bike Share Museum site, and could do something like that on The Headbadge - or a Patreon if you like that format. I have a personal aversion to this type of support though (even though it could help a bit with the yearly hosting costs) so I don't really advertise it.

Incidentally, if I ever get the new Headbadge site sorted out (I'm presently sitting on my butt buying a plugin that I need to run the automated registry systems), I'll see to it that the chart is updated.

I've also been considering using that same plugin to run a new, public version of the crowdsourced Raleigh serial number database too (not including those who I promised confidentiality when I made my original Excel file, of course), so anyone who wishes to submit their bike and serial for public research can do so as well. I can probably set it up so there can be moderated discussion on these particular serials too, in the event there's an outlier or one that seems to be out of place given the owner's input.

-Kurt

HPL

Thank you, I thought the photos were of odd examples with seven digits; one showing the "S" marking. At least that's one thing resolved. Looks like the frame date works with the hub dates, I have never run into an original part date that was 3 years earlier than the frame. Those cranks must have fallen behind the workbench.

I just for the first time visited the Bike Share Museum site. I have no problem making a contribution there; your efforts have saved me time, some compensation is well deserved.

Sad bike share story: I found an abandoned bike that turned out to be a "Zagster" share/rental bike, I don't know the bike make. It was partially stripped, no wheels, no saddle, one crank arm. I brought it to the local police station and they weren't interested in an obviously stolen bike, and told me I could do whatever I wanted; keep, trash, etc. I got in touch with the "Zagster" people and they didn't seem to be aware of, or care about their own property. It's still with me awaiting some future life, as a gift/donation bike.

cudak888 

Glad that the site was able to help, and thanks for alerting me of that "S" marking - I'll keep it in the back of my mind too.

Those three-arm Nuovo Gran Sport cranks don't really seem to be plentiful out there, which brings up a question as to how popular they were. Could be that Campagnolo gave Raleigh a sweet deal on those cranks as they were sitting on the shelf too long.

PM me about the Zagster. I'm crazy enough to have that thing shipped over and rebuild it...

-Kurt