Raleigh Competition
04-08-05, 01:12 PM
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Raleigh Competition
Hi There.
This is my first attempt at this sort of thing, be gentle.
I aquired an old Raleigh Competition from the side of the road and am fixing it up.
I estimate that it is 25 - 30 years old. It is a 27" wheel size with sew on tires. The frame is painted black with tan trim. The size of this beast is 24 1/2 " from the center of the bottom bracket to the top of the seat post. (the thing is HUGE!!). The frame is of Reynolds 501 alloy along with the forks and stays. It has a serial #G9004 on thr lower side of the bottom bracket. All of the deraillers are market Huret.
The bike is in generally good shape and is taking only basic maintainance items to fix-up. The sew on tires even hold air.
If any one has any information about this bike I would really apreciate the help. I'm just curious about the age, or any historical tid-bits they may have.
Thanks, roghill
This is my first attempt at this sort of thing, be gentle.
I aquired an old Raleigh Competition from the side of the road and am fixing it up.
I estimate that it is 25 - 30 years old. It is a 27" wheel size with sew on tires. The frame is painted black with tan trim. The size of this beast is 24 1/2 " from the center of the bottom bracket to the top of the seat post. (the thing is HUGE!!). The frame is of Reynolds 501 alloy along with the forks and stays. It has a serial #G9004 on thr lower side of the bottom bracket. All of the deraillers are market Huret.
The bike is in generally good shape and is taking only basic maintainance items to fix-up. The sew on tires even hold air.
If any one has any information about this bike I would really apreciate the help. I'm just curious about the age, or any historical tid-bits they may have.
Thanks, roghill
04-08-05, 01:49 PM
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I quite seriously doubt the frame is 501. More likely 531 with the 3 worn out of the decal. Your frame is a Carlton, made in 1972 (that's what the G is for). The Competition was one of the top bikes in the Raleigh line-up. Below the Profesisonal and International. You can compare the components to what's listed in the specifications here - https://www.retroraleighs.com/catalog...talog-1972.pdf to see what's original, and what's not. Don't take the specs as complete gospel though. Raleigh is well known for their bikes being a bit different from what got printed in the catalog.
Nice find...
Nice find...
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04-08-05, 02:06 PM
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See it's already weird. No Competition in the 1972 catalog. See the 1973 catalog. https://www.retroraleighs.com/catalog...talog-1973.pdf
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04-08-05, 02:16 PM
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hello
The only thing I can add to this thread is that I bought a Raleigh Competition brand new back in 1973 at my LBS for $325.
04-08-05, 02:39 PM
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Side of the road!? I hate you already. 
Well, hang on to your hat; anything the Carlton crew laid hands on in those days can be tough to get a specific date on. I've got a '72 Grand prix with a BB spindle that reads '2-73', and a crankset that should be on a '73 Super Course, and a '68 Grand Prix with an original paint job unmentioned in any catalog. Apparently the guys on the assembly line didn't spend a lot of time reading catalog specs.
But who cares? It's a trivial irritation. You found a great old bike and you're gonna love it.
Well, hang on to your hat; anything the Carlton crew laid hands on in those days can be tough to get a specific date on. I've got a '72 Grand prix with a BB spindle that reads '2-73', and a crankset that should be on a '73 Super Course, and a '68 Grand Prix with an original paint job unmentioned in any catalog. Apparently the guys on the assembly line didn't spend a lot of time reading catalog specs.
But who cares? It's a trivial irritation. You found a great old bike and you're gonna love it.
04-08-05, 03:04 PM
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Originally Posted by mswantak
Side of the road!? I hate you already.
Well, hang on to your hat; anything the Carlton crew laid hands on in those days can be tough to get a specific date on. I've got a '72 Grand prix with a BB spindle that reads '2-73', and a crankset that should be on a '73 Super Course, and a '68 Grand Prix with an original paint job unmentioned in any catalog. Apparently the guys on the assembly line didn't spend a lot of time reading catalog specs.
But who cares? It's a trivial irritation. You found a great old bike and you're gonna love it.
Well, hang on to your hat; anything the Carlton crew laid hands on in those days can be tough to get a specific date on. I've got a '72 Grand prix with a BB spindle that reads '2-73', and a crankset that should be on a '73 Super Course, and a '68 Grand Prix with an original paint job unmentioned in any catalog. Apparently the guys on the assembly line didn't spend a lot of time reading catalog specs.
But who cares? It's a trivial irritation. You found a great old bike and you're gonna love it.
Maybe, we're only getting part of the story..the part where, only an hour earlier, the guys in the back of his pickup turned that 2 x 4 out to the side to bump that tall guy off his bike. Shortly after the ambulance sirens faded, they went back down the road and guess what? There's a bike just sitting there... 
How's that for a truly suspicious and overactive imagination?
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04-08-05, 07:25 PM
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Originally Posted by mswantak
John, you've got too much time on your hands today.
Hey! You've been posting more than I have today. Aren't you supposed to be painting a bicycle or something?
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04-08-05, 08:07 PM
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Hey Zorro,
Alright, you guys caught me. The real story is as follows :
My wife actually brought the bike home for me. And she told me it wasn't a 2 X 4 it was a refrigerator.
(she tosses them for fun.) Around here she's called "Fridge Chucker" (just not to her face)
The former owner must have been about 6' 8" tall. The seat comes up to my rib cage.
All seriousness aside, thanks for the tips. I will check out the web site and see what I can find.
Thanks again Roghill
Alright, you guys caught me. The real story is as follows :
My wife actually brought the bike home for me. And she told me it wasn't a 2 X 4 it was a refrigerator.
(she tosses them for fun.) Around here she's called "Fridge Chucker" (just not to her face)
The former owner must have been about 6' 8" tall. The seat comes up to my rib cage.
All seriousness aside, thanks for the tips. I will check out the web site and see what I can find.
Thanks again Roghill
04-08-05, 08:27 PM
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That bike is essentially a Raleigh Professional frame (different lugs though) with nice, but not as nice stuff on it (I'm living dangerously by following the catalog). If you end up selling off the parts, you could go e-bay, or possibly ingratiate yourself to some people here. 
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07-08-05, 12:59 PM
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My Raleigh Carlton Competition was purchased in 1971. 24 1/2" 531 frame, Zeus crankset (Spanish Campy knock-off), Simplex shifters, sew-ups w/ wide flange hubs. I still ride it. Original paint and decals. Now equipped with clinchers, Campy hubs, Sun Tour shifters, Sugino triple, Campy seat post, Brooks Pro saddle. The bike still looks good and rides good.
