Dave76

Hiya everyone,
There's a TI Raleigh for sale near where I live and I'd like to go and have a look but I thought i might ask around and try and get a few opinions on it before I do.
I'm not a specialist but i know there have been a few replicas of this model over the years so can any one see any obvious issues with it from these three photos?
Thanks for your help

verktyg 

From the mid 70's into the early 80's Raleigh produced a slew of models in red, black and yellow team kit. Everything from the tuyau de gaz / gas pipe entry level "Record" models to the actual team and custom order frames made at Raleigh's SBDU shop in Ilkeston.

Tuyau de gaz Record model with upgraded components:



Similar Europa model:



In 1972 Raleigh started taking an interest in Pro racing.

Here's a 1973 Raleigh Team bike, probably only raced in the UK. The frame was most likely a bog standard Raleigh Professional painted red with a mishmash of components chosen for light weight and from what they had sitting on the shelf.



During that era, most of Raleigh's mid range to top models were produced by Carlton. In 1974 a number of top frame builders from around Raleigh's UK operations joined the new SBDU (Special Bicycle Development Unit) in Ilkeston, UK to build Team Bikes. They also produced custom order frames and bikes there.

That same year Raleigh formed their Ti-Raleigh pro team to compete in the Continental European races. The Ti-Raleigh Team was actually a Dutch team not British. Red, black and yellow became the Ti-Raleigh Team colours.

1974 Raleigh Catalog page showing the Team Professional model. they were all special order bikes. The 1974 and 75 frames had yellow head tubes. After that the were black. The reason for the change was that black head tubes stood out better in black & white photos than yellow.



This was the first Reynolds 753 Team Pro bike in the US. It was brought in for the LA bike show.



Getting back to the bike in question, does it say "Record" on the top tube?

Raleigh produced "Record" model bikes in team kit for the French market.

I have one of those bikes, a 1979 model. It's built with a Competition GS frame and a mishmash of components: Raleigh badged SR Royal cranks, SR seatpost, Suntour Cyclone derailleurs, Modolo brakes, Normandy Luxe small flange hubes, Cinelli bars and stem and do on.

100+ of these bikes ended up in the US instead of France. Long story....




One thing that puzzles me about the French bike is the Vitus rear dropout??? I've never seen such a thing on a Raleigh, only on French bikes??? Could it have been a repair??? Is the bike not a Raleigh???




Also, I'd like to see a closeup photo of the seat lug and seat stay cap???

verktyg

cudak888 

verktyg, given the OP's location and the frame details, it's definitely is or related to the French Records - the lettering is pretty clearly visible on the top tube.

Do take note of the fully-painted forks and cable routing on the top tube though. It might be later production than the examples you've posted.

For the OP, I'd recommend checking it out. If you've always wanted a Team Pro replica for its looks only and can't afford an SBDU, this is a fun way to have one that's more or less equal to a US-market Competition Mk.II. It's not an SBDU, but it's not a gaspipe Record or Europa either.

-Kurt

Pcampeau

I believe the top tube lettering says Rapide not Record. Kurt the frame to me looks exactly like the Rapide shown in the 1982 racers catalog in Fern green on your headbadge website, minus the center cable guide on the top tube. Sorry, I’m too much of a dinosaur to draw a link and drag it here but it’s got the same outward curling seat stays, 531 main tubes, Vitus dropouts, and all the rest.

cudak888 

Could be, though I figured Chas would have mentioned it if so.

The cable guides on the '82 UK Rapide are just loop guides. The ones on the Raleigh the OP is looking at are step-down cable stops. Very different, even though the rest of the frame is similar.

-Kurt

bertinjim 

Charles-

That looks to be a Euro-spec Rapide which was originally produced by Carlton. When Carlton switched from stamped to forged rear dropouts in the late 70s, they adopted the forged Vitus for British and Euro market bikes. Oddly, they seemed to use Suntour dropouts for North America.

verktyg 

cudak888 A Rapide it tis.... (never saw one, only pictures)

Here's some poor quality pictures of an early 80's??? Rapide frame. Note the Vitus dropouts and fluted seat stay caps. As far as top tube brake cable stops, the folks at Raleigh seemed to have used whatever they had that was handy....




Earlier model Rapide



1979 or later Rapide with all Japanese components including Suntour dropouts (1978 TdF Winner and Road World Championship sticker on downtube)






verktyg