Originally Posted by
rustystrings61
Raleigh built some very cool bikes; they also got really sloppy at times, especially c.1973. That was the peak year of the boom, and all sorts of substandard stuff happened. It's also the year Raleigh didn't use Nervex Professional lugs on the International, Super Course and Competition Mk. II models, as (according to someone who was allegedly THERE) a shop renovation led to the uncovering of a large quantity of forgotten Carlton Capella lugs. The Capellas don't look like they are easy to braze well, and many frames built with them show zero file work. My '73 Competition, which I love, has lug work that makes my '71 Gitane look positively refined. 70pmooney, who posts on the single-speed/fixed-gear forum, has on several times told the tale of his Raleigh Competition that had been tacked, painted, sold - but never actually BRAZED. QC that year was dodgy. Carlton-built Raleighs leading up into the boom, and after the boom, are usually better put together.
Here's the
lower headlug on my '73 - note how the tip of the lug is "proud."
Yep agreed, however they were also cranking out more bikes and frames than almost anybody else, nothing short of amazing, 10,000 531 frames in 1979 alone, 30,000 bikes in 1896 and millions in between.
Those kind of production numbers and mindset are always going to come with some shortfalls especially in the long run.
I've seen several of the tacked ones that were only held together by that and paint that went a lifetime before being crashed or repainted before anybody realized it.
Never personally seen or know of any that actually failed, a minor miracle considering how many there probably were.
Plenty of dodgy QC throughout Raleigh's history, most others as well too.
All that being said there are a staggering number of them that are damn fine bicycles.
