Andrew F

Been eyeing what appears to be an 80's vintage Competition GS, not many original components left on it but the frame looks clean, nice chrome, is 531, I don't think the dropouts are Campy. The lugs are plain but the workmanship looks clean. Does anyone know if the geometry is the same as the Carlton made frames? Any opinions are whether it would be worth building it back up with some nice components? It's back and chrome and I'm smitten for some reason........someone stop me before it's too late!

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

do it!

I think the geometry got a little racier in the 80's compared to the 70's models. Nice bikes though...the only way i'd stop you is if you gave me the address and I beat ya to it

Maddox

Hmm...there was an 80's Raleigh Competition in my area, on sale for $80. I looked up the model year and found out it was Reynolds 755 or some other chromoly type, and had lower level Sugino equipment.

If yours if 531 I'd definitely go for it.

canopus 

The competitions in the mids 80's were made of a Raleigh specific 555 tubing starting from at least '83 on if not earlier. A 531 would probably be an '81 mabye even an '82 at the latest english bike, especially if the original paint was black.

EjustE

Black and Chrome competition is mid- late 70s british made. Great bikes and in the later years were spec'd for 700c tires. Full 531. Gotta get it. And you can build it with whatever you like. Raleigh was pretty schizophrenic about their competitions builds itself. Some came with French bits, some with Campy bits.

nlerner

A friend has an early 80s Japanese-built Competition GS. Looks just like the late 70s-80 UK-built machines down to the black finish though the decals are a cursive font. I'm fairly sure the geometry is similar to the fairly race-like angles that the GS adopted by then.

Neal

Andrew F

cudak888 

I'm not entirely sure of the accuracy of the following chart, but it seems as if this is the rough pattern for Competitions; not excluding potential lug variations during a certain year:

Do not take this as gospel - the '71 and '72 specs may be switched around, or they might have coexisted. Expect to find virtually any lugs on these things, despite what I note below is commonplace. All data from the steel Raleigh USA era (1983-1986) is correct.

1969-1970: Black or green, Nervex lugs, Vagner flat-crown fork, 531. Only variant to have chrome head lugs.
1971: Purple w/metallic blue panels, Bocama Professional lugs, Vagner flat-crown, 531.
1972: White w/light blue panels, Bocama Professional lugs - identical paint scheme as 1974 Gran Sport, Vagner flat-crown, 531.
1973-1974: Black, chromed fork ends only, Capella lugs, internally lugged sloping crown, 531. Catalog bills this model as the "Competition MkII". Term was dropped in 1975, but re-used in 1982.
1975-1976: Black, Bocama Professional lugs, chromed fork ends + chromed seatstay and chainstay ends, internally lugged sloping crown, 531.
1977-1981: Name change to Competition G.S., silver or black, Bocama Professional lugs, flat-crown, 531.
1982: Competition MkII, blue metallic, semi-sloping/flat crown. Nottingham production w/3D strikeout badge. Decals are hybrid of Nottingham decals with early Raleigh USA decals, 531.
1983: First Raleigh USA Competition. Blue w/silver headtube, generic Italianesque lugs, semi-sloping/flat crown - some may have socketed sloping crowns, 555SL cromoly.
1984-1985: White w/chrome fork, headtube, rear triangle; generic Italianesque lugs, either semi-sloping or socketed sloping crown will be found on both '84 and '85s, some may have Raleigh logos engraved at the top, some may not, 555SL.
1986: White with light purple headtube, fork, and rear triangle, socketed sloping crown fork w/Raleigh logos engraved, 531.
1987-: Technium. My knowledge ends here.

-Kurt

Andrew F

Thanks Kurt, If I remember correctly it fits the '77-'81 description.

joe_mn

i had a 81 comp gs. silver. bought it new. $500? had a nice green super course before that. there is a nice comp gs on cl now for 600. looks original. and a green super course for 300. i would love to buy either.

Andrew F

ooooohhhh it's starting to feel a lot like Christmas !

OK, I'm sold, I'm going to see if I can make some kinda deal. Brothers, your work here is done, you've successfully convinced me it's only money.............but a bike, this one with Bocama lugs, 531 tubing, race geometry.......well that's something to admire, to covet ( no pastor Bob, I'm still in control, I can quit at any time, if I wanted too, I just don't wanna.)

If I get it, I'll post some pics......promise.

Let's call this one closed- Thanks for all the encouraging and informative posts- you guys are great!

Charles Wahl

Kurt, you forgot to tell us what the dropouts were in all those years. And whether seat stay caps were wrapped, semi- or not. But quite a compendium, anyway!

cudak888 

I omitted these details for the main reason that they are - arguably - the most variable details on these things in the first place, and it's chancy to admit anything as reasonably standard. Nevertheless, here goes. This chart is intended to correspond with the one above:

Dropouts:

1969-1970: Campagnolo 1010
1971: Zeus or Simplex
1972: Zeus or Simplex
1973-1974: Huret
1975-1976: Huret
1977-1981: Campagnolo 1010A, very late examples have Suntour Superbe DO's
1982: Campagnolo 1010A, IIRC - might have been the 1010B short drops too. JunkyardBike might have the data for this one.
1983: Forged, short horizonal, unmarked
1984-1985: Forged, short horizonal, unmarked
1986: Forged, short horizonal, unmarked or stamped "RALEIGH"
1987-: No data.

-Kurt