Robvolz 

Note: size is 51 CTC
$500 as bike
$350 as frame (including headset, BB and seatpost bolt, as one should. Fight me on this simple courtesy)

This was raced by one of Oregon’s top racers until recently.

This was originally sold as a frame and built up by a shop. The only original component is the crank set.

I asked the previous and only owner about the parts mix. He said, “it wasn’t a bike to show off, but to race. You used what you had. And it all works!!”

But, if matching bits are important to you, I will listen to your requests and see what I can scrounge up. Might have a good amount of Dura-ace if that’s your thing.

If you want pedals, tell me what you need…on me.

im not sure why the owner swapped out the original for a trek carbon fiber fork, but it will come with the original black fork. If you want the red Raleigh or trek fork too, it’s yours.

if sold as entire bike, you get all three forks,
two saddles, dura ace and shimano 600 bits. The odd mix cinelli cockpit (or tell me what you really want, I’m sure we can find it) modern brake levers (but not brifters) and tires that some how match the red/black color scheme of the bike.

Raliegh USA were often made by Bridgestone in Japan. The 753s though were made back in England.

The 753 frames were made of Reynold’s lightest and strongest tubes at the time. Difficult to braze, a Framebuilder had to ask for a small sample kit, braze them and send them back to Reynolds before full tubes would be sent.

this bike is incredibly light. I’ll post the weight later today.

please ask questions of if you need specific photos.

Robvolz 

finding comps:
ebay in September had two frames sell, one at $430 and the other at $780 as seen here:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...&LH_Complete=1

A couple full bikes were sold by one of our C & V members on The Paceline, for $1,100 and $1,800 but tough comparison because one was virtually unridden and the other was beautifully repainted.

romperrr 

If it were a 56, I'd buy this immediately. Nice mix of parts. 753 frames are rare.

bibliobob

Smoking deal! Great opportunity to pick up a nice 753 ride ...

Piff 

I'm curious, Rob, does the serial number include initials of the racer? Interesting to see one of these frames in the US with the top tube braze on for a racer number. If I'm not mistaken this is a custom order frame, not part of a larger team order...but I could be wrong.

Beautiful bike, amazing he kept it in such good shape all these years. I can attest to the riding quality! Some nice planing/flex when standing up climbing uphill. Not too much to feel whippy, but enough to feel the push and pull of the frame as you shift your pedal stroke.

Oh, and for those curious, I can fit 28mm tires no problem. Might be able to stuff 30mm if you're willing to remove the dropout screw adjusters and pull the wheel alllll the way back.

Robvolz 

Good question. I will get a photo of the bb and post it within the hour.

john m flores 

Nice bike! How long are those Superbe Pro cranks?

Hobbiano 

52cm ctc or ctt?

Robvolz 

ctc
i know Raleigh uses inches

ill take a pic of the tape, from the center of the crank up the seatpost

Senior Ryder 00 

Possibly a 26.0 bar in a 26.4 stem?😉
Cheers,
Van

Robvolz 

Cinelli stem. Cinelli bars. They should be a perfect fit.

But, that is a pre-78 set of bars which I would happily swap out for the proper era bars. I don't think Cinelli switched from 26 to 26.4 in 1978.

But, I'm wrong on an hourly basis.

Robvolz 

Made in England


5B6292

CV-6 

Is that maybe SB rather than 5B?

Piff 

That's 'SB6292', SB standing for Special Bicycle Development Unit, the group who under Gerald O'Donovan built the best bikes to ever come out of Raleigh.

jdawginsc 

Other than the sizing issues with the Cinelli bar/stem, seems right choice with SunTour Superbe stuff if that’s how originally equipped.

Curious as you the reason for the yellow circle you added?

Robvolz 

The yellow circle was added, because I had left the shop and had texted the Director to please take a photo of this decal so it is legible

I forgot the circle was there when I posted.

As far as the bars are concerned, like I said earlier, I’m happy to swap out the bars for a more modern such a Cinelli and I will be sure that they are 26.4.

Erzulis Boat 

HOLY SMOKES! I didn't notice that!

I was going to buy that awesome frame for pennies on the dollar (super deal) but that pinched stem on the "dime a dozen" handlebar/stem combo had me back out!




If it was a 56, I'd own it. Definite must have for that era.

Robvolz 

Looks like I need to remove this from the market. I can’t with a good conscious, sell a bike with a Cinelli stem this pinched on a Cinelli handlebar.

Andy Antipas 

Robert,

Interested to know what the top tube length is center to center. Also close up of the seat stay caps and additional photos of the dropouts.

Thank you!

jon c. 

The SBDU frames definitely command a premium price. I think $350 would be a killer deal even with the issues. From the serial number this should be an 83 or 84.

Here's an interesting history of theSBDU frames:

https://dentoncycles.co.uk/2016/03/0...mber-timeline/

Erzulis Boat 

They are "all" pinched like that (if overtightened). To be "aero" Cinelli continued the material past the perimeter of the counterbore so that it blended in. What you are seeing is the pinch angle in a more exaggerated sense if you will. Remember, a pinch bolt system has to ovalize the bar (to a degree) to hold it in place, there is no such thing as a perfectly uniform round/round compression.
0.4mm equals 0.0157 of an inch. Without a shim, the slot gap on that stem wouldn't overcome that differential and look like that, much less hold the bar. On those stems, they bottom out super quick (26.0 to 26.4) and you can rotate the bars easily.

ETA- If stem is a 26mm it should be marked as such (must pull it up/out to see), if 26.4mm, it wont have any indication. Also Cinelli bars are hopelessly inconsistent on diameters, they vary quite a bit so getting a "small" bar happens, as does getting a "big" bar.

Robvolz 

Both the BB and tape confirm

seat tube is 51



From center of the crank

Looks like 51

Robvolz 

Still available

sbarner 

Yikes! I would buy it, but I already have one. Mine is painted white. Interestingly, you can see where the tab for a number plate was sawn off before the frame was painted. I understand that these were shipped from the SB shop at the Nottingham factory (Ilkeston SBDU and Carleton having closed down by then), probably in primer, and were painted by Raleigh USA to fit in with their livery at the time. I bet they all came with the number plate tab and this frame was not built for a specific racer.

Cinelli went the other direction with diameters on their aluminum bars, starting out at 26.4 and eventually reducing it to 26.0, which was what 3TTT was using. I wouldn't think you would be able to get a 26.4 mm bar into a 26.0 1R stem, but then I haven't tried it, as the 26.0 version is uncommon. By the time Cinelli went to 26.0, everyone knew the failure rate of the 1R stem was high and Cinelli had fixed the problem by introducing the superior XA variant. Since the switch to the Flying-C logo happened around 1978, and the switch to 26.0 was sometime well into the 1980s, every old-logo bar I have seen is nominally 26.4 (they typically measure a tenth or two smaller than 26.4).

Robvolz 

due to the danger of this stem/bar combination…. the set will be replaced with an approved Schwinn steel stem and steel ape hangers.

The offending stem/bar set will be sent to the metal scrapyard to think about the harm it could have done.