Fletch521

A life long friend gave this Raleigh International to me today. I've known him for 40 years and during our high school years we spent a lot of time riding bicycles together. When he saw the work I was doing on the two old Treks I picked up at a garage sale last fall he decided this old Raleigh needed a better home...

I'm thinking that I will return it to "as built by Raleigh" condition. Would like hearing from the Raleigh experts.

Fletch521

Fletch521

Fletch521

USAZorro

That would most likely be a 1974 - but see the 1973 catalog (the A serial number anomaly).

The brake calipers aren't original, but I'd be reluctant to change them back. The downtube shifters have been ditched in favor of bar-ends (if you don't like bar-ends, feel free to PM me ). Hard to tell if the stem and bars are original or not. You're 80-90% original there, and the bigger task is going to be cleaning it up and giving it a proper overhaul. Congrats on your good fortune. You must be a really good friend.

Rabid Koala

What a nice gift!

I could not get Campy brakes to work on my International, even with a drop bolt. If yours work, I'd keep them on there.

auchencrow

Wow Fletch521 ! That is a great bike! I don't know that I would change a thing except hoods, grease, cables/hsgs, and bar tape and some polish.

Fletch521

...it's so much like a bike I would have built back in the seventies if I had the coin for a bike like this. I had bar end shifters before bar end shifters where cool. If I can find a good set of Weinmann 999s I'll probably put those back on. Finding white hoods could be a problem. I am watching a set of clamp on Campy down tube shifters on eBay.

The color, stripes and decals match the picture and description in the 1973 catalog.

Most of what looks like rust is brown paint overspray. There is some white overspray too. It scratches off with my thumbnail.

The rear rim is cracked...

DMNHCAGrandPrix

Congratulations! I lusted after the Raleigh Professional and International when shopping for my first bike as a teenager in 1974.
In the 1973 and 1974 catalog pictures for the International, the fork bend has a graceful sweep that began pretty near the front hub (starting maybe two thirds of the way between the fork crown and the fork dropouts).
https://www.bulgier.net/pics/bike/Cat...73-Catalog.pdf
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroral...talog-1974.pdf
In your pictures, the fork bend looks more like a dog-leg that begins about half way down the fork, with mostly straight sections before and after.
Did the bend of the fork change in a particular model year? Or did Raleigh use a variety of different forks on the International in any one year like 1973 and 1974, (bike boom years when they were scrambling to meet demand)?

Fletch521

Good eye to spot that...
The crown appears to match the catalog as well as the chrome. To me that rules out a replacement fork. It will be interesting to see if someone can provide an answer to that.

KonAaron Snake 

I'm officially jealous...I'm paying a decent sum of cash for a Raleigh International in probably rougher condition with fewer original parts. Gorgeous bike...love the fork.

cudak888 

RE the fork:

No need to worry, that's the original fork. Raleigh alternated between graceful blades and dog legs whenever they saw fit, no rhyme or reason.

-Kurt

bibliobob

That's a stunner! Disassemble, clean, polish and wax frame, replace dead rubber parts and cables, grease, adjust, re-assemble. Ride lots and lots.

Congrats! Buy that friend of yours a very nice bottle of scotch!

Fletch521

...and most of the time they got the same kind on both sides.

repechage

I saw the image of the rear rim, if it is at the label, it is just the joint, not a problem, though they do sometimes shift and need filing.

The seat post is a Superleggera, to confirm if the clamp pivot have a transverse hole drilled, then its the lightweight one, they appeared on mid 70's Pros and Internationals by magic, saves a few ounces overall as the wall thickness is less. And they polish up better too.

I am pretty sure the bar and stem is an exchange, maybe even from day one. The original bars were always a bit narrow.

It should clean up well, and appear as a transformation, don't show your friend, he will want it back...

I am not a fan of those AVA rims, do take care, they only have washers and do not like to be overtightened.

cudak888 

ROFLMAO!!!

-Kurt

sailorbenjamin

Can I show your friend the work I've been doing on my two old Treks?

DiegoFrogs

Your friend will be impressed, and probably upset with his decision to give it to you. But, what most people don't realize is that we spend A LOT of time on these things! I don't think it's unusual for some of us to put 50 hours or more into a build that we're going to keep for eternity.

Recently I bought a bike in sorry shape from some former neighbors who left it locked up when they moved out. After they saw it complete, they were more than a little upset about the price that they accepted. But I put a LOT of time into it. They weren't prepared to do that.

Lately I've been lusting after the higher end raleighs of that era. I don't think your bike will convince me otherwise...

Pars 

Nice bike, looks like the International I used to have (in 1973). I'd agree with the comments; most parts look original. Stock mine had GB bars and an AVA stem (IIRC). I couldn't get the Campy sidepulls to work on mine either, so traded for an RRA frame. I still kind of miss the International though Good luck on your project!

Fletch521

1974, Me and my new Windsor Carerra Sport, Friend with his Schwinn Supersport.


Today


I've got a thing about cracked rims...


Actually, I can guarantee he will be thrilled the bike is getting the attention it deserves.

mkeller234

Yeah, and it seems that any fork crown could end up on any bike at any time.

I agree about keeping the bars that are on it. The stem looks pretty long so see how it feels before you make any decisions about it. Fantastic looking bike all in all. I would be tempted to find the weinmann 999 brakes too because I don't like the cable routing for the rear, plus you will get more clearance if you want fenders. Those drop bolts and nutted campy calipers could probably sell for enough to cover the cost of the entire restoration.