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1987-1988 Raleigh World Tour Elkhorn?

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1987-1988 Raleigh World Tour Elkhorn?

Old 01-05-22, 10:16 PM
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Cactus459
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1987-1988 Raleigh Mountain Tour Elkhorn?

So I picked up this Raleigh and it has full Deore 6 speed. Diffenetly a cool bike, needs some restoration. Looks mostly original. I am Googling as much as I can to figure out more about the bike. Shimano date code is KJ which is October 1987... Guessing it is probably a 1988 but don't know for sure. Unfortunately I can't find anything thing about this bike, hoping someone here can help with identifying the bike and any additional information about the bike would be appreciated.

PS Has a cool place on the chainstay to store extra spokes.




Last edited by Cactus459; 01-06-22 at 07:19 AM. Reason: Wrong Model
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Old 01-06-22, 04:18 AM
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It’s a Mountain Tour, not World Tour.
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Old 01-06-22, 07:26 AM
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With the exception of the saddle, the subject bicycle looks like a dead ringer for the 1987 version, down to the spoke holder/chain stay protector. However, it may not have changed for 1988, as Raleigh was concentrating on their new Technium ATBs that year. Though small, there's always a possibility that the component you checked is a replacement. The serial number should help confirm the build date and model year. I suspect it is Taiwanese manufacture, likely by Merida.

In 1987, the Elkhorn was the top ATB in Raleigh's off-road line-up that consisted of 3 ATBs and one observed trials model. In 1988 it would have displaced by the 3 Technium models, though arguably it was par with the bottom Technium ATB, The Chill. Raleigh didn't have a high end ATB in 1987 and overall the Elkhorn would have been considered mid-range by industry standards. In 1987 the MSRP was $510-$560 US. The official colour designation was "emerald green".

The frameset was an unspecified CrMo with oversize and triple butted main tubes. The drivetrain and brakes were Shimano's new off-road version of Deore, which had previously been a touring group. Tertiary components included a Viscount Vento Propizio saddle, Strong seat post, Hatta Vesta headset, Victor VP-999 pedals and an unidentified bar and stem.
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Old 01-06-22, 07:40 AM
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Originally Posted by cb400bill
It’s a Mountain Tour, not World Tour.
Thanks you are correct Raleigh Mountain Tour Elkhorn
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Old 01-06-22, 07:46 AM
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Ugh, I forgot about having this exact bike in the rafters of the garage, right down to the missing shifter cover.
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Old 01-06-22, 08:01 AM
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Originally Posted by T-Mar
With the exception of the saddle, the subject bicycle looks like a dead ringer for the 1987 version, down to the spoke holder/chain stay protector. However, it may not have changed for 1988, as Raleigh was concentrating on their new Technium ATBs that year. Though small, there's always a possibility that the component you checked is a replacement. The serial number should help confirm the build date and model year. I suspect it is Taiwanese manufacture, likely by Merida.

In 1987, the Elkhorn was the top ATB in Raleigh's off-road line-up that consisted of 3 ATBs and one observed trials model. In 1988 it would have displaced by the 3 Technium models, though arguably it was par with the bottom Technium ATB, The Chill. Raleigh didn't have a high end ATB in 1987 and overall the Elkhorn would have been considered mid-range by industry standards. In 1987 the MSRP was $510-$560 US. The official colour designation was "emerald green".

The frameset was an unspecified CrMo with oversize and triple butted main tubes. The drivetrain and brakes were Shimano's new off-road version of Deore, which had previously been a touring group. Tertiary components included a Viscount Vento Propizio saddle, Strong seat post, Hatta Vesta headset, Victor VP-999 pedals and an unidentified bar and stem.
Wow this is great information. Thank you. I am leaning towards 1988 based on the date code KJ and one other small detail on the fork. When I Google the bike there is a couple of similar bikes in color but there is one small detail on the fork missing. The serial number is 6JU0631
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Old 01-06-22, 09:37 AM
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Originally Posted by Dylansbob
Ugh, I forgot about having this exact bike in the rafters of the garage, right down to the missing shifter cover.
Sounds like a hoarding problem on your part.
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Old 01-06-22, 09:43 AM
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Originally Posted by Cactus459
Wow this is great information. Thank you. I am leaning towards 1988 based on the date code KJ and one other small detail on the fork. When I Google the bike there is a couple of similar bikes in color but there is one small detail on the fork missing. The serial number is 6JU0631
Looking at the serial number, I'd say it was a 1987 model, manufactured in October 1986. It's corrobarated by the KJ date code, which is actually October 1986, not October 1987.

I'm assuming that the small fork detail that you're referring to is the presence or absence of lo-rider rack bosses? If so the objective evidence suggests the very early production for the 1987 model year did not use them, as they are not included on your bicycle or the one shown in the May 1987 issue of Bicycling (attached). However, my databse has a sample with these bosses and a 7BU serial number prefix, suggesting February 1987 manufacture. Consequently, the lo-rider fork bosses appear to be a running production change during the 1987 model year. It looks like they also added a fork decal sometime during the model year.

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Old 01-06-22, 09:50 AM
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My 1985 Mountain Tour Tamarack was a 650B bike. Are these newer ones also 650B?

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Old 01-06-22, 11:50 AM
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Originally Posted by cb400bill
My 1985 Mountain Tour Tamarack was a 650B bike. Are these newer ones also 650B?

Just double checked mine is definitely 26" wheels
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Old 01-06-22, 11:55 AM
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Originally Posted by T-Mar
Looking at the serial number, I'd say it was a 1987 model, manufactured in October 1986. It's corrobarated by the KJ date code, which is actually October 1986, not October 1987.

I'm assuming that the small fork detail that you're referring to is the presence or absence of lo-rider rack bosses? If so the objective evidence suggests the very early production for the 1987 model year did not use them, as they are not included on your bicycle or the one shown in the May 1987 issue of Bicycling (attached). However, my databse has a sample with these bosses and a 7BU serial number prefix, suggesting February 1987 manufacture. Consequently, the lo-rider fork bosses appear to be a running production change during the 1987 model year. It looks like they also added a fork decal sometime during the model year.

Your are right about the wrong year range on my part, because I should have put late 86 or early 87....
I captured one of the pictures form Googling and drew a red circle around the part of the fork that is different. I don't know if it is a lug or for looks I have no idea.


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Old 01-06-22, 01:14 PM
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My ‘87 Schwinn High Sierra has the same “lugged unicrown” fork. I’d wager a fair amount they were made on the same production line.
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Old 01-06-22, 01:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Dylansbob
Ugh, I forgot about having this exact bike in the rafters of the garage, right down to the missing shifter cover.
When was the last time you checked?
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Old 01-06-22, 03:02 PM
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Old 01-06-22, 04:15 PM
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Originally Posted by C9H13N
My ‘87 Schwinn High Sierra has the same “lugged unicrown” fork. I’d wager a fair amount they were made on the same production line.
They probably were made on the same production line. By this era most of the mass production frame manufacturers weren't building their own forks but buying a pre-manufactured, off-the shelf fork from somebody like Ishiwata or Tange.
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Old 01-06-22, 04:34 PM
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I had a a Diamond Back Apex with Shimano deers’ head components that had a lugged unicrown fork just like the one pictured. It also had mid fork braze-ons and fender eyelets at the dropouts… mint/Celeste green paint. They must have sold a million of those because I still see them fairly regularly.
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Old 01-06-22, 09:00 PM
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Found a pic of mine "as found". Same fork with the low rider bosses, although mine came with a rollercam I think. Mine is stripped in the rafters, with most of it's parts going to resurrect an 80s Hardrock to move this spring. This one had a rough life, seatpost was cracked and the headset had a horizontal crack almost all the way around.

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Old 01-07-22, 08:03 AM
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Originally Posted by Dylansbob
Found a pic of mine "as found". Same fork with the low rider bosses, although mine came with a rollercam I think. Mine is stripped in the rafters, with most of it's parts going to resurrect an 80s Hardrock to move this spring. This one had a rough life, seatpost was cracked and the headset had a horizontal crack almost all the way around.
That's definitely the OEM Shimano U-brake in the photo.
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