Search results

My guess is mid-1970's based on dates I've seen for various components listed in the setup sheet. The Spirt derailleur that came with the sheet has a code of WK on the back of the cage, which Velobase says is November 1980.

This came from a NOS sealed Suntour Spirt front derailleur. It covers the GT and Honor rear and SL, Spirt, and Compe-V front derailleurs. It also has info on the different cogs available for the 8.8.8. 5 speed freewheels. I thought some might find it interesting or useful.

Great looking bike. My '84 Racing definately isn't geared for that! I found that out first hand last weekend when the weather was nice.

Thanks! That's a lovely looking bike...an '85? It looks like you did a great job on the build!

That's been my thought as well. Why seperate them after all this time. It's clearly marked 'Suntour' and '28t max'

Thank you! From looking at the 1985 catalog, Raleigh 555 RSL labeled tubing was used, alongside Reynolds 753, on UK made custom framesets. There's a small box in the bottom right corner of page one of the 1985 catalog showing them. According to multiple discussions on bikeforums.net over...

Maybe so..but that disk is Suntour and has a 40 year old history with the group/wheels/brakes. They all came from an 84/85 Trek being upgraded and I bought them together. So we'll see :)

Thank you!

Here are the specs for the build: 1984 Raleigh Racing USA Frame/forks: Raleigh 555 RSL Dropouts: Campagnolo Stem: Sakae 80m quill Handlebar: Sakae Custom Modolo Anatomic Headset: Shimano 600 Ultegra (HP-6400) Handlebar tape: Velox Tressostar 90 with chrome plugs Brakes: Modolo Equipe Brake...

Here is my UK built Raleigh Racing USA 555 RSL, finally completed after 5 years. I kept having to stop work on this for other things, and I went a different direction than I'd originally started. I switch from using a Suntour GPX group to Suntour Superbe/Superbe Pro. I'm really happy with...

Re: Ok here's a pic of it with most parts added. Full Suntour GPX group with a Shimano 600 Ultegra headset in place of the Campy one shown in the other pic. I've not decided yet on the color of the bar tape and the cable outers. I was thinking yellow cotton for the bar tape since the UK...

Here's a project I had started prior to getting the Gitane mixte. It's a 1984 Raleigh USA Team Pro frame set. It's serial number on the BB shows it was made in March 1984 in Nottingham for Raleigh USA and the catalogs of the period show it was a special order as a frame set only. This is the...

Re: Based on a post on another forum, I checked the back of the original Simplex Prestige rear derailleur for a date code on the back of the cage. After cleaning the grime from it, I found a date code of "2 71". Since manufacturers at that time were scrambling to meet demand, I'm now going...

Re: Here's a price sheet from the Gitane USA website that says it's from 1971. It shows an 'image' of the Gran Sport DeLuxe with fenders that seem to have the chrome center stripe, but lists them as duaraluminum. The price sheet shows it as 'Gran Sport Deluxe" while the decal on mine is...

Re: Thanks. Like the rest of the bike they do have a few chips and dings but are in pretty good shape overall. The original chrome stripe was falling off, so I finished peeling it off and picked up some new 12mm wide chrome pin striping tape and replaced it. It came out looking pretty nice...

Re: A small update on the Gitane mite. I've been cleaning it up more and getting some of it cabled. I still have the brakes to cable but they now have new Kool Stop pads and I've re-mounted the mudguards/fenders. The fenders I imagine are original to the bike as they are an exact color match...

Re: I'm really enjoying these photographs you're posting...the look into these shops and such. Loving the black/white images especially. I've always been one to do more of it than color myself.

Re: Nice looking Guerciotti. I just finished rebuilding one that wasn't in as nice of shape as that looks to be and the closest I could come to dating it was mid 80's, say after 1984/85. This was based on the two tone fade paint, the decals, the signature on the seat stays. Mine has the...

Re: I'm sorry to hear about your dad's passing. I'm sure the bike will be very special to you with the timing and all and I'm sure you'll do it up right in his memory.

Re: Re: I wasn't familiar with the reputation of Gitane's specifically, just that French bikes in general were supposed to ride a bit differently. At this point in the 70's I was still on a kid's muscle bike. It wasn't until about 1978 that I got 10 speed road bike. Nice to know. I picked...