1996 Rafty Funnel

[Elev12k]

As most of you probably are not so familiar with the Rafty brand, first an introduction on Rafty: Rafty was a small framebuilder in Haarlem, The Netherlands. All frame's were custom made and Rafty's can be considered as very exclusive. I won't be susprised if all polished Rafty's can be counted on only one hand. The frames were built by Edward Hagen, over here also known as iceskater. For additional information go to http://www.hagencycle.nl/ were you will be informed on Edward's current brand Hagen Cycles.

I recently took notice of the information that the Rafty brand is likely to make its return!

The machined stem is an ALPA (later Footwork), another Dutch brand from back then.

Manitou Mach 5 SX. In another bike I have a RondWP Hydro Pro 2. Of course that would better matching, because also Dutch. Maybe I will swap.

Notice the square tubed rear triangle. In the background a storks' nest

Frame: custom Rafty Funnel, Oria 7020 aluminium, polished
Fork: Manitou Mach 5 SX
Cranks: LX
Front mech: LX
Rear mech: LX
Shifters: GripShift SRT600
BB: XT
Headset: Tioga
Hubs: LX
Brakes: Magura HS22 Classic
Pedals: vp semi clipless things
Bar: Ritchey (Comp?)
Stem: ALPA
Post: Roox
Saddle: Fizik Nisene
Rims: some kind of ceramic stuff, I thought Rigida
Bottlecage: H2O blue

Furthermore: I took off the Magura brake QR at the rear and mounted a burly brakebooster to stiffen up the rear under heavy braking. Blue ControlTech bar ends.

 

[rutteger]

Cool ride

Never heard of Rafty before, looks good though.

 

[retrobikeguy]

:idea: Kinda looks like a frame that a custom frame builder by the brand of Hartmann used to make , not totally sure but I think they had a model called Qram :?: :?: :?: I remember seeing one in an MBUK, any one remember them :?:

 

[tangent]

not totally sure...but I think Hartmann produced big 'hair dryer' shaped frames from carbon fibre

 

[Elev12k]

There was no Hartmann distributed in NL. I know one from a review in MBi, a green Wild Cat. That one has a traditional frame with made out Oria 7020. They were Swiss.

This Rafty Funnel AS (AS means anti-social and implies round tubing for the rear) is at the moment carefully restored by a another Rafty owner in Holland:


By clicking on the pic you will see how it looked like before he acquired it :shock: Much respect for this restoration job.

Closer look at the Footwork hub. Other Footwork parts include: rear hub, stem, rear canti's and brake booster

Footwork & Rafty:

Pedro van Hout (Footwork) and (probably) Edward Hagen (Rafty)

This model were called MHB Altzheimer :roll: Intended for Trial

 

[gaf16]

cool.

i want one.

 

[gump]

wow, I do quite like that. Different, yet seems to work.

cool

 

[rutteger]

Outstanding restoration on the black Rafty.

 

[Elev12k]

Different, yes, but they also had a more conventional design; the Heamerhoid.

Rafty brochure

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Pricing

I remember drooling over a Bugatti blue Funnel with Manitou EFC, Maguras, flesh Psychos and many nice bits on the '95 FietsRAI exhibition. Years later I were able to acquire mine at a favourable price.

A bit a poor quality pic, but here another Funnel:

Rafty's mostly looked very wild. They also had a cool, wild image. Rafty does have a cult status overhere. True Dutch cult