So a wee update on this....
I decided that sticking the bike up for sale and picking something else up would be the most cost effective/best route....
not suck it up for sale yet...
work up today, the weather's nice and I just wanted to get out....
So I ran to the garage and started bolting bits together - and stuck on all the old bits again. Except with my saddle.
And took it for a ride
First time I've ridden with downtube shifters.
First time I've ridden with friction shift
It's different experience but it's lots of fun
And - unlike the too-big-raleigh-special-products-division - I can get it up hills!
(lower gears probably help too!)
So that's happy - do you think she-who-must-be-obeyed will let me have 2 bikes?