Best bike ever!

[3wheeler7]

I will, the decals are really nice, if I can find some suitable steel kit to put on it it'll be a build project this year.
Things like good chrome Raleigh/Sturmey Archer rims are getting tough to find nowadays and the chrome on the Sturmey rims was prone to flaking off within a few years of new - let alone 40-50 years!

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Raleigh Olympus, early flam blue, flam red or gunmetal with polychromatic mudguards, later in bright blue with satin black mudguards.

 

[3wheeler7]

That first Olympus is beautiful.

 

[grantoury]

I guess you needed some huge clips for those bell bottoms!

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

That first Olympus is beautiful.

I think that's an Argos picture/restoration

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

I will, the decals are really nice, if I can find some suitable steel kit to put on it it'll be a build project this year.
Things like good chrome Raleigh/Sturmey Archer rims are getting tough to find nowadays and the chrome on the Sturmey rims was prone to flaking off within a few years of new - let alone 40-50 years!

I think you could be forgiven for using alloy rims, superior braking is a good excuse

 

[3wheeler7]

Was the Merlin named after the R-R engine or the magician? Certainly the Positron gears were magical in their day
This is mine, all original paint - you may have seen it on a well known internet auction site.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Was the Merlin named after the R-R engine or the magician? Certainly the Positron gears were magical in their day
This is mine, all original paint - you may have seen it on a well known internet auction site.

Another beauty, I always liked the 10 speed Magnum. Nice gold esge mudguards and a nice chrome rack .

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

The Esprit was another nice town bike, missed a mint one because of geography.

 

[dirttorpedo]

I bought a Raleigh Grand Prix with my paper route money in 1977 or thereabouts. It was a glorious glossy black with gold highlights. It was stolen out of a friends backyard about a year later. I was gutted.

Didn't have a proper bike to replace it until I went to university in the mid 80's.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Vintage_bicycles/comments/pjtoxo/1979_raleigh_grand_prix_10_speed_made_in_england

Looked like this which is stated to be a 1979 edition.