Carlton Criterium

[dickiedidoe]

Hi,
I have my first retro bike project, very excited and looking forward to doing the work on it and getting out.

Its a Carlton Criterium, originally metallic green. It was resprayed in the some time ago and the decals haven't been replaced.



Can anyone tell me more about the bike or maybe about the frame number


many thanks

 

[Midlife]

Number is 1980 but pic not too clear on my phone

Shaun

 

[dickiedidoe]

Number is 1980 but pic not too clear on my phone

Shaun

It's WD0001973.
There seems to be a S stamped across the number 1, there is also a H stamped below the second 0.

I'm curious about their reference, any ideas.

Dickie

 

[Midlife]

W = Worksop
D = month of manufacture is March
0= 1980

The rest of the number Is the unique serial, the other stamps are not part of the frame number.

Shaun

 

[dickiedidoe]

W = Worksop
D = month of manufacture is March
0= 1980

The rest of the number Is the unique serial, the other stamps are not part of the frame number.

Shaun

Thanks, very interesting. I would never have guessed that..

 

[Midlife]

It's the Raleigh numbering system forced in Carlton in 1973. From around 1968 to 1973 the Carlton numbers went a bit random so I guess Raleigh took the wayward Carlton back into the fold

Shaun

 

[dickiedidoe]

Interesting, I was just doing some reading on Carlton.

Do you know how long (from and to) they made the Criterium?
Where these frames hand built?
I can keep going with the stupid questions..

Going to start stripping it down tomorrow.. It will be interesting

 

[Midlife]

Carlton recycled names for years on end that started with a "C", Criterium, Corsa, Circuit, Kermesse (ok, that's a K) etc. The frames were built in Worksop, hand built on a production line.

There are a few Carlton brochures online to search for.

Spokesmann on here is our resident Carlton aficionado

Shaun

 

[Nob]

Re:

That's a big frame & I hope it fits you as you need to be well over 6ft to ride that comfortably

 

[Spokesmann]

Criterium name first appeared in the mid 60s as far as I know and was used right up until the end of the marque in 1981. This model (1980) sat below the Pro am and Super Course models - they both used 531 tubing (stays and forks as well on the Super Course). Original colour was a pale metallic green