Mystery Raleigh Frame - RRA? Probably not...

[S1m0nR]

Hello chaps,

I picked this frame up on eBay some time ago as it was cheap and I needed some of its parts for another build. It was bought as a 'bitsa' bike but had mostly early 1980's Record Ace parts on it: Custom drilled chainset, Suntour Cyclone rear dérailleur, Campag levers and front dérailleur, SR Laprade seatpost, Road Champion bars etc. The rear wheel was a 27" Weinmann rim/Normandy hub but the front was a 700c alloy replacement.

I've stripped it down as it's going to be re-finished and built with an original Record Ace spec as far as possible, but I was surprised that the serial number wasn't a normal W-prefixed one as on every other 531 frame from that era I've seen. The serial is simply 001270 and it's stamped along the usual place for an 80's Raleigh 531 frame.

Has anyone any idea as to which bike this started out as? As you can see, there are a few bits of decal left on it and what I'm assuming is a later addition of a Raleigh badge on the seat post.

Cheers for now!

Simon R.

 

[MrW]

unusual braze on's on the BB for a Raleigh, although I stand to be corrected...

(what does the decal on the bottom of the seat tube say?)

 

[Midlife]

Looks to my very untrained eye as about an ,83 Record Ace, even the little pip to hold the chain............I wonder if it was an exported model?

Shaun

 

[MrW]

Here's the '83 Record Ace:

http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/R ... l83_05.jpg

 

[MrW]

'82:

http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/R ... d_Comp.jpg

 

[S1m0nR]

Re:

Cheers for the replies, gents.

Taking them in order -

MrW: You're right, they are unusual but I've seen them on RRAs from the early 1980's, I think Raleigh opted for the plastic cable guides instead sometime between end of 81 and start of 83. The sticker at the bottom of the seat tube is just a dealer sticker.

Shaun: Yeah, the colour's right, but the remains of what looks like chunky RALEIGH script on the downtube is not RRA. I suppose it could have been added later on, along with the seat tube Raleigh badge. The chain-peg is a pretty common feature on Raleigh's 531 frames, or at least It's on a lot of my Raleigh frames. My GF thinks I have too many but she's wrong! The groupset with the drilled chainring I think dates it to about 1981 at the latest.

MrW: Cheers for the pics! I've been looking for a 1981 pic to see if it has the drilled chainring and Suntour Cyclone rear Dérailleur. Can't find one though ;-)

I'm thinking it has to be a 1981-ish RRA which has been re-decalled at some time, but that serial number is a peculiarity.

Anyone know when the W---------- bottom bracket-shell serial numbers started to appear?

 

[Midlife]

1973 when Raleigh / Carlton agreed on a common numbering system.

Shaun

 

[MrW]

are the drop outs marked with a manufacturers name?

 

[MrW]

The Reynolds decal ought to date it

By 1982, they were the more modern type, so this must be earlier

 

[S1m0nR]

The Reynolds decal ought to date it

By 1982, they were the more modern type, so this must be earlier

Yeah - you're right I'd forgotten when the changeover was. Both my 1984 RRAs have the later decal.

I'll check the dropouts tomorrow as it's in the garage and I'm currently not. We've just re-decorated the house and greasy bike frames are apparently no longer welcome in the kitchen. Damn!