Raleigh 531c Competition - Make it or break it?

[MrW]

The wheels don't match going by the pictures!

My experience is that nearly all Raleigh's left Nottingham as per the specification in the catalogue, but many of the original buyers had components changed when they bought the bike by the LBS. This may explain why non-fixie has 2 bikes with different components!

 

[MrW]

nothing to see here.. move along

Got my '83, '84 and '85 Competition's mixed up!

 

[Tel]

Bretondave

Quick scan of my 70's Mags shows the prices of chainsets average about .....

Campag £54 (titanium SR £100)

Shimano Dura Ace silver £43

Ofmega £41.50

Sakae Ringyo (SR Royal) £32

Shimano 600 £27

SR Apex £20

SR Custon £13

Sakae stuff was seen as midway between the cheaper 600 and the more expensive Dura Ace

Shaun

Interesting Shaun. I always put SR at the lower end myself. Probably because the lower end bikes came with it fitted. They do knock out some nice parts though and I certainly have an appreciation of the brand especially the Campag Record chainset copy and the Laprade seatpost is a classic.

 

[Midlife]

Yep Tel, the chainset was a classic here's my mid 1970's SR off my TT bike, inside lip ground off to make it a Pista and black paint almy own handiwork. I bought it because the depth of anodising gave it a Shimano like quality which campag could not match........... I could get items at "trade" BITD so I could have bought a campag one if I wanted but chose the SR. I also have a very light SR slotted stem with titanium bolts

Personally I'd certainly keep the chainset on the bike.

Shaun

 

[Tel]

Re:

That's the one and looking back at the OP's bike has has the very same chainset.

Lots of potential there defo restore it!

 

[BretonDave]

Thanks for all the input - given the overall condition I'll put it back on the road; you're right about the rear wheel - its a crappy steel replacement.

For the cost of a rear wheel, weinmann brakes and rear deraileur I'm sure I'll cover my costs. As much as I love Raleighs (I have a Record Ace) this one's a tad too small for me - so this should be available sometime soon!

Tel pm sent - re: campy 980 deraileur.

 

[torqueless]

Re:

I don't get it- you've got a decent Raleigh frame, some previous owner has upgraded some of the original components, which, let's face it, were originally there purely to meet a price-point, with higher quality contemporaries, and you want to remove those upgraded components and restore the bike to it's original price-point specification?

Looks like a Campag. front derailleur on there- not a Gransport either. What's the existing rear derailleur? What are the brakes?

I mean- I understand if you want to remove the upgraded components and use them elsewhere. Otherwise, it seems pointless to spend time/money/energy just to end up with a lower quality bike again?.... although of course I do that myself all the time..

Yep Tel, the chainset was a classic

And for that price you also got a bottom bracket, chainwheel removal tools and crank extractor- all good enough quality to be working fine 35 years later (well.. not sure about the bracket- that's the bit I mislaid years ago.)

 

[BretonDave]

Re:

Torqueless, you're absolutely correct - there is no point whatsoever - just call me a nostalgic purist!

 

[DrewSavage]

Bretondave

Quick scan of my 70's Mags shows the prices of chainsets average about .....

Campag £54 (titanium SR £100)

Shimano Dura Ace silver £43

Ofmega £41.50

Sakae Ringyo (SR Royal) £32

Shimano 600 £27

SR Apex £20

SR Custon £13

Sakae stuff was seen as midway between the cheaper 600 and the more expensive Dura Ace

Shaun

Interesting Shaun. I always put SR at the lower end myself. Probably because the lower end bikes came with it fitted. They do knock out some nice parts though and I certainly have an appreciation of the brand especially the Campag Record chainset copy and the Laprade seatpost is a classic.

This sounds like quite an important lesson for me. I have assumed Sakae Ringyo parts aren't going to be as good as other more heralded makes, because mainly I know them from being attached to lower-end Raleigh bikes. And the better Raleigh road bikes from the 80s seem to graduate away from SR parts the higher up the scale you get.