Raleigh Castorama or Super-U frame query????
- Thread starter sinclair
- Start date
Penfold6290
rBotM Winner
Re: Raleigh Castorama frame query????
Hi, that's a very nice bike you have there. There are some very learned individuals on here so if you could give some clues such as the bottom bracket stamp that will give an idea of when and perhaps where it was built.
Martin
Hi, that's a very nice bike you have there. There are some very learned individuals on here so if you could give some clues such as the bottom bracket stamp that will give an idea of when and perhaps where it was built.
Martin
Penfold6290
rBotM Winner
Re: Raleigh Castorama frame query????
Well that's buggered up that idea then! One of the members here was a former Raleigh employee and he may be able to shed some light on why the BB shel is unstamped. Any distinguishing features (stamped serial numbers for instance) on any of the other tubes?
I'm sure someone will pipe up with the name of the chap I'm thinking about...
sinclair":vh3zg6cm said:Thanks Martin.
BB is unstamped though?
Well that's buggered up that idea then! One of the members here was a former Raleigh employee and he may be able to shed some light on why the BB shel is unstamped. Any distinguishing features (stamped serial numbers for instance) on any of the other tubes?
I'm sure someone will pipe up with the name of the chap I'm thinking about...
sinclair
Dirt Disciple
Re: Raleigh Castorama frame query????
No stamping visable anywhere :?
Frame and lugs look identical to Redux Rides 635 bike here (http://reduxrides.blogspot.com/), with the exception od the bottom bracket lug design.
No stamping visable anywhere :?
Frame and lugs look identical to Redux Rides 635 bike here (http://reduxrides.blogspot.com/), with the exception od the bottom bracket lug design.
Penfold6290
rBotM Winner
Re: Raleigh Castorama frame query????
How odd...the lug work looks identical to my 531C from the same era. I can remember a few of these floating about when I was at college in 1990, there was a 653 one that belonged to a lad who was spoilt rotten so he never looked after anything so it was in a shocking state and a Dyna Tech version with the wishbone stay.
Without BB stamping it's hard to say but I would wager it was built in 1988/89 (possibly 1990 but we're getting into Dyna Tech territory) and we can only guess as to whether the decals are as supplied from the factory (were these team replica colour schemes available as I have never seen any literature offering these until the 1990 Dyna Tech brochure?) or someone has ordered some from Raleigh (while they were current circa 1990) and changed the original colour scheme?
Curiouser and curiouser...
How odd...the lug work looks identical to my 531C from the same era. I can remember a few of these floating about when I was at college in 1990, there was a 653 one that belonged to a lad who was spoilt rotten so he never looked after anything so it was in a shocking state and a Dyna Tech version with the wishbone stay.
Without BB stamping it's hard to say but I would wager it was built in 1988/89 (possibly 1990 but we're getting into Dyna Tech territory) and we can only guess as to whether the decals are as supplied from the factory (were these team replica colour schemes available as I have never seen any literature offering these until the 1990 Dyna Tech brochure?) or someone has ordered some from Raleigh (while they were current circa 1990) and changed the original colour scheme?
Curiouser and curiouser...
Penfold6290
rBotM Winner
Re: Raleigh Castorama frame query????
Just a thought - have you looked inside the top of the seat tube or BB shell to see if there are traces of a colour other than the white it is wearing now?
Date wise it could be 1989 because Laurent Fignon won the 1989 Giro d'Italia in June of that year which gives six months of 1989 production to herald the success. In which case yours could be a Super U replica not a Castorama replica, not that it makes much difference!
Just a thought - have you looked inside the top of the seat tube or BB shell to see if there are traces of a colour other than the white it is wearing now?
Date wise it could be 1989 because Laurent Fignon won the 1989 Giro d'Italia in June of that year which gives six months of 1989 production to herald the success. In which case yours could be a Super U replica not a Castorama replica, not that it makes much difference!
Matt_wood55
Senior Retro Guru
Re: Raleigh Castorama frame query????
I saw that on Ebay, and actually asked the seller if it was his from new as I was thinking it should be 653. He did say that it was his uncles (or similar) who owned it from new, and that it was original. It looks like a Raleigh (lugs, fork crown etc), but it's unusual not to have any frame number.
Suppose the odd one slipped through the net!
I saw that on Ebay, and actually asked the seller if it was his from new as I was thinking it should be 653. He did say that it was his uncles (or similar) who owned it from new, and that it was original. It looks like a Raleigh (lugs, fork crown etc), but it's unusual not to have any frame number.
Suppose the odd one slipped through the net!
