Raleigh completed after 5 years...finally!

[cchaven]

Here is my UK built Raleigh Racing USA 555 RSL, finally completed after 5 years. I kept having to stop work on this for other things, and I went a different direction than I'd originally started. I switch from using a Suntour GPX group to Suntour Superbe/Superbe Pro. I'm really happy with how it turned out. As built by the previous owner originally it did have Campagnolo installed but that group had been removed before I got the bike as only a frame and I didn't want to spend the kind of money the Campy groups are currently going for. As it sits, I think the bike is period correct for the most part. It has a WD4xxxxxx serial number on the bottom bracket.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Well worth the effort, very nice bicycle.

 

[cchaven]

Here are the specs for the build:

1984 Raleigh Racing USA

Frame/forks: Raleigh 555 RSL
Dropouts: Campagnolo

Stem: Sakae 80m quill
Handlebar: Sakae Custom Modolo Anatomic
Headset: Shimano 600 Ultegra (HP-6400)
Handlebar tape: Velox Tressostar 90 with chrome plugs

Brakes: Modolo Equipe
Brake Levers: silver Modolo Speedy with Dia Compe hoods

Shifters: Suntour Superbe Pro LD-4650
Front Derailleur: Suntour Superbe Pro
Rear Derailleur: Suntour Superbe Pro
Cranks: Suntour Superbe Pro
Chainrings: Suntour 53/42
Pedals: Suntour Superbe

Rims: Matrix Titan hard anodized, 36h
Hubs: Sansin Gyro-Master low flange with Suntour QR
Tyres: Continental Super Sport Ultra (700x23)

Saddle: Selle San Marcos Rolls
Seatpost: Sakae/Ringyo (SR) Laprade, 27.0mm

 

[cchaven]

Well worth the effort, very nice bicycle.

Thank you!

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Thank you!

I have a thing for Raleigh

 

[Midlife]

Very smart . Might look a bit more aesthetic if you remove the plastic disc behind the freewheel ?

 

[cchaven]

Maybe so..but that disk is Suntour and has a 40 year old history with the group/wheels/brakes. They all came from an 84/85 Trek being upgraded and I bought them together. So we'll see

 

[Blacktopdisciple]

Thats a lovely bicycle. Good to see a Sun Tour groupset. I am not familier with Raleigh 555 tubing.

 

[Mod-Master]

Leave the dork disk on!

 

[cchaven]

Thats a lovely bicycle. Good to see a Sun Tour groupset. I am not familier with Raleigh 555 tubing.

Thank you! From looking at the 1985 catalog, Raleigh 555 RSL labeled tubing was used, alongside Reynolds 753, on UK made custom framesets. There's a small box in the bottom right corner of page one of the 1985 catalog showing them. According to multiple discussions on bikeforums.net over the years, it would appear the Raleigh 555 designation was simply marketing on the part of Raleigh USA at the time to give them more freedom to use whatever tubes they wanted under the 555SL and 555T designations. Since the 555RSL frames were made in Nottingham of Reynolds double butted maganese molybdium tubing, per the decals on the frames, most agree in those discussion that it is some form of Reynolds 531. Below is a clearer image of the seatube decals before I built the bike.

I'm very happyy that I went with the Suntour group. In fact, the Raleigh USA Prestige model was built with Suntour Superbe Pro and Sansin hubs, so using the Suntour for this isn't such a stretch.