Raleigh Dyna Tech appreciation and information thread

[Mahoney1978]

Raleigh Dyna Tech Sentinel. Bought in 1991, frame broke in 1994ish and replaced with this frame.

So don't be fooled by the colour/stickers as Raleigh painted the frame and added the stickers so that I got my Sentinel.

Top tube tube and down tube pass the Titanium test (well, magnet test) and the the serial number on the bottom bracket suggests 1994 (starts with E).

So did Raleigh give me an Dyna Tech or M Trax frame?! I'm leaning M Trax, because of the cable bosses on the rear triangle... But welcome thoughts/ideas/opinions.

Cheers

 

[doctorstewie]

Sounds like an M trax ( although the cable routing they used was the same on the dyna techs, ) I would say M Trax because two ti tubes are used as in some M Traxes, and I THINK Dynas were 3 tube Ti.

Either way you have a superb frame and they did their best to make it look like your old Sentinel, which is very cool And probably not far from unique.

 

[ultrazenith]

The Raleigh head badge marks it out as an M Trax - Dynatechs came with a blue/black dynatech head decal instead. From the pictures, your frame is identical to my 1993 M Trax 300 and 400 frames, except for one tiny detail: the seat stay mudguard/pannier bolt bosses. My Mtrax frames have those bosses brazed onto the frame (and look ugly), whereas your bosses go directly into the seat stays.

Concerning the M Trax vs Dynatech question, I'd say there is basically no difference between their standard bonded Ti frames during the years when the two ranges were both in existence.

 

[ibbz]

Re:

My Dyntech had a raleigh head badge and not a blue and white dynatech one

 

[doctorstewie]

As did mine, don't forget Mahoney's was custom finished by RSP to match the finish on his failed 1991 Dyna Tech sentinel. Dynatechs up until and including 93 had the Heron Badge.

(edit- blue badge introduced in 94 )

 

[ultrazenith]

I also have (and still have) the Dynatech jersey, with the black and blue headbadge pattern on it. It looks really awesome, and it's such a shame I grew out of it. Nowadays I'd kill to get one in large or xl size.

 

[Mahoney1978]

Cheers guys, interesting stuff. Plus, if Raleigh had a blank canvas to work from when they were building/painting my new frame, the head badge could easily have been added (as they were painting the frame any way? Edit, just seen doctorstewie's reply -exactly that)

I must admit, I want it to be a Dyna Tech as this is what I bought with the original Sentinel.

The story behind how I got it back is pretty cool too. It was sold twice (once to a mate from university. He then offered it back to me and I said no, but luckily my brother bought it). I'd forgotten about it until I found this site a few years ago and didn't know if my brother still had it! He did and gave it back to me! And got a mate to help him strip it back to just frame/forks.

Its taken me about three years to save up the funds, but a top member on this forum helped pick it up from my brother, fit it into a small (as possible!) box, send it and now I have it.

Keep the ideas coming if anyone has any other opinions, and yep I think it is pretty much a one off frame. A 1994 dressed as a 1991.

 

[Mahoney1978]

OK Pretty convinced my Dyna Tech frame above is a 1994 DT Diablo frame.

As there is no 1994 catalog (please someone upload one!!), I've been looking at other RB'ers '94 Dyna Techs and am 99.9% sure what I have is a Diablo BUT with the head badge added, as discussed above (bespoke build in my old Sentinel colours, meant Raleigh could add whatever badge they wanted).

See these links to compare frames (all bosses, cable guides, pannier mounts etc look the same) 1994 Dyna Tech Diablo LX

However... have a look at this, and you'll see (what I think) is identical frame in M Trax livery 1994 M Trax Titanium Team

Both have welded rear stays... so kind of puts an earlier theory to bed that Dyna's only had bolted stays? Again, I'm no expert.... but I need to know exactly what I have... no reason why, I just do! :facepalm: Catalog scan could help??

 

[ultrazenith]

I'm certain both models you mention, the Dynatech Diablo and the Team titanium had identical frames, aside from the paint jobs and head badges. I remember at the time friends weighing up whether an M Trax, basically a Dynatech on the cheap, or a genuine Dynatech would be a better buy.

 

[shinobi]

Re:

As someone that has recently built and really enjoying an M trax there seems to be a worrying amount of broken frames mentioned :shock:
is this inevitable ? am i on borrowed time ? whats the story Raleigh experts ?
Paul