Raleigh lightweight special edition.

[billinjah]

Just got given this full 531 tubing. deore groupset with chainstay mounted u brake and xt beartrap pedals wondered if anyone knew anthing about them seems pretty light wheels are 105 hubs laced to weinmann hard anodised rims. plan to restore and ride sorry pics a bit crap!

 

[terryhfs]

It looks identical to a 1987 Avanti but with a different paint job. I suspect the wheels are later additions.

 

[carlton dyna-tech]

Back in '87 my mate bought a Raleigh MTB and had it painted in the Team Raleigh Banana colours. I think it was the standard-issue Avanti, with just a respray by the Special Products Division, and a few extra bits fitted to his spec. It looks a bit similar to your acquisition.

Here is a scan from a very old pic of it not-long after delivery.

 

[billinjah]

My god that has to be the bike the wheels are identical! Did he keep a record of the frame number? Anything else that might help identify it?

 

[billinjah]

The seat post is very odd and non STD but is the same as that bike!

 

[carlton dyna-tech]

I don't know if he did keep any records of the bike and, unfortunately, he now lives in New Zealand so can't find out it's owner-history. I lost-touch with him years' ago and only found-out he was in NZ when I bumped-into him in Waitrose when he came home for his mothers' funeral, and that must be about 15 years ago.

Sorry not to find anymore details for you, but found another pic. It'd be great if it was the same bike, be nice to see it still going. Oh and, yes, the seat post was 'odd'. I think it was an SR Sakae. The idea was to fix a quick release underneath it so you could slide the seat back to put your weight over the back wheel on those steepe decents. I just used to stand-up on the pedals and hang-me-arse behind the saddle and scrape-me-piles on the knobblies.

My Super Maverick built at the Ilkeston SPD and in Team Raleigh Panasonic colour was his 'inspiration' to get the Avanti 'customised'. Here is a scanned image of it on the 1985 Muddy Fox Trailblazer ride on the North Downs Way at Dorking (beer stop).

Cheers

 

[legrandefromage]

as you are in bedford, it should immediately be dispatched to LGF towers for evaluation....


They are cool in a non american exotica way that they shouldnt be...

dawes Ranger version:

 

[carlton dyna-tech]

Ah YES, my old Dawes 'Ranger'. She had such a loooooong wheelbase. Never saw many of them anywhere BITD, and still don't. Anyone here in Retrobike ever have one, or where you all into Yankee Metal?

Can't remember when I sold it-on, but must have been before I got the Raleigh Pan MTB, so thats must be around 1984-ish.

 

[billinjah]

So was the seat post an addition he made? and i assume the wheels were? the pedals look the same too deore xt firts gen flats. the paintjob is identical. Im sure it must be the bike!

 

[gump]

very similar bikes which seem pretty rare now, but ht look to different lengths.