Raleigh Panasonic

[Raleigh Boy]

After much searching, last weekend I purchased a nice Raleigh 531c frame in the Panasonic Team livery at my local bike jumble. Alas not the SBDU version but the ‘Worksop’ stamp variety with a serial number starting “WA4”, that I take as January 1984. Although by this time I understand the Lightweight model production had move to the main factory in Nottingham rather than the one in Worksop.


I’ve looked at the Raleigh Lightweights catalogue for 1984 and see there were two ways of purchasing this frame, (a) as a full bike called the “Team Replica 12” or (b) as an off the peg frame referred to at the “Team Professional”.

Here’s a link to that catalogue →

https://www.flickr.com/photos/54329998@ ... 8854991233

My first question is was there any difference between these two frames and if yes how can I tell which my frame started life as?

My assumption is by 1984 the world had moved to 700c wheels and that’s what these bikes would have been built on or was it very much a thing of personal choice? Does anybody know what size wheels the Team Replica 12’s Mavic GP4 rims would have been as a 1984 factory build?
The ‘Raleigh’ head-tube badge on Panasonic bike is the type with 3 visible rivets, I also have a Raleigh Gran Course (only available as an off the peg frame) from the same year but this has the ‘hidden rivet’ version of the Raleigh badge. Does this indicate anything or was it a case that in 1984 they just fitted what they had in stock?


For information I think I’m going to build the Panasonic up in Nuovo Record, any other suggestion regarding group sets?
The final question for now, seat post diameter would this be 27.0mm or 27.2mm?

Many thanks

 

[daccordimark]

IIRC at one time you could tell whether a Raleigh frame was supplied as part of a bike or as a frame only by the colour of one of the stickers on it. I think it was a small rectangular sticker that had info about the British Standard it was built to.

 

[Raleigh Boy]

Re:

thanks dccordimark, that make a lot of sense, mine has a reference to BS 6102/1 which refers to cycles so my assumption from that is was originally sold as a full bike i.e. the "Team Replica 12". As I like to build my bike as close as possible to the original spec I'd better start looking for some nice Nuovo Record stuff (and saving my pennies). Not sure I'll go for the original GP4 rims as I've never had a bike with tubs before.

 

[Blacktopdisciple]

Thats a lovely frame. You could build it up as speced by the Raleigh Weinmann Team with Simplex gears and Weinmann brakes and rims. That would be an interesting alternative to Campag and possibly cheaper.

 

[Raleigh Boy]

Re:

Good thought, some research required I think.

 

[Waterford45]

Re:

Did you ever build this up?

 

[Raleigh Boy]

Re:

Not yet, I only purchased the frame a couple of weeks ago. Also trying to confirm they were build with 700c wheel rather than 27" - does anybody know?

 

[marshalllucky]

Re:

That`s a nice frame, would like to do one of those myself !. You included a link to the Raleigh catalogue featuring the complete bike so you have all the specs right there. It states the Team replica came with Mavic GP4`s which are 700c.
If you do a search on Retrobike you will see others have done this build before with some lovely results. Good luck with the build, it should keep you busy for a while !

 

[Waterford45]

Apologies, I didnt even look at the date you posted. Lovely frame.