Raleigh Ritmo 1988 Project

[RubberLegs]

There's not enough low end bikes on here :twisted: so here's my '88 Raleigh Ritmo that I'm part way through doing an economy rejuvenation job. Not really a restoration as it was sort of rideable when I got it and I'm no stickler for originallity, just want to get it into good clean useable condition that will last a good few years without any nasty surprises.

As you can see from the sellers pic below, a previous owner had fitted it with flat bars and Deore V-brake levers, so they'll be ditched for some cheap drop bars and Tektro levers. Luckily the other components seem to be mostly original and serviceable, although I've got to fit a new front axle as the cones were badly pitted.

The paintwork had quite a few rust spots showing through some rather slap dash touch-up work. I didn't much like the paint scheme anyway so decided to strip it and economically repaint it with Hammerite smooth blue.

Currently everything has been stripped and cleaned and I'm just setting up to respray the frame without getting paint all over the place.

I'll post some more as I progress but I'm not in a hurry with this one.

There doesn't seem to be much info on the Ritmo out there, does anybody know more about them? A catalogue page scan would be really good!

Here's the spec...

Frame: Raleigh Ritmo WH800nnnn
Year: 1988
Tubing: 531 butted main tubes
Lugs: Not known, see pics
Dropouts: Gipiemme
Size: 22.5" / 57cm
Frame Without Forks Weight: 1.96 Kg (completely stripped)
Forks Weight: 0.83 Kg (completely stripped)

Headset: Tange
Stem: SR Custom
Handlebars: ITM (not original)
Bar Tape: Deda black
Brake Levers: Tektro RL-340 (not original)

Brakes: Weinmann 570

Gear levers: Shimano SL-1050 D/T 6spd or friction
Front Derailleur: Shimano FD-Z202
Rear Derailleur: Shimano RD-L523

Cranks: Shimano Golden Arrow 170mm
Chainrings: Shimano 52-42
Bottom Bracket: Tange
Pedals: MKS Sylvan Road Black
Freewheel: Shimano TZ21 14-28
Cassette: N/A
Chain: Shimano HG-50

Rims: Weinmann alloy 700c 36H 15mm
Hubs: Maillard
Tyres: Specialised All condition 700-28C
Tubulars: N/A
Nipples: not known
Spokes: not known

Saddle: Turbo Black
Seatpost: SR Laprade 27.2mm
Seat Bolt: steel

Bottle Cage: 2 x Blackburn
Mudguards: none fitted, frame has eyes for them.

Bike Weight: Just under 11Kg

Other details: This one also had that weird pump peg thing in the head tube. It's not threaded and is brazed in, see pic. Now removed.

As it was, seller's pic:

Yuk, where's the Nitromors ..

.. better

More to come,
Simon

 

[Plus one]

Love seeing a bike stripped to the bones !!!! It's therapeutic cleaning every bit and re-fitting

I reckon she'll look cracking

 

[47p2]

Nothing wrong with base spec bikes, probably more on here than we all realise that have been upgraded/tampered with during the course of their life into something they never were originally. Happens a lot in the classic car scene, how often at shows do you see base spec cars...very seldom, usually the Ghia, GTX XL, 24V models and if you do see a base model it has leather reclining seats with electric windows, alloy wheels etc.

 

[Nob]

Anything built with Reynolds 531 tubing is not really low end as the frame has some quality about it.

 

[RubberLegs]

Almost a year later and I've only just got round to painting the frame. Well, I did say I wasn't in a hurry!

The Hammerite rattle can worked better than I thought, more glossy and better colour than I expected. Still there's a few runs and thin patches so I'll have to rework it once it's completely cured. Hammerite is weird stuff.

Many thanks to MrW who posted a catalogue page scan for the Ritmo here: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... p;start=10

Here's some quick pics :
... no, they're too big

 

[RubberLegs]

Here's the pics:

The yellowish tint is the camera's fault

 

[RubberLegs]

Almost finished. Just a few things like bar tape and chainstay protector still to do.

I changed the stem to an SR Custom which I think was originally fitted. The Kalloy stem that came with the bike looked wrong and wouldn't go low enough. I also put a Turbo saddle on it.

 

[Bats]

Christ knows how 531 is low end...

 

[RubberLegs]

Christ knows how 531 is low end...

Please excuse my twisted sense of humor. You and Nob are right, it's not low end, quite decent in fact.

I rode it a few times round the block and it rides very nicely.

My spannering skills must be improving as everything works properly.
No rattles, the Weinmann 570 brakes really work and even the 6 spd indexed levers work with the 7 spd freewheel.

 

[Meejoir]

Hi, loving the work you've done to the Ritmo. I've been donated (yet another) old raleigh which is structurally sound it's just in desperate need of stripping. I was just wondering how you managed such a clean job of stripping the Ritmo? What did you use? Generally I have frames stripped and shot blasted by a local painter but I fancy doing it by hand this time.

Any help would be gratefully received. Cheers.