Raleigh Road Ace to Fixie Project - colour options...

[kula]

Also just looking at the pics again, the transfer on the downtube, would look better being further up towards the front.

 

[559er]

I would go for the traditional carlton team blue and perhaps orange however pink would go very well if you got some pink tyres I'm doing a similiar project which may end up with canti bosses and more of a cyclocross look

 

[Midlife]

Looks like a Raleigh Competition sprayed up as a road ace.......I wonder if the factory ran out of Road Ace frames and nicked one from another part of the factory LOL

What dropouts does it have gipieme or Campag ?

Mind you my knowlege of the early to mid 80's is a bit sketchy ..

Shaun

 

[lae]

^ it does look very similar to my Competition, yes. Good frames, 531c throughout.

 

[S1m0nR]

Looks like a Raleigh Competition sprayed up as a road ace.......I wonder if the factory ran out of Road Ace frames and nicked one from another part of the factory LOL

What dropouts does it have gipieme or Campag ?

This is interesting - I was surprised to see the chrome drop-outs and also the seat bolt and seat-stays appear to be different to other Road Aces I've seen so you may have something there.

The drop-outs are Gipieme, front and back, and there is a 531c sticker on the seat tube, as well as another Reynolds Tour de France sticker that I've not seen the like of before.

The frame's serial number is WL5000012, I've decoded this to mean Worksop (although obviously it was well closed by then) August, 1985, 12th frame produced in that period. Hopefully that's right! This frame seems very different to my Record Ace frame which is only about 6 months older than it (the bottom bracket, head parts, seat stays etc all appear more 'modern').

Any info that could be uncovered would be gratefully received - obviously I'm happy to post up any pictures that may help. There are some more pictures here: http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/W ... ike/Fixie/

Cheers for now..

 

[Midlife]

http://hilarystone.com/frameset6.html

http://hilarystone.com/images/sale%20im ... n-1983.jpg

Had a trawl around for the "Competition" and found one on Hilary Stones Website. He usually manages to get the info right on the kit that he sells, even though it's a tad expensive LOL

Mind you that frame would fit me .........

Shaun

 

[S1m0nR]

Hey Shaun - cheers for that, great spot - that's exactly the same as mine except possibly the bottom bracket is threaded differently (depending on what I find when I remove the existing bb from my frame).

So do you reckon that that means that my frame is not a Road Ace but actually a Competition frame that the factory sprayed up as a Road Ace. Maybe that depends on whether I can find another Road Ace with a frame like mine!

Either way, it's a great frame - exactly what I was after

 

[kula]

I woundn't get too bogged down with whether it's a road ace or a competition. I've got both and neither looks like your frame. My Road Ace is the 1st gen one with over bottom bracket cable guides, while my Competition came as a Team Coloured frameset and does not have the shot in stays.
The moral is (if there is one) that Raleigh built many frames over the years and I would hazzard a guess that they built lots to the same design and just sprayed them up to what ever finish they needed.
I may be wrong on that point, but since you are not intending on replicating a road ace or competition, I see it not mattering. If it's in your size and you wanted a Raleigh then great news, built it up and paint it as you see fit.

 

[Midlife]

I worked in a Raleigh 5 star dealership in the 70's and for the most part they turned out identical bikes......

However it all seemed to go a bit pants when they launced a different model or upgraded an existing model. The reps would bring around the "new" model and we would say...ohh thats nice it's got SIDI chain..nope the rep would say not on the production model. How about the missing pump pegs. yep they will be on the new model........ Like the chrome forks...nope this is a demo model.........and so it went on.

Don't mention the Grifter

So I guess at new model launch and change over time there would be a shed load of bikes which were "wrong" LOL

Shaun

 

[Spokesmann]

Yep this is definitely the best. It'll look great!

This is the best option in my view.

Working as a graphic designer I see this a clean , uncluttered and the Raleigh name stands out well. The other look too fussy and gimmicky.