Raleigh Royal 708 £50

[bikeworkshop]

I had thought spoke holders but then thought, "Why?", were spokes really breaking that often back then?

I certainly sold galaxies prone to 2yr spoke fatigue, but I don't recall any of the wheels we've built with dt bb ever braking through anything other than impact.

Maybe it was in case a branch got into the wheel, or your floppy panniers and bungee cords got tangled up descending Porlock Hill in the rain with full camping gear?

 

[winjohn]

I have stripped the frame down for a clean, touch up and polish, can't get the BB to budge or get the pedals off so they are soaking in WD40 atm.
I nearly had a "moment" though when I came to take off the rear mudguard (see photo number 2). I thought I had lost half a chainstay bridge!
On closer inspection it seems they were made that way.

I had a look at the serial number and it is E26143. Apparently this signifies it was made in the USA, does that sound right?

Looking forward to cleaning, greasing, polishing and rebuilding soon.

 

[doctor-bond]

Spokeholders on the chainstay are sign that you can take your steed the extra mile (prolly a marketing gimmick, but having carried spare spokes bouncing in a pannier in the wilds, a few on the stay doesn’t seem a bad place to keep ‘em).

And so Raleigh put the spokes on stays on high end 531 tourers; & they put the spokes on the right hand stay - perhaps to offer some protection against chain slap?

But when the heat-treated 708 models were built, someone decided that spokeholders should go on the left stay where they would remain unsullied and ready for use, or just because….

I suspect that there was a lot of showing off on the late Randonneur/Royale frames, especially the 708 ones:

~ oversize seatstay caps aren’t subtle but are a statement; “because we can”.
~ the mudguard “pip” instead of a chainstay bridge only saves a few grams, but says, “this frame is so well designed it doesn’t need reinforcing down here”
- spokeholders on the left differentiate the frame from its 531 brethren.

I beleive the Royales were sold as frames (hence the eclectic mix of components on yours?) The Randonneurs went out as bikes & had a mixed but fairly consistent spec that you can see in catalogues.

Not sure on the USA frame number angle - seems unlikely there were two centres of special builds?

Will make a great bike.

 

[winjohn]

I am wondering what headset to use, the original has those strange plastic bearing covers that are OK but I have a Dynatech where they have cracked and fallen off so I will be changing these. I usually stick on a Tange Seiki Falcon but is there any reason to go a little higher spec?

Also thinking about the BB, Tange/Shimano any difference?

As far as the groupset goes I have an M735 XT front and rear mech and will either reuse the existing cantis or treat the old girl to some XTs.

Anyone have any thoughts how they would spec up a Royal if they had a blank canvas?

 

[winjohn]

Answering my own question on the serial number, I have read the special product division serial number use the first letter as a date code so this should be a 1994 model.

 

[doctor-bond]

Have a look at the 708 Randonneur thread in my signature for some build ideas including how the last run out models were equipped with hydraulic brakes. Nitto and Brooks feature high on my list of go to options. Shimano 9 speed is excellent and bomb proof.

With a 135mm rear end, 27.2 post and generous clearance you have loads of options, so can choose an aesthetic, budget and practicality that suits what you’ll use it for. Give it some good brakes - wide angle cantis are still trackable down, either high end from Paul’s/ IRD or budget from Tektro or Dia Compe (check heel clearance at the back)

 

[bikeworkshop]

I am wondering what headset to use, the original has those strange plastic bearing covers that are OK but I have a Dynatech where they have cracked and fallen off so I will be changing these. I usually stick on a Tange Seiki Falcon but is there any reason to go a little higher spec?

Falcon is perfect - probably better than the original?
If you spend more you'd get cartridge bearings, but if you service a tange headset about once a century it will outlast humanity. (And also outlast the cartridges)

specially under currrent circumstances