Trying to identify the origins of a Raleigh Special Products

[flanajb]

I purchased a Raleigh Special Products bike from a chap in London about 5 years ago, bought the bike due to its sweet look. Spec is as follows

Shimano Ultegra
Frame is Reynolds 853
Mavic Cosmic Elite wheels
Chris King Headset
Look Pedals
Mizun Forks

Just interested to find out more as I have trawled the net and have never found another one Raleigh bike that looks like this one.

 

[Jamiedyer]

Hello

Hello flanajb and welcome to the forum
I am not up on the history of this model but it has the same paint scheme as an 853 Raleigh special MTB that was on here a little while back. It was red and yellow IIRC with the flame graphics. It was for sale and it was the best colourscheme I had seen in a long time but alas it was (as usual) too big for me.
Have a trawl and see what you can find and If I can find it I will post back here. The owner can probably tell you the year etc.
good luck
Jamie

 

[one-eyed_jim]

I think these were among the last UK-built frames to come from RSP in about 2001. I considered buying one at the time - there was a chap in Scotland who had bought the last of the production and was selling them as frames only or with Ultegra equipment if I remember correctly - but I dithered and he sold out of my size.

RSP bikes are generally very nicely made. I've got an earlier 853 RSP frame and fork that's the equal of any Pinarello.


edit: from Google Groups, I think this is the ad. I replied to:

http://groups.google.fr/group/rec.bicyc ... aleigh+853

Ian Adams

3 fév 2001, 19:00

Groupes de discussion : rec.bicycles.tech
De : "Ian Adams" <Adam...@btinternet.com>
Objet : Raleigh R700 853 -an end of an era

It's a great pity that Raleigh - Uk, have ceased production of their top
end road bikes. Such as their superb R800 Titanium and their R700 Reynolds 853.

Anyone wishing to purchase a brand new R700 853 road bike, air brushed
paint, Shimano Ultegra equipment, please email for futher information.
regards
Ian

 

[flanajb]

Thanks for the replies and welcoming me to the forum.

I was thinking of replacing the bike with a Carbon Wilier, but I am in love with the look of the bike and I think I will just upgrade some of the components instead.

Just out of interest any idea what the retail price of these bikes was back in 2001 ?

PS - What shame they stopped making them, the do have real appeal

 

[Jones]

It was my Raleigh frame that was for sale it was a lovely looking frame but nobody wanted it :?

It was NOS condition with original receipt and in the end I sold it for £130 posted with a new headset, seatpost and project two forks :?

So really, a NOS 853 frameset only made £60 :shock:

 

[Old Ned]

Ask on the specialist Raleigh forum -

www.raleighbikes.com

I'm sure someone there will know.

 

[inglepingle]

Raleigh 853

That bike was one of the last frames to come out the Raleigh special products factory - in the day when they had a factory in nottingham.

It was made (i think) in 1997 or 1998, and was sold as a frameset and a bike with the spec simelar to you'rs. really nice frames, hand airbrushed by a guy in Ilkeston. Those forks were pretty tasty too.

I've got a full suspension bike with a simelar paint job, i'll post some pictures up here when i get a few minutes

 

[BONTY1]

I remember this baby in the range as i work in a Raleigh shop.
For the life of me i can't remember the year! I sold the model above it to a customer.It was titanium with red flames ,Dura ace,Mavic Helium.Maybe a '99 or slightly later? I bought a RSP mtb made out of 853 in '98 that was before the custom flame paint finishs.Beautiful bikes and didn't sell many! A real shame as Raleigh made a real effort around that time.
Thanx Max

 

[orange71]

I've got one just like Jones'. Up for sale potentially if anybody's interested

Here it is, sorry about crappy phonecamera photo.

 

[oundlerider]

Does anyone know if the painter is still around!!

I have been riding my R700, flame paint job for 10 years or more, thousands of mile and it still rides like a dream. It is looking a little tired and I really want to get it repainted as original, so, if anybody has any idea how or where I can get it repainted to original colours and spec. I would be delighted to hear from you!

Thanks and happy cycling to one and all!!