Where to find the frame number on a raleigh mirage

[Carlton_gang]

Like the title says I think I must be missing something really obvious. I've checked under the bottom bracket shell, on the headtube, on the fork steerer, on the read dropouts. I can't find anything other than the previous owner's postcode stamped into the shell.
I assumed all bikes must have frame numbers but I may be wrong.

 

[lensmansteve]

I've a few Raleighs of that era, and I don't think you'll find a proper s/n, just factory reference numbers. Not the same at all! For dating the bike, if it has the original front or rear mechs, just use the two letter Shimano code stamped on the back. My Mirage is ME- M for '88, E for May.
Meantime, here's my Mirage, 10k miles and still going. Front forks are Spinner Biplanes, the stock ones were ok but heavy.

 

[lensmansteve]

And a close-up of the Biplanes, probably worth more than the rest of the bike put together. Bought them for the 25th birthday of the bike ("Desperate Dan"), not me. That ship sailed a while ago.

 

[Carlton_gang]

Re:

Lovely bike, and thank you for the tip. The bike was all original when I got it, it had never even had the wheels removed judging by the indent in the paint from the locking nuts, and a quick look at the derailleurs showed nov 1989 and dec 1989 respectively.
Seems weird that raleigh didn't give them frame numbers, I wonder why they did this.

 

[Carlton_gang]

Re:

WOW, I was completely unaware of the date codes on derailleurs, I knew of the standard, week then year that most hubs and other alloy parts have, but not of this.
A quick look at the suntour compe v I brought for my carlton to replace the nasty shimano one on there shows it's from 1972, 8 years older than the bike itself.
I feel as if a new level of bike nerdery has been unlocked.

 

[lensmansteve]

Thanks! Hard to say, I assume they thought people could "personalise" with a postcode or whatever.
Suntour codes are different to Shimano. You can find them on the web too.
So, yours is a later one, in groovy purple I assume. Mine was white from new, I got the green paint going many years ago. If you're interested in the history of Raleigh, you could try finding the book "Framing Production". No use for lists of individual models, etc., but a full and interesting history of the company. My other Raleighs are an '89 Montage, an unusual '90 Moonrun with different geometry and oversized headtube, and a '91 Summit. Photo of Moonrun below.
Cheers, enjoy the bike..

 

[lensmansteve]

Suntour year code for 1980 would be W, plus the letter for the month. Code for '89, F. You get the idea.

 

[Carlton_gang]

So, yours is a later one, in groovy purple I assume.

Indeed it is groovy purple, to be honest it was a major factor in buying the bike in the first place .

 

[Carlton_gang]

Suntour year code for 1980 would be W, plus the letter for the month. Code for '89, F. You get the idea.

Thank you, don't worry now that I am aware of their existence a quick search for suntour and shimano date codes turned up websites with them on.