Would be Carlton Pro Am owner!

[bentleybez]

Hello Folks, After a long lay of from here I’m hoping to return to cycling in the near future, I’ve put up a wanted ad for a Carlton Pro Am 12, not a class leading machine I know, but one I always admired in my youth!. If anyone knows of one for sale I’d appreciate any information.

Thanks in advance Iain

 

[spitball]

There's one on ebay, albeit mah hoosive! and needing a refinish, you could buy it then look for a smaller frame at a later date, unless, of course, you are mah hoosive!

 

[bentleybez]

Haha!, Thanks spitball, sadly at 5’8” I am not mahoosive!, I have checked on eBay and gumtree to no avail, the only one on eBay my size the seller doesn’t respond to messages, so thought I’d post up on here and see if anyone has anything suitable?.

 

[spitball]

Where are you based? and budget?

 

[Nob]

Patience is the key as one will come along.. I spent 3 years waiting for a 24” Campagnolo Ghibli front disc then 2 came up within 2-3 months of each other.. needless to say I immediately snapped up both

 

[bentleybez]

Thanks for your encouragement, and yes, that’s sometimes the way things roll out, isn’t it?!, after all I’m looking for something 40+ years old and quite specific, so it may be a waiting game……

 

[bentleybez]

Where are you based? and budget?

I am in Cheshire and Caernarvon when not locked down!, budget is pretty open and would depend very much on condition and how much would need to be spent on renovation/restoration. I genuinely have no idea, but am guessing at 100 - 300 for bikes at opposite ends of the spectrum?.

 

[ZG862]

Was the Pro Am the pale blue one? My dad had a Criterium (a notch or so below iirc: Weinmann concave rims and centre-pull brakes) in a very 80's metallic green. It was also mahoosive (25"+) and I struggled to give it away when he died. It's actually really cool how these "top of the mass-producers' range" bikes are becoming desirable.

Good luck in your search, Bez - and post pictures when you find it.

 

[bentleybez]

Re:

Hi, And thanks for your message. The Pro Am was indeed pale metallic blue, the brochure stated ‘polar blue’ if memory serves me correctly!, it also had the headstock lug lined in a dark blue. I remember the criterium too, and you’re right, it was the model just below the ProAm, but still an ‘expensive’ bike for the time. Carlton did do some huge frame sets, my mates dad had a 25” pro am with mudguards and panniers he used for commuting to work, I could never understand why he didn’t buy a ‘corsair’ which was geared more for touring??.

Anyway nice to read of your memories of Carlton, I’ll continue to search, but nothing seems to be available currently.

Best regards Iain.

 

[ZG862]

I remember the dark blue lug lining but you've had me looking at the completed listings on ebay. just to remind myself.

There's a Pro-Am that sold for £120 which has had the obligatory "city bike" straight bars dumbing down but otherwise seems to have retained quite a few of the original components. Suntour VX gears (remember that reverse parallelogram that meant it operated in the same low to high direction as the rear mech?), the obligatory "clicky" Powershift gear levers, Weinmann 500 brakes (what else) and the frankly rather ridiculous guard on the SR chainset and the funny clip so that they could provide a smaller(???) frame fit (Silca?) pump. And of course "Raleigh" plastered liberally on everything.

I actually thought it was slightly higher spec than that originally but I can't think why anyone would have downgraded core components. Very cool nevertheless.

Keep hunting patiently and one will turn up.

Z