Retro Raleigh R-expertise Required!

paul8valve

Devout Dirtbag
Hi folks,

I'm looking at a bike locally here in Ireland tomorrow morning, with a view to buying.

Seller has advertised it as a Reynolds 531 lightweight of some deescription (model unknown, as it has been resprayed and has no decals).

What's throwing me is that it has wraparound rear stays, but also has the little circular hole with the knurled outer rim for attaching a lamp bracket to the front fork, weinmann ''safety'' brake levers, one weinmann sidepull caliper and one weinmann centre pull caliper.

Derailleurs are unknown and it's got cottered cranks.

Also has open 4 cd's (hubs unknown)fitted by a previous owner...aren't they a late 80s/early 90s rim?

Is this a gaspipe special being touted as something more exotic?

Any help/advice asap would be very much appreciated!

Thanks for taking the time to read this
Paul
 
There are quite a few for sale on ebay ,perhaps you could take a look or even download some of the pictures for comparison??
 
Re:

How do you know it is 531? Using that in an advert is becoming silly and is often just to draw attention as people know that premiums are paid. It may well be but without proof I would only pay gaspipe prices. Yes I might miss a bargain but I like my money. Another generalisation; those suicide levers were mostly fitted to cheaper bikes. Not exclusively , but mostly.
Again, I know there will be nice exceptions but I wouldn't be taking the risk unless I could prove it's quality.
Hopefully you can do so.
The rims are good so at some point someone has spent money.
 
Ask the seller to find out the seat post dimension! For 531 your looking for 27mm - 27.1mm - 27.2mm depending on the year.

Wrap around seat stays suggest its a Carlton.

Sounds very early 70's to me but pictures of it will help.
 
If the safety brake levers are original then with the lamp boss plus wraparound stays its a Raleigh / Carlton made with Tru-Well or a similar made by Falcon.

Shaun
 
Wraparound seat stays were Carlton or Raleigh's made in the Carlton factory branded as Raleigh carlton. Some of these wre TruWel, othres were 531 of various calibre.
You may be lucky and have a Carlton Professional (or a Raleigh model equivalent)
any pictures?
Check the fork drop outs and the rear dropouts and for a serial number.
 
Re:

Yes Open 4 CD are late 80s / early 90s (I got a pair on Shimano 1055 hubs in 1991)

From memory they superceeded the MA40 rims when "aero" became the trend.
 
Thanks for the advice, guys, I took the plunge and bought this, it was worth it, if only for the wheels!

I have to say, it feels very light and stiff, not like a gaspipe bike.

The paint job leaves a lot to be desired...it may have been done with a yard brush!

I'll get some pics and see what you all think. I'd like to find out what it originally was!
 
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