80's Raleigh 531c Frame

aj log

Retro Newbie
Hello Folks,

I hope somebody here can help me with the identification of my recently resurrected old Raleigh.

What I know:
Frame and forks are badged 531c with a red main triangle, black forks and rear triangle.
Frame No suggest special projects (ex Worksop) build WH7000664.
Complete Compagnolo group set. Hubs, front rear mechs and shifters, brakes and levers, seat post.
Hubs are badged RECORD.
Cinelli Bars
Marvic MA-40 rims
Marvic pedals

What I don't know.
What version is this colurs suggest team USA but no badging to say this?
What group set is this?
Was it a Raleigh build to this spec?


I got it from a friend in about '94 as a road training bike but never really used it. He had it as his training bike and I think got it from a fellow club member (what club and when I am not sure).

Anyway I have dug it out of the back of the cellar at my parents and simply added a new seat (old one long gone), removed the gears, shortened the chain added new tyres and tubes and will run it as a single speed fun bike to go on rides with my family etc.

Any comments or observations welcome and some all important pics below.

Cheers,
AJ
 

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From Memory it wasn't a model as such, it was a frame-only you could buy it as.

Friend had one, very nice. Think they have gipemme ends. also recall the forks were 531sl? something special with the tubing meant it was a bit lighter from memory.

Parts look like Victory - chainset is almost definate, brakecalipers look it too.

Would have been a very nice bike back in the day (as it is now), still looks in very good condition too and no doubt it will last as long again.
 
Thanks DA-EVO

To be honest I was not sure if I should chop her about to make essentially a single speed hack, but I am not going to change anything that cannot easily be re fitted.

It is in good condition even the rims have lots of life left in them with no notching just the anodising wearing off.

There are the usual scrapes and scratches but nothing serious, well except a pretty nasty dink in the top tube that is more cosmetic than structural but it is right there in your eye line :roll:
 
aj log":2w4v09yn said:
Thanks DA-EVO

To be honest I was not sure if I should chop her about to make essentially a single speed hack, but I am not going to change anything that cannot easily be re fitted.

Would leave it be, its lasted a while and its a nice bike, plus easier / cheaper to find an old snotter to go single speed on I guess? Suspect there aren't that many of those frames about anyway.

Enjoy it :)
 
Cinelli bars should have a number on them, possibly model 65, 64 or 66.

IIRC, the standard square one was the Model 64, the rounded 65 was a track bar and the 66 was the Merckx model, like the 64 but much deeper, as per the great man's request for something like this.
 
i remember this frame as a raleigh usa model - i don't recall it was sold in this country during the 80s. i was a big raleigh fan and worked in the cycle industry at the time.
nice one!
rusty
 
Steve Kish":16jak5us said:
Cinelli bars should have a number on them, possibly model 65, 64 or 66.

IIRC, the standard square one was the Model 64, the rounded 65 was a track bar and the 66 was the Merckx model, like the 64 but much deeper, as per the great man's request for something like this.

Thanks for that info, just took a look and they are 63-40, I guess the 40 is their width in cm.

I guess these will be the unique Cinelli 26.4mm dia that they used back in the 80's.
 
rusty bodie":1gthdifc said:
i remember this frame as a raleigh usa model - i don't recall it was sold in this country during the 80s. i was a big raleigh fan and worked in the cycle industry at the time.
nice one!
rusty

That fits with what I was told back when I first had the bike, I was told it was a Team America replica and subsequent searches have only thrown up similar models from the USA.

All I have found so far is that there was a range of frames coloured red and black like the USA Olympic team bikes, these frames were made by Raleigh UK Special Build but in a range of tubing specs.

Its interesting finding out about these things and adds a certain feeling of responsibility about owning these old bikes.
 
aj log":csidtd28 said:
rusty bodie":csidtd28 said:
i remember this frame as a raleigh usa model - i don't recall it was sold in this country during the 80s. i was a big raleigh fan and worked in the cycle industry at the time.
nice one!
rusty

That fits with what I was told back when I first had the bike, I was told it was a Team America replica and subsequent searches have only thrown up similar models from the USA.

All I have found so far is that there was a range of frames coloured red and black like the USA Olympic team bikes, these frames were made by Raleigh UK Special Build but in a range of tubing specs.

Its interesting finding out about these things and adds a certain feeling of responsibility about owning these old bikes.

yup, and also the fact that the raleigh usa models all tended to be that fastback type of seat stay arrangement and not the side brazed type. i think that i remember the great track rider nelson vails riding one when he rode for Levi's USA. a black shirt with yellow bands i think - god, i'm dusting down the old grey matter now!! lol

rusty :roll:
 
I remember Geoffrey Butler in Croydon selling these frames off cheap in the 80s. They had a load of them in various sizes and liveries. Some were Red/Black, others were Red/Maroon and had Raleigh USA stickers on.

I went to buy one and the first one they pulled out had a loose top headset cup. It literally rotated in the headtube. The second seemed OK but when I built it up I realised the forks were badly out of alignment and none of my wheels would sit straight in them. I rode it over to the shop but they insisted it was fine. In the end I just filed one of the fork ends so the slot went deeper and it was OK. It was a great frame to ride - very rigid 531c and handled really nicely despite my bodge. The finishing was below par though and I always wondered how Raleigh let them out the factory. My earlier Raleigh Competition knocked spots off it for quality.

Mark.
 
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