Wright_payne
Dirt Disciple
My story starts in the early eighties when I started work and found myself with a bit of money and decided to build my own bike having owned a Raleigh Arena GT. In autumn 84 I picked up my 25” Barry Bond (local Leicester lad) built racing frame and began building my new bike. In January 1985 I passed my driving test (say no more!). A few years later, in the early 90’s I built up a bike for my wife (now ex wife) using components from my original bike having bought some better, second hand components for mine. I never really rebuilt my own bike and when I attempted, accidentally cross threaded the bottom bracket. TBH the frame always felt too big for my 6’2” height and now owning a Raleigh Max Chromo mountain bike, the racer and components were put into storage.
At the time I owned my Arena GT I’d always admired the Raleigh team replica and anything 531.
Roll on 30 years – new wife, kids, new house etc I’m getting back into biking – still got the max chromo MTB and the Bond racer in bits with the addition of a Specialized hard rock. I’ve always held back on building up my racer as it needs repairing and is ultimately too big for me but have loads of bits – 2nd hand campag hubs with new mavic 700c rims and stainless double butted spokes, 2nd hand campag super record front and rear mech (titanium bolts), campag frame fitting levers, cinelli bars and stem, weinmann 405 brake set, Turbo saddle, SR chainset, ofmega bottom bracket, 2nd hand campag pedals with new Christophe toe clips , shimano 600 alloy headset and shimano 600 5 speed block being the highlights. All unused for over 20 years.
So, couple of weeks ago spotted a Raleigh Rapide on ebay, fairly local and from the same era as my Arena GT but with the 531 frame I always wanted so I started bidding. It did go over my pre set limit of £95 but at £127 I won it with the obligatory raised eyebrows from the wife!!. My original thinking was to use the bits I already have to make up a nice spec usable bike, however, I now want to make it as original as possible.
So, to the Rapide. In general the frame is in really good condition for a 30 year old bike. Front and rear mech original, levers, chainset, bottom bracket, front wheel, seat pin, stem and headset too. Now the non-original stuff:-
- Back wheel (non descript??)
- Block (v close ratio)
- Pedals
- Handle bars – triathlon type
- Brakes and levers (shimano 105 incl levers)
- Saddle (not too bothered by this)
Also, the Tange headset is quite corroded and I think the SR custom chainset has a partially damaged pedal thread on the chain ring side.
So, what is the plan? Ideally I now want to get the Rapide back to near original as possible. Pedals I’ll use my campag ones and will fit my as new SR chainset (non –custom) for now along with the headset too. I will change the handle bars for drop ones and basically get it usable. Possibly fit the 405 brakes. Everything else I’ll bide my time looking on this forum and ebay for the right bits to come along. The project should be fairly cost neutral if I sell off the stuff I’ve accumulated and don’t need plus anything of value I take off the Rapide.
No re-sprays or pimping here!
Pictures below as collected from ebay seller
At the time I owned my Arena GT I’d always admired the Raleigh team replica and anything 531.
Roll on 30 years – new wife, kids, new house etc I’m getting back into biking – still got the max chromo MTB and the Bond racer in bits with the addition of a Specialized hard rock. I’ve always held back on building up my racer as it needs repairing and is ultimately too big for me but have loads of bits – 2nd hand campag hubs with new mavic 700c rims and stainless double butted spokes, 2nd hand campag super record front and rear mech (titanium bolts), campag frame fitting levers, cinelli bars and stem, weinmann 405 brake set, Turbo saddle, SR chainset, ofmega bottom bracket, 2nd hand campag pedals with new Christophe toe clips , shimano 600 alloy headset and shimano 600 5 speed block being the highlights. All unused for over 20 years.
So, couple of weeks ago spotted a Raleigh Rapide on ebay, fairly local and from the same era as my Arena GT but with the 531 frame I always wanted so I started bidding. It did go over my pre set limit of £95 but at £127 I won it with the obligatory raised eyebrows from the wife!!. My original thinking was to use the bits I already have to make up a nice spec usable bike, however, I now want to make it as original as possible.
So, to the Rapide. In general the frame is in really good condition for a 30 year old bike. Front and rear mech original, levers, chainset, bottom bracket, front wheel, seat pin, stem and headset too. Now the non-original stuff:-
- Back wheel (non descript??)
- Block (v close ratio)
- Pedals
- Handle bars – triathlon type
- Brakes and levers (shimano 105 incl levers)
- Saddle (not too bothered by this)
Also, the Tange headset is quite corroded and I think the SR custom chainset has a partially damaged pedal thread on the chain ring side.
So, what is the plan? Ideally I now want to get the Rapide back to near original as possible. Pedals I’ll use my campag ones and will fit my as new SR chainset (non –custom) for now along with the headset too. I will change the handle bars for drop ones and basically get it usable. Possibly fit the 405 brakes. Everything else I’ll bide my time looking on this forum and ebay for the right bits to come along. The project should be fairly cost neutral if I sell off the stuff I’ve accumulated and don’t need plus anything of value I take off the Rapide.
No re-sprays or pimping here!
Pictures below as collected from ebay seller