Some help please re: raleigh 1977 frame looking more 1987

Lazarus

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Could really do with some help identifying a frame I just collected. Tis a Raleigh with the markings as follows :

Frame number WN7001820.
Original Decals are Reynolds 531c on seattube, 531 Ti on forks, GVD with an O through it decal ?, this is just under the 531c decal, a decal saying this is an original raleigh on lower seattube close to BB.

I am understanding that the frame number =

W - Worksop
N - October
7 - 1977
001820 - the actual production run number

It is in red - white - and blue. It has a cinelli BB shell, Gipiemme dropouts, tight geometry ie: race clearances.

The whole conundrum has got me flustered because it looks like a 1987 model / version because of the oversized rear stay ends (last pic). The pics will tell more than I can. Its just that the date doesn't seem to match the frame design.

Any thoughts, information would be really most welcomed. I get the feeling it is a 1977 Jubilee model (celebrating Queens jubilee in 77), but the shape is just not right .... "ahead of its time ?" A possible re-use of date codes is my thinking. Tia, yours Laz.

PS: Is that a cinelli crown too ? It looks familiar ?
 

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Hi Fiks :) That's what's got me buddy, but the big problem is she is in her original state and the frame number says 1977 ? That's why I thought maybe someone in here could shed some light on the clash between frame number & frame design. Its certainly wierd !

Thanks for the drop by Fiks, later my friend, yours Laz.

PS: It was full of 80's parts too, mainly a mid 80's Shimano 600 groupset. Would love to know what the Ti part means, as in why is it on the decals ? Does it indicate quality of frame ? Not really seen 531 decals with Ti on them unless they are SB frames.

Its all a bit of a mystery
 
The transfer under the 531 decal is Gerald O'Donovan's. So it maybe a special products build and looking at the seat stays I'd say it is.
I've had people who worked for Raleigh tell me that the numbers are just about meaningless.
 
That's most probably a 1987 531c 'Race' or 'Luxe', I've got a Raleigh frameset catalogue at home with it in (I think!). I'll confirm when I get home tonight.

The 7 refers to the year within the decade it was made, Ti (Tube Investments) was a holding company that owned Raleigh as well as other engineering companies including Reynolds) for some time which is why there's a Ti decal on it. The GVD decal is for Gerald O'Donovan who was a major figure at Raleigh.

That looks like a cracking bike, have you got any more pictures? Looks like Cinelli throughout, quality.

Cheers, Ian :D
 
Re: Some help please re: raleigh 1977 frame looking more 198

Lazarus":1b321h22 said:
Could really do with some help identifying a frame I just collected. Tis a Raleigh with the markings as follows :

Frame number WN7001820.
Original Decals are Reynolds 531c on seattube, 531 Ti on forks, GVD with an O through it decal ?, this is just under the 531c decal, a decal saying this is an original raleigh on lower seattube close to BB.

I am understanding that the frame number =

W - Worksop
N - October
7 - 1977
001820 - the actual production run number

It is in red - white - and blue. It has a cinelli BB shell, Gipiemme dropouts, tight geometry ie: race clearances.

The whole conundrum has got me flustered because it looks like a 1987 model / version because of the oversized rear stay ends (last pic). The pics will tell more than I can. Its just that the date doesn't seem to match the frame design.

Any thoughts, information would be really most welcomed. I get the feeling it is a 1977 Jubilee model (celebrating Queens jubilee in 77), but the shape is just not right .... "ahead of its time ?" A possible re-use of date codes is my thinking. Tia, yours Laz.

PS: Is that a cinelli crown too ? It looks familiar ?

Hi Laz,

the frame is for sure not 1977. It's a second half of 1980s frame, my guess is 1986-1990.

The"W"prefix was used long after the Carlton factory at Worksop was closed and was used by Raleigh to differentiate their volume quality frames (i.e Lightweight Unit - LU) from the lesser models.
Do not confuse the LU with the SBDU at Ilkeston (closed in 1990). Raleigh, in my opinion, abused the Gerald O'Donovan"brand"to an extent.
Take a look at my Raleigh Corsa in Reader's Bikes and you'll see build similarities.
The oversize seat stay caps are a bit of a trademark (LU and SBDU).
I also have an SBDU Raleigh that I ordered direct from the SBDU and met O'Donovan at the time.
People tend to place too much emphasis on stickers and the GO'D ones appear all too frequently on non SBDU Raleighs - or they are retro fitted to the SBDU frames.
When the SBDU at Ilkeston closed (in 1990). GO'D worked out of Nottingham - this is when his decal began to appear (or just before) - when that actual decal appeared is a guess, TI is Tube Investments: parent company to Reynolds at that time.
These LU frames were retailed in large numbers by my LBS, Geoffrey Butler Cycles BITD.
Hope this helps, and take a look at the Corsa (bought new in 1984).

Cheers, Roadking.
 
I had one of these as my last race bike (ie my last days at racing was on one of these). Its around circa 1988 and its not all 531C, I think the stays are 653. It was branded as a 531 Luxe frame and didnt come as a built up bike, it was frameset only. Yes both crown and BB are cast.

I enjoyed mine, even tho' it kinda had low brand cred (bit like boardmans now) and it isnt SBDU made. It rode far better than my colnago master which was prob 4 x the price and when combined with a shimano 600 groupset (the blue/green flash model) made a sub-20lb bike which was light back then.
the one downside was the big blow holes in the forks and stays which whistled above 30mph.
Enjoy!
 
pigman said:
I had one of these as my last race bike (ie my last days at racing was on one of these). Its around circa 1988 and its not all 531C, I think the stays are 653.

No it is not SBDU, and it would not have had 653 stays, there's no such thing.

653 was not a tubeset as such it was a tube concept set - 531 triangle and forks with 753 stays.

653 effectively replaced the 531 Professional tubeset (circa 1986).

A 653 branded frame is very good nonetheless.

Cheers, Roadking.
 
I'll bow to your knowledge roadking on the 653 stays bit, its just I'm sure I remember it being stated on the brochure that it had 653 stays. But its a long time ago and I no longer have the info

there was also a similar model out at the time which was "fully" 653 and had red and green fade instead of red & blue.
 
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