Raleigh Road Ace: apologies and moral dilemma :-/

Hello everyone!

I've been trying to decide what to do with my road bike recently and I stumbled across this forum. What a great forum. So nice to be surrounded by people that share the same fondness for old, classic bikes.

So, why apologies? Well, I feel like I've betrayed my Road Ace somewhat.

Here's the story:

I bought the bike from a colleague for fifty quid back in 2001. He muttered something about 'moving to Australia, blah blah, Gerald O'Donovan blah blah, special bike, etc.' To my shame I thought not much of it, enjoyed seeing the 531c decal and the way it rode.

When I got the bike it had the original downtube shifters and BioPace chainrings. I've never got on with BioPace, so I changed them out for conventional ones.

I replaced the rear wheel and transmission with combined brake/shifters and retained the rear mech, which seemed to work fine.

The seatpost was seized, so I left it outside for a few hours on one night when it was -4C and then me and a burly mate brought the bike in, applied some heat to the seatpost and it freed up.

I've done a few short 20-40km rides on it, and one 70km ride which is probably best left in the mists of time. Suffice it to say that the concept of 'summer' here is a very broad one and I had a tough time.

So, here I am a few years later and I've just changed jobs. I'm able to cycle to work easily now and it's a lovely 14km bimble along the shore and through the city. I've used my '92 Trek 8000 (single speed now!) a few times, and this week I've used my hardtail MTB twice, so now it's time to dig out the Raleigh and see how she runs.

The bike rides fine now but the frame has some rusty spots, some of which would appear to be from stone chips. None of them look very serious.

...and to the moral dilemma...

I really like this bike and I'm attracted to its classic status and the whole 'spirit' of it. I hope to fettle it into a shape I can be proud of. The apology comes from the fact that I've neglected the bike by: not riding it enough, keeping it filthy, and not looking after it. I feel like I've disrespected the spirit of this fine machine and it's now time to atone.

...I'll strip the bike 'cos it's easy and it allows me to both treat the frame and thoroughly clean all the parts.

I have a half-decent aluminium headset that I'll fit. I have the right tools for removal and refitting, so I'm not worried about that.

I'm planning on thoroughly cleaning everything and polishing as many of the components as I can, since I think road bikes look best when they're gleaming.

I'm also planning on checking the tension in the spokes in the rear wheel, to make sure it's as tight as possible. The front wheel may get a look-in, too.

The main question is what to do re: the frame? I reckon I have three options:

1. Send it to Argos for a full respray and re-decal. I spoke to them and they quoted around 300 quid, which made me gasp.

2. Get it powder-coated locally, which would be strong, but solid colours only and no decals.

3. Just clean it, treat the rust, and make sure it doesn't get worse. Wear the rust with pride.

Of course option 1 would be lovely and give a concours bike, but I really can't afford it. Option 2 would be practical but I would feel I was betraying the spirit of the bike even more.

Option 3 is most appealing not only because it's cheapest, but also because it would preserve the decals and paint job, which while not spot-on to my taste, is authentic.

Which option should I take?

Molre pics..

Here's the remaining pics...

Why not try Option 3 first? It won't cost much and I've seen bikes in a far worse state brought back to life with a bit of TLC and elbow-grease. Strip it down, a light T-Cut or similar on the paintwork, a bit of rustproof and touch-up with model paints or nail varnish, good clean of the fittings etc, clean and re-grease of bearings and cables and away you go!

Wear the patina with pride

100% in favour (at time of posting :roll: )

Strip, scrub and T cut. I think you'll be surprised at how much of that rust will disappear.

Most of all ride it. I've spent too much time lately umming and ahhing and now back in the saddle you do not notice what the bike looks like.

Frame #

Thanks for the answers.

It may be of interest to note that the frame number is: WK7000650, which seems to indicate it's a Worksop bike, built sometime in June 1987. Does that sound right?

I am not sure about the frame numbers and such but I don't think this was a Road Ace

But on the up side I think this was one of the Raleigh 'custom' framesets available around the time you suggest. I remember this colour scheme and think it was a 'Race' frameset

On the poll I definately vote for option 3 give the frame some TLC and clean up the components and it will be a lovely bike

Re: Frame #

TimBish":3872j6os said:

Thanks for the answers. It may be of interest to note that the frame number is: WK7000650, which seems to indicate it's a Worksop bike, built sometime in June 1987. Does that sound right?

Click to expand...

Hiya,

firstly restore frame properly - don't powder coat it!

Secondly, and this has been repeated on RB numerous times, Worksop closed in 1981, the"W"frame prefix was used in the Nottingham Lightweight Unit.

The frame is not a Gerald O'Donovan, this sticker was used by Raleigh as a marketing tool - it really discredited GOD having his initials on these frames.

It is not a"custom"frameset". It is off the peg and were sold in large numbers around 1986/87, and is not a Road Ace - although it does have RA componentry from what I can see.

It is not a bad frame but doesn't justify the GOD sticker - only SBDU framesets justify.

Roadking.

Thank you for your answer, it is only now I am hanging here on this cross up on this hill, I remember why I don't comment on the road section any more :x

I put 'custom' like that. To denote a bicycle 'not' built by Raleigh, but as a frameset sold by them and then built of components chosen by the buyer. I could not bring to mind the phrase 'off the peg' at the time so I will accept my chastisement and hang here on my cross in silence from now on :roll:

?

Thanks again for the knowledgeable answers...

...but now I'm confused!

It obviously doesn't have 'Road Ace' marked on it, so what does that make it?

Is it likely to have been bought as a frameset, then built up by an LBS?

If it's not a genuine GOVD, I'm tempted to take the sticker off. But then... The whole point of not powder-coating it (which I don't want to do) is to retain the whole original look and feel.

I'm pretty much decided to do a really nice careful rebuild on it, cleaning up the frame. I'll hopefully be able to post some pictures of it looking stunning fairly soon.

BTW... I hope noone disapproves of my choice of transmission? Hopefully it's not as heinous as turning it into a fixie (which I was tempted to do...)

The frame is a Raleigh ' Off the peg' frameset, I think it is a 'Race' frameset.

The GOD sticker would have been original on the frame.

Although as Mr Roadking points out he was not actually involved in the producton of the frames, as it was not an Illkeston build 'SBDU' specialist bicycle development unit frame.

Basically it is a similar frame to the one used on the Road ace but sold as a frameset.

I hope this clears things up a bit