Raleigh(?) Identification help

I will lay my cards on the table here: I know little to nothing about road bikes. However, my MTB is a bit of a hassle to just get around town, so I decided I would pick up something cheap, possibly to do up.

There is a local general auction that always has old bikes, so I popped down and ended up with this. For £30

I got home, pumped up the tyres and it goes! There are some issues with the rear cassette and rear wheel, and the headset is pretty stiff, but it pretty much works.

However, on closer inspection, I started to get a little suspicious. Firstly, the Raleigh sticker doesn't look original to me for some reason. It looks like it has been stuck on (badly) at a later date, and I can't find any old racers on google with similar sticker. Also, it doesn't have the sticker detailing the frame material. The Raleigh emblem at the front seems to have been stuck on with some pink gum at the front.

Another thing is that there appears to have been some extra welding done near the base of the seatpost.

However, for £30, I am really in no position to complain! I would just like to know a) what the bike is, and b) if it will fall apart

After reading this forum, I got a little addicted to doing up old MTBs, and I fear that this might be the same. I am planning new wheels/groupset if I can pick some stuff up relatively cheap. As it is just a runaround, I am contemplating single speed? Really don't know. ANy advice would be welcome!

As an aside, there was an old Bianchi at the auction. It went for £65, and I backed out of bidding for it at 60. I told my friend who is into road bikes and he told me I am an idiot. Is he right?

Any advice on what to do is welcome, as is identification!

Thanks

Prugnat long point lugs with hearts points to a nice frame and does not look like any Raleigh I know, not sure the forks match though. Have you got a picture of the fork crown.

I think I can see the cable runs on the top of the BB and the rear brake cable run on the top tube places it 1980 ish.

Quality item (apart from the rear stay repair) IMHO, built as a training / tourer given the clearances and eyes on the dropouts..

It has that french look about it to me but not sure why LOL

Have to be careful with Bianchi, they did make quite a bt of tat along with the jewels........just like raleigh

Shaun

Interesting, another bike that on the face of it looks nothing special but has what could be a decent frame at it's heart. The rear brake bridge doesn't seem to match the quality of the lugs but maybe that a big ugly washer on the brake spindle not part of the bridge. A close up of the rear dropouts would be good to see.

Agree about the forks not being original though.

Midlife":12zov7u0 said:

Have to be careful with Bianchi, they did make quite a bt of tat along with the jewels........just like raleigh

Shaun

Click to expand...

The difference is people pay lots of money for Bianchi tat - especially if it's painted in trademark Celeste.

Mark.

I know nothing about road bike but there is a post further down in this forum titled....'NOS raleigh team panasonic super record build' and this seems to have similar details to the frame as yours?

Is it just me or does the Raleigh badge look like it has been stuck on with chewing gum :?: :shock:

Nice frame shame about the repair and the forks

Any clues in the seatpost diameter? 26.0 looks like....

Dave

I'll stick me neck out and say it's definitely not a Raleigh

FWIW though, Raleigh continued their continuous outer brake cable routing 'til well into the mid/late '80s IIRC

But yes this looks older given the over the BB gear cable routing.

I'd say it's a bargain! £30 would just about get you the brakes, bars & stem if bought separately on eBay! Then you've got reflective Schwalbe tyres, a handsome looking crank and saddle, nice bar tape on top of a very shiny frameset.

Hubs look to be Maillard, do they have numbers stamped on them (ie 07 81 would mean July 1981 manufacture)?