Raleigh Team 531 Lightweight - Arrived with pics
- Thread starter drcarlos
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SaracenSteve
Old School Hero
WOW!! awesome.
Is this the same frame as the 89 Avanti by any chance?
Is this the same frame as the 89 Avanti by any chance?
Great story there mate, have you decided on the build spec yet...?
Are you going to build it with what you have...? Or are you going to try and build it to the late 80s team spec (89...i think... :? ) as used by Rory Hitchens, Paul Hinton and Jake Elliot...?
I may have some images of Caroline riding the same frame somewhere too....
What year does the frame number say it was made...?
Im led to believe the general spec for the team bikes for the new team in 89 was based on the group below.
Are you going to build it with what you have...? Or are you going to try and build it to the late 80s team spec (89...i think... :? ) as used by Rory Hitchens, Paul Hinton and Jake Elliot...?
I may have some images of Caroline riding the same frame somewhere too....
What year does the frame number say it was made...?
Im led to believe the general spec for the team bikes for the new team in 89 was based on the group below.
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SlavaLotta
Dirt Disciple
Cool Stuff
Will see if I can answer the questions.
I will definitely be weighing this when I give it a full clean (hopefully this weekend).
It was an '89 offering as It was specced with XCD6000 which changed to plain old XCD in 1990, so I think it pre dates the other two reps as they both used XCT parts (the gaspipe model just the gears, the 501 model the whole setup as it was a painted montage basically) so this would point to them being 1990 bikes, so mine would be a year older.
The frame is (I believe) the same as the Chinook/Cajun, Ozark/Thunderroad and Applachian, with what appears to be a slightly different fork to them all, which means it's fully lugged and brazed 531 mains with something else unknown for the stays. The Avanti got full 531 with a lugged 531 fork and it had a slightly different design (straight chainstays with no bridge vs. bridged S-bend ones and a different geo setup according to the catalogue).
I always believed this bike was a re-painted '89 Thunder Road but I maybe wrong as a couple of details on mine are different (the canti hanger is very different in a good way to the one on the Appalachian I have seen and the fork is different to the Chinook fork at the dropouts too), so still a couple of questions there.
The only other one in this size I ever saw was the one hung on the wall of Fleet Cycles in 1989. I have seen two others, one for sale on STW (http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-1989-raleigh-team-mtb) and the other on ebay a couple of years ago, both are big sizes though but as the one on STW has pictures it refreshed my memory over the colour scheme, meaning I have to get a stem and bar painted to match now. Also shows the Raleigh team riding similar bikes in 1989 but my guess is they would have got Avanti frames repainted with higher spec Suntour parts.
As for the build, I think the team bikes would have used XC9000 which is a bit like rocking horse poo and catalogue spec XCD6000 is much the same, it will be Suntour but unless I can find some XC9000 or XCD6000 in the next few weeks it will be the XC Comp/Pro set I already have.
Carl.
I will definitely be weighing this when I give it a full clean (hopefully this weekend).
It was an '89 offering as It was specced with XCD6000 which changed to plain old XCD in 1990, so I think it pre dates the other two reps as they both used XCT parts (the gaspipe model just the gears, the 501 model the whole setup as it was a painted montage basically) so this would point to them being 1990 bikes, so mine would be a year older.
The frame is (I believe) the same as the Chinook/Cajun, Ozark/Thunderroad and Applachian, with what appears to be a slightly different fork to them all, which means it's fully lugged and brazed 531 mains with something else unknown for the stays. The Avanti got full 531 with a lugged 531 fork and it had a slightly different design (straight chainstays with no bridge vs. bridged S-bend ones and a different geo setup according to the catalogue).
I always believed this bike was a re-painted '89 Thunder Road but I maybe wrong as a couple of details on mine are different (the canti hanger is very different in a good way to the one on the Appalachian I have seen and the fork is different to the Chinook fork at the dropouts too), so still a couple of questions there.
The only other one in this size I ever saw was the one hung on the wall of Fleet Cycles in 1989. I have seen two others, one for sale on STW (http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-1989-raleigh-team-mtb) and the other on ebay a couple of years ago, both are big sizes though but as the one on STW has pictures it refreshed my memory over the colour scheme, meaning I have to get a stem and bar painted to match now. Also shows the Raleigh team riding similar bikes in 1989 but my guess is they would have got Avanti frames repainted with higher spec Suntour parts.
As for the build, I think the team bikes would have used XC9000 which is a bit like rocking horse poo and catalogue spec XCD6000 is much the same, it will be Suntour but unless I can find some XC9000 or XCD6000 in the next few weeks it will be the XC Comp/Pro set I already have.
Carl.
sinnerman":148pynw5 said:In that case looking forward to seeing it built....
Were the team frames not made of Reynolds 753, with a slightly different rear triangle and a forward facing seatclamp...?
Good question, don't know if RSP ever built anything with 753. It had such special requirements and I can't see anything 753 in the catalogues, only 653 (Record Ace Moderne and White Lightnin'), the rear triangle does look a bit different to mine though.
They may have outsourced production of the team frames though like Peugeot did or just used the Avanti 531 frames? Bikemiester may well know. Whatever the outcome I don't care I'm happy i've got this one, but I love these investigations :mrgreen: .
Carl.
drcarlos":27qgk8gp said:sinnerman":27qgk8gp said:In that case looking forward to seeing it built....
Were the team frames not made of Reynolds 753, with a slightly different rear triangle and a forward facing seatclamp...?
Good question, don't know if RSP ever built anything with 753. It had such special requirements and I can't see anything 753 in the catalogues, only 653 (Record Ace Moderne and White Lightnin'), the rear triangle does look a bit different to mine though.
They may have outsourced production of the team frames though like Peugeot did or just used the Avanti 531 frames? Bikemiester may well know. Whatever the outcome I don't care I'm happy i've got this one, but I love these investigations :mrgreen: .
Carl.
Im not 100% to be honest ref RSP, but Raleigh always used Reynolds 753 for the road team bikes. Given the year the mountain bike team was formed i wonder if like many, Raleigh used the 753 tubeset, for the team riders, especially as these guys came predominantly from a road background. It certainly wouldnt surprise me..
There are so many variations with this livery, 531, 501, and a Hi Ten version too.
I think you are very lucky to have found a 531.....
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I'm sorry but mine was way better...
That is really nice - this is what you need:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-RARE-Suntou ... 484f5954d2
Full NOS 1989 XCD group set. I bought one and it arrived very quick and got in under customs nose some how - long since sold it on now Bit pricey but it's all there....
Alternatively I found some pics of the Team bikes - they look to have used the XC9000 stuff - the four finger brake levers as pictured in sinnerman's posts (I have a spare pair of those ) and the same calipers that SJS sell a full set of for £25ish quid (the SE ones). When I get home next week I'll scan he pics onto your thread.
Watching this build with interest - it would be a great addition to the BS thread
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-RARE-Suntou ... 484f5954d2
Full NOS 1989 XCD group set. I bought one and it arrived very quick and got in under customs nose some how - long since sold it on now
Bit pricey but it's all there....Alternatively I found some pics of the Team bikes - they look to have used the XC9000 stuff - the four finger brake levers as pictured in sinnerman's posts (I have a spare pair of those
) and the same calipers that SJS sell a full set of for £25ish quid (the SE ones). When I get home next week I'll scan he pics onto your thread.Watching this build with interest - it would be a great addition to the BS thread
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