Evening all,
Thought I'd share the following, and hopefully stir up some thoughts on precisely what I've got.
Bought last year as a frame and forks and built up with a Shimano 600 Ultegra groupset, it's got the serial number WB6000511. Based on posts elsewhere on the forum I've taken this to mean it dates from 1986. Frame size is 25".
It's clearly had a respray at some point in its life- from the colour I'd guess early to mid-90's- and although the top tube has picked up a noticeable ding up towards the head tube everything is still straight and true. The rear brake bridge has a recessed allen key fitting, whereas the front fork doesn't- taken with the dented top tube I wonder if it was crashed and the forks were replaced? Or were unmatched brake fittings common at that time? Both front and rear drop outs are Campagnolo, so if the forks were replaced it was with a very close match. Only the forks have 531 decals, but as the total weight of the bike is 24lb complete I've been working on the assumption that the main frame tubes are 531 as well, if not the stays. Annoyingly I forgot to weigh the frame and forks separately before building the bike up, so I'm missing any clues to be had there.
Looking at the 1987 Raleigh Lightweights catalogue scan that's also posted on here, I could see a few similarities with some of the named frames, but not enough for me to confidently say it's one thing or another. My gut feeling is that it's a decent but middling frameset, possibly built to order, but I'd love to hear from anyone who knows a bit more!
The most important thing though, regardless of that, is that it's great fun to ride and as far as I'm concerned looks fantastic into the bargain!
Thought I'd share the following, and hopefully stir up some thoughts on precisely what I've got.
Bought last year as a frame and forks and built up with a Shimano 600 Ultegra groupset, it's got the serial number WB6000511. Based on posts elsewhere on the forum I've taken this to mean it dates from 1986. Frame size is 25".
It's clearly had a respray at some point in its life- from the colour I'd guess early to mid-90's- and although the top tube has picked up a noticeable ding up towards the head tube everything is still straight and true. The rear brake bridge has a recessed allen key fitting, whereas the front fork doesn't- taken with the dented top tube I wonder if it was crashed and the forks were replaced? Or were unmatched brake fittings common at that time? Both front and rear drop outs are Campagnolo, so if the forks were replaced it was with a very close match. Only the forks have 531 decals, but as the total weight of the bike is 24lb complete I've been working on the assumption that the main frame tubes are 531 as well, if not the stays. Annoyingly I forgot to weigh the frame and forks separately before building the bike up, so I'm missing any clues to be had there.
Looking at the 1987 Raleigh Lightweights catalogue scan that's also posted on here, I could see a few similarities with some of the named frames, but not enough for me to confidently say it's one thing or another. My gut feeling is that it's a decent but middling frameset, possibly built to order, but I'd love to hear from anyone who knows a bit more!
The most important thing though, regardless of that, is that it's great fun to ride and as far as I'm concerned looks fantastic into the bargain!
