Can somebody tell me what model this is?

orange71":n167p1sf said:

yes - doing some research 753 could only be lugged or fillet brazed - so this might fit in with that?
you mean ping it with my fingers or do you mean dents?!

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I mean dents - usually a bike of this age has acquired a couple over the years and a couple of little dents is a good sign of a quality frame. I am not suggesting you dent it yourself ;-)

The Randonneur was a touring frame (in 70 and looked nothing like it..I was just wondering if the transfers had been borrowed from a Randonneur or just if it was the same year. The fluoro colour looks right for late 80's or very early 90's.

Edit: comparing it to the purple bike above the lugwork is much better on yours - look at the way the seatstays are finished and the small spearpoint on the seat tube top. Looks nicely detailed to me. I suspect it's a good 'un.

hamster":c4qo3bcw said:

orange71":c4qo3bcw said:

Edit: comparing it to the purple bike above the lugwork is much better on yours - look at the way the seatstays are finished and the small spearpoint on the seat tube top. Looks nicely detailed to me. I suspect it's a good 'un.

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i seem to remeber all cheap raliegh frames having that type of pointed stay? i sold em for long enough lol keep the saddle and bin the rest

You can tell what it is from the frame number, along with some other hints. 531 and better frames were made by SBU (later Special Products), 501 and down by the 'normal' factory. Sheldon Brown's website is your friend.

Raleigh never sold an off-the-shelf 753 framed bike - just the framesets and custom builds (excluding a few Team Professionals at the end of the 70's).

High end Raleighs had Campag or Gipiemme droputs - this will be stamped on them. Also the fork steerer should say what it is on there somewhere.

My gut instinct is it's not 753. The sticker is of the wrong period - at the time Raleigh were making bikes from 753 the Reynolds sticker would have said "753r" (for race) not just 753. Do a search on eBay for 753 sticker and see how many are available for 99p. At the time this type of sticker was in use Raleigh made 531 & 653 framesets and then the Dynatechs were the next up in the line. They'd have made one as a special but people who wanted something bespoke and expensive would by then be trotting off to see Mr Roberts, not trying to persuade Raleigh to build a one-off.

If you like it though - keep it and ride it. a sticker's just a sticker.

Sorry - forgot to add - the transfer's in the wrong place for the period. Raleigh put the tubing stickers at the bottom of the seat or down tubes during this period (by period, I'm dating it by the components - which will be determined to some extent by the rear spacing).