Mercian - Now id'd as Raleigh Professional - I think!

I've just picked up an old Mercian at a car boot sale for a fiver. Not as good as it seems because the frame is in a very bad condition and the wheels are worse. There are no bends or dinks, just lots of rust (surface I hope) and chrome gone on the ends.

It has good components, in reasonable condition though, which is why I bought it: Deore Crane rear mech, Dura Ace shifters and front mech (all black) and Shimano 600 chainset, Weinmann levers and 605 brakes, plus Cinelli stem & bars.

I'm trying to i.d. the model & year and will post pics up once I find my camera.

Can anyone help me identify it with the Frame number which is G4807 plus another number 734 both under the BB. Not quite what I expected from looking at various websites, which say that the year is normally the first two or last two digits.

Thanks

the only mercian i ever owned was a series of number with the first 2 being year of build going across the bottom bracket , and then it also had a singular digit for the actual frame builder on the bottom bracket ,and if they are made to order the person who ordered its name on as well . so yours doesnt seem to follow the trend , but hey i was told that for tn pound you can give the frame number to Mercian they can look back at the records and if it is a Mercian frame they will give all the details of the build so it may be worth doing that .

I'm trying to i.d. the model & year and will post pics up once I find my camera.

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As ever, it would be good to see some pictures. A Crane derailleur suggests a seventies date, if it's original.

My Mercian's serial number fits the other scheme you mentioned - a five-digit number of which the last two are the year, found on both the fork steerer tube and the left rear dropout.

Here are some photos of the bike and I would welcome any help identifying it.

I'm going to sell the gears, bar/stem & chainset separately to make some money towards the powder-coating of my Marin mountain bike.

I don't know whether the frame is saveable or worth saving but it is a light well made frame with Campag dropouts. The seatpost looks well stuck and I didn't want to cause further damage by trying too hard.

It seems a shame to bin it so if anybody is interested in a winter project/challenge I will give it to them for the cost of postage, or collection from Cardiff

I wonder if this is a Mercian-resprayed Raleigh Professional:

http://i-vol.com/bikes/raleigh_professional/

The Gxxxx number would fit an early seventies Raleigh...

I reckon you've nailed it . The lugwork, chrome, dropouts and crown are identical (but I wish it was in as good condition :cry: ).

I thought it must be 531 tubing from the sound of it.

My offer still stands about giving it to anyone who thinks they can make something out of it. Would make a great ss/fixed-wheel.

I would have expected Mercian to make a far better job of the rear fork end.

As a non expert, what's wrong with the rear dropouts :?: I thought it was just rust and damage through use/neglect.

A true hand builder would braze the seat and chain stays on centrally on the spigots. The fork ends would then be profiled by hand.
What we see here is the seat stay brazed too far forward and no attempt to tidy it up. Also the chain stay is too low.

Still can be described as "hand built" to add to the confusion.
Presumably Carlton under pressure.

keithglos":2d1qb4yq said:

Presumably Carlton under pressure.

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One other thing that made me hesitate to identify it as a Raleigh Professional is the rather abrupt straight-bend-straight profile of the forks. Most Worksop/Ilkeston bikes of the period have a more elegant, gradual bend, either maintaining a constant radius, or tightening towards the tip. Perhaps this was a Friday afternoon bike.

It would still make a fine project for someone, and it's a very generous offer on gerryattrick's part. I only wish I had the time and space to take it on.

Here's a similar thread from the summer, where a Raleigh Professional turned up in third-party paint with some extra braze-ons:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=803001

C&G could do a lovely job of repainting this, assuming the tubes are sound:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=893205