753 Raleigh 1983?

[roadking]

Worksop closed in 1980. W prefixes continued to be used by Raleigh on Lightweight Unit bikes built in Nottingham.

Sheldon Brown's poor explanation of the facts(as you cite them)is confusing the SBDU, created in 1974 and built in 753, 531pro and 531c, with the more mainstream Raleigh operations at Nottingham

See www.classiclightweights.co.uk for an article on the SBDU at Ilkeston.

I purchased new in 1984 a Lightweight Unit bicycle and and SBDU frameset(531pro)in 1986. Sheldon Brown's frame numbering explanation when compared with my Raleighs - either the Ilkeston or Nottingham built frames is nonsensical.

There are many ex-SBDU and Carlton(Worksop)guys still working in the cycle trade - they are a more reliable source of information than Sheldon Brown appears to be :idea: .

Most of what I comment upon is from my direct experience: talking to the SBDU people when I went to Ilkeston to order my frame, doing business with the Raleigh Board of Directors in the 1980s and talking to ex-Carlton employees over the last few years when having my Carlton frames(most now sold)restored.

Roadking .

 

[daccordimark]

Yours, according to my literature is not a Competition 12, which has the lugs and dropouts you mention, but has shot in seatstays - which yours does not.

My Competition 12 from 1982 definitely didn't have shot-in stays, it had deeply concave tops to the seat stays as in this page from the 1982 catalogue -

http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/R ... d_Comp.jpg

I bought mine in October '82 and was a bit miffed when the new catalogue came out shortly after to find they had improved them to the "capped" style. Then in 1984 they produced the Competition 12 with shot-in style seat stays. I felt my seat cluster was very clumsy by comparison and I desperately wanted to buy the new style frame to swap for mine. I was young back then and bothered by that sort of thing! It was all resolved in the end when someone nicked it in 1985.

It was a great bike and I wish I still had it.

Mark.

 

[roadking]

I'll post images of the Competiton 12 from my brochure - scanner is down at moment, might have to buy an new one.

Competition 12 with either seatstay treatment a good bike.

I had new(still have)a Holdsworth Pro and then bought the 1984 Raleigh Corsa, and then in 1986 the SBDU frameset.

Had a good thinning of the collection a week or so ago though.

Cheers, Roadking.

 

[lastpubrunner]

Re: Raleigh 1983

Looks something like a That seems more likely especially looking at the weight of your frame. I would have thought a 753 frame without forks would be less than 1.8kg.Mark.

I agree, my 753 frame is most certainly lighter than that; however, I wonder if this frame might be 531C or possibly 531SL ?

 

[roadking]

Doubt it's either 531c or 531sl, sl was only available for a very short period effectively replaced by 531pro.

Raleigh only built sl and pro at Ilkeston, 531pro is nearly as light as 753.

This"red"frame is built from something far more mundane...and as yet we've not had more details...close ups of lugs, seatcluster etc.

And read my comments on the frame number nonsense from Sheldon.

Amazing what happens when you put a 753 sticker on a cooking frame!!!

Roadking.

 

[bowser]

looks a nice job whatever

 

[roadking]

I agree.

I think we can get too preoccupied with what it is, how correct, and how desirable...get out and ride and if you enjoy it it's great.

I just like riding...even if I just had my old Raleigh roadster from uni I'd be happy .

Roadking.

 

[gavr]

Ragleigh 1983

Thanks for the comments, I'm not a Raleigh expert but I do know how to build a bike up. I've made up a collage of the details, seat, bb, dropouts, lugs. Hope this helps...

gavr

 

[daccordimark]

Ah, now that's interesting and confusing! Those cable guides on top of the bottom bracket don't appear on production bikes of that era. Maybe they were added when the respray was done. We shall probably never know the true origin of this frame but as has been said earlier does it really matter? Only to anoraks like me!

I hope you still manage to enjoy it after all this palaver.

Mark.

 

[gavr]

Raleigh 1983

Ah, now that's interesting and confusing! Those cable guides on top of the bottom bracket don't appear on production bikes of that era. Maybe they were added when the respray was done. We shall probably never know the true origin of this frame but as has been said earlier does it really matter? Only to anoraks like me!

I hope you still manage to enjoy it after all this palaver.

Certainly will enjoy - It was sold to me as a 753, which is being questioned, I don't have a problem with that. I'll probably add some chromed 531 forks and quill stem to improve the look and put it back into the right era anyway. Will post an update when completed