Raleigh Competition 1985 Build

[AWVelocetec86]

Re:

Thanks greytyke, it’s not quite finished yet so not had a chance to get out on it, update to come later this week and I’ll let you know.

 

[AWVelocetec86]

Re:

Thanks for the comment midlife, Yes radially laced front wheel, there’s all sorts of opinions about radial lacing, I guess the hubs are probably not designed for it really, but I found this set of wheels with this pattern already built, and I think it looks great, so will see how it rides.

Anybody have any thoughts on tyres? I’ve got a set of Michelin dynamic classics on at the moment that were left over from a previous bike, but I’m tempted to get something better and more puncture resistant. Will have to be gum/tan wall, so far I’m thinking it’s between Continental Gran Prix Classics, Vittoria Corsa Control, Panaracer Race C Evo 4, or Challenge Paris Roubaix. Although I have just seen Conti have released special ed TDF GP5000’s in tan wall.

Any thoughts/experience with any of these?

 

[AWVelocetec86]

Re:

Gear cables routed and chain on, mis-calculated the chain length though, so it goes slack on the smallest 2 sprockets, I calculated it at 55 inches and had to add half an inch to get a the break in the right place for the master link, but think I should have taken one out instead...at least it’s too long so easy enough to rectify, so will get that sorted and then trim the cables once the derailleurs are tuned up.

Saddle is a Selle Italia Flow C2, but modern but I find them really comfortable and think it’s not too bad a match, has a perforated and stitched top and white logo print, so kind of goes with the bar tape and frame and the dark grey plastic trim on the bottom of the saddle nose matches the colour of the 600 stuff nicely too.

Pedals are my existing Shimano SPD’s, white again and set off the other white parts of the bike I think, so I’m pretty happy with the overall look.

May get some vintage pedals more in keeping with the age of the frame and maybe a San Marco Rolls or Regal at some point, but the saddle is there to be sat on and comfortable for riding so it’s staying for now!

 

[AWVelocetec86]

Re:

Final piece in the puzzle was the derailleur cables, needed a stepped cable end to fit the chain stay cable stop for the rear derailleur.

Initially I bodged one from an alloy cable end which I filed the solid end down until it exposed the inner bore, and then ran a plastic cable inner through, but it didn’t sit right against the frame and needed cable ties to hold it which looked pants, so got the right part for the job and it’s now sorted.

Also adjusted the chain length, took a link out and it’s now spot on.

 

[AWVelocetec86]

Re:

So all built up, got everything tightened and took it out for a spin on Wednesday night.

Rides beautifully, borrowed someone else’s alloy road bike last weekend for a 20 mile blast and it was so harsh in comparison, you really can feel the difference in smoothness of ride, probably helps that I’m running 28mm tyres too.

Full spec as follows:
Raleigh Competition 531c frame and forks 57x57cm
Full Shimano 600 Group set:
6400 STI brifters and down tube cable stop/adjusters.
6403 Front & Rear Derailleurs/Brakes
6207 Crankset with 38T Thorn inner ring, 53T outer.
6402 Hubs with Mavic MA40 Rims
Shimano HG50 7 speed cassette, 14-32
Shimano 600 Aero 27.2 seatpost
Selle Italia Gel Flow C2 Saddle
Tange Levin alloy headset
Nitto dynamic 9cm quill stem
Nitto M151f alloy compact drop handlebars 42cm
Velox guidoline perforated Padded bar tape
Jagwire CEX cable set

 

[sjcprojects]

Really nice. After my previous comment about white bar tape, I think I'm going to have to go down the same route with my build because I've got some brakes with white hoods and they'll maybe look a bit weird with black tape. What bar tape did you get for yours? I'm looking for the same perforated kind...(like you say, that stuff is okay to clean, unlike the cork stuff).

Guess that 600 rear mech handles the wide range of gears you've got okay, then? I did wonder, but I guess with a mech from that era you can get away with those high ranges (even though technically the spec probably says not...).

 

[AWVelocetec86]

Hi sjc,

The bar tape is Velox Perforated Soft Grip Guidoline, I like it, used on a couple of bikes now - previous one I had the brown version and was a good match for a brown/tan saddle - i found it good wearing and like I said previously cleans up pretty well, and didn't have any issue wrapping it as it has enough stretch and doesn't tear.

For the rear mech I used a derailleur hangar extender (there are lots out there e.g. sunrace/wolftooth/cheaper ebay ones etc).

It fits to the derailleur mount on the dropout so that the derailleur itself is re-positioned about 20mm lower which allows it to accommodate the bigger gear range (32t) - otherwise it would probably only go to about 28t, as the top derailleur jockey wheel would hit the largest cassette sprocket - it was in one of my earlier posts, but have tried to show it a bit more clearly in the pics below...

 

[sjcprojects]

Thanks for the info. I missed the previous detail about the rear hanger. That's a new one to me, actually - but a good solution if you need to go above 28T. You got some big hills round your way?

 

[AWVelocetec86]

Yeah seems to work OK - the other solution would be find a long cage derailleur, but for older groupsets they're pretty hard to find, and i'm not sure they did a 600 one.

Hills wise I guess it depends on your idea of big, but I'm in the middle of the Surrey Hills, so there's nothing flat around here, so we have some decent bumps with a few steep digs at least, Leith Hill and Box Hill are a few miles down the road, plus I'm 88kg, so need a bit of help getting up them! I had 28t on my last bike and it was OK, but 32t makes life a tad easier.

 

[sjcprojects]

Yes, back then long cages were just for touring-specific derailleurs, as far as I can tell...

Well, living in Yorkshire, I obviously feel we have proper hills, but of course you're right - it's nice to not be in a position where you feel you've run out of gears. I have the usual 42/52 with 28T on the back on my usual steel bike, and I can't lie, there are some hills I tend to avoid unless I'm riding my carbon bike with a compact...