Reynolds 531 Raleigh Record Ace..C 19??

[roadking]

Confusion about Raleigh - arrgh!

Incorrect.

The SBDU was in Ilkeston and run by Gerald O'Donovan. The Lightweight Unit was in Nottingham in what was the main Raleigh plant (Lenton Boulevard, Nottingham).

Let's not mislead anyone about this.

Roadking.

 

[NickD]

Re: Record Ace.

Nick you're correct about Carltons built at Raleigh Nottingham having W frame numbers.

I may be mistaken but I think Raleigh, sometime during the late 1980s, briefly reintroduced the Carlton name on two machines (not for long though).

This Record Ace is 1980s (I think 1984) - it appears in a number of Raleigh brochures I have in my collection.

With regard to the Lightweight Unit as distinct from the SBDU (as you know I have one of each). My LU bicycle - bought as a complete machine in 1984, is a Corsa. Reynolds 501* throughout (maintubes, stays and forks), Prugnat shortpoint lugs and Gipiemme chromed dropouts. Close clearances no 'guard eyes.

*501 being chrome molybdenum with a little manganese, whereas 531 is Manganese Molybdenum. 501 is double butted.

It has a full Shimano 600 group, my only bike (apart from my MTB) so equipped. With Weinmann rims, a Cinelli"Giro d'Italia"bar and 1a stem with Benotto tape, silver Sedis chain.

Bike is Oyster (pearl white) with white benotto, red cables and a red (faded) Rolls saddle.

Quality bike; lives indoors, has miles under its wheels though.

Owned from new, mint, never restored - spokes could do with renewing though! LU frames have a"WL"frame prefix, and the bicycle (or frameset) cam with a card signed by the builder with a photo of him and the frame number.

I think I've said previously LU bikes are often mistaken for SBDU bikes - frame number is the giveaway but not if it's missing!

That's about all I can think of without trawling through tons of reference material.

I'll post some pics if I can get the b****y things uploaded!

Hope this is of interest.

Cheers, Roadking.

P.S restore the GB!

As I thought, my 86 531 Raleigh would be a Lightweight Unit bike, similar serial number etc, it's gone through to many changes to be sure of the model, and I've never been able to locate a 1986 catalogue.

I'm definitely restoring the GB, it's just whether to refinish I'm unsure about.

I'm going to PM my e-mail address to you, if you send the pics to me I will upload them for you.

 

[Old Ned]

This has recently appeared on Classic Lightweights.

http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/bu ... lders.html

 

[roadking]

Raleigh from Roadking.

Ok,

I'd better own up, I wrote the article.

Hope you like(d) it.

Cheers, Roadking.

aka JF - I can't hide anymore!

 

[Old Ned]

I did wonder - but to polite to ask

 

[alanf1968]

This Record Ace is neither 73 or 83, the colour is correct for early to mid eighties, they started with discreet scroll graphics with Sun |Tour gears and drilled chainrings, then for 82/83 had Campag GranSport gears and the Sugino chainset (I have a nice original of this). These bolder block gold and black graphics on the came frame colour are the 1984 model, I have a Gran Sport frame being modified to take 9/10 speed 130mm wheel spacing mudguard eyes, sti cable brazings and will be built up with Brooks saddle, Cinelli bars and stem, Shimano Tiagra/Sora mix groupset, and a lovely set of gold Roval Fusee E5 wheels hopefully producing a great blend of old and new in a fast, comfortable day riding cafe racer and sportive bike, I will post pics of both of my Record Aces when the project is completed, The frame work is being done by Dave Marsh and his team at Universal Cycle Centre in Maltby, ex Carlton/Raleigh framebuilders with a stock of those original Raleigh Record Ace transfers

 

[Dora]

Agreed. My '84 model (WS4 serial) is identical to this. 531c tubeset which is a nice touch. I guess machines for the 84 catologue would have been built late 83 / early 84 so could be WS3 or WS4.

 

[alanf1968]

hopefully this upload a pic of my Record Ace from Facebook, I have just obtained an original brown suede saddle so next pics will be 100% original spec:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=10 ... &aid=32799

 

[alanf1968]

More pics of my 1982 model Raleigh Record Ace (its a late '82 frame so was assembled according to the 1983 catalogue spec) this is original, not restored with even original tyres, saddle and bar tape!

Is there a better one out there? also a poor pic of my 1983 frame (1984 spec) which is now re-sprayed and awaiting transters arriving from H. Lloyd Cycles before re-assembly, pics to come soon on that one and my modern retro replica

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=10 ... &aid=45632

 

[Jwsimpson]

Re:

Hi. I'm rebuilding a silver Raleigh record ace. I attach a serial which is stamped under the bottom bracket. Anyone know when this would indicate it's date of manufacture??its: 92245