Early Raleigh SBDU ('Capella' lugs) Painted

[gavr]

Re:

Hi originalshinkicker what does your 753 fork weigh in at?

I'm coming to the conclusion that this is a 531 SL frame. There's a quote around that the Capella lugs were only available in imperial sizes and early 753 was metric so that would tally with the slightly heavier weight. The fork is light and might well be a standard 753.

I dropped this off at Bob Jackson's yesterday - they asked if it was 753 too. 7 whole week turn around time for painting, and they say it's been like that all year!

Gives me until early October to find parts I suppose

 

[originalshinkicker]

Re: Re:

Hi originalshinkicker what does your 753 fork weigh in at?

I'm coming to the conclusion that this is a 531 SL frame. There's a quote around that the Capella lugs were only available in imperial sizes and early 753 was metric so that would tally with the slightly heavier weight. The fork is light and might well be a standard 753.

I dropped this off at Bob Jackson's yesterday - they asked if it was 753 too. 7 whole week turn around time for painting, and they say it's been like that all year!

Gives me until early October to find parts I suppose

My 57cm 753 forks with a 185mm column come in at 635 grams - as a very rough comparison, my 58.5 531 Professional forks with a 190mm column, with chrome crown and half chrome blades weigh 680 grams.

 

[gavr]

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Love your blog btw http://raleigh-sb4059.com/ - terrific

 

[originalshinkicker]

Re: Re:

Love your blog btw http://raleigh-sb4059.com/ - terrific

Thank you. I have so much to put onto it but very little time. The blog has had nearly 15,000 views from all over the world which is amazing considering it is just me talking about an old bikes.

 

[gavr]

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The frame looks very much like this one though

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=246020

which appears to be 753!

 

[gavr]

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Apparently the flat sections on the chaistays for the wheel clearance are unique to 531 SL, other reynolds tubes are either crimped or round. It's hard to find detailed pictures of SL frames but I found a good example here which clearly shows the inside chainstays:

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=302354

It's a bit difficult to see in the pictures I took before the frame went off but I think the chainstay detail is flat too

 

[roadking]

Re:

Whilst being reluctant -these days - to get into discussions about SBDU frames, I will add that I ordered a 531 Pro Super from Ilkeston in 1985 (one of the last in this tubeset), and I also have two other framesets in SL (including a Roberts, and one built before the set was commercially available), plus one with a mixed tubeset of 531 and 531SL.

My view, whilst 753 had clear benefits to racers and pros BITD, and allure for collectors today; when ordering my SBDU frame I could see no tangible benefit in having one in 753.

Rk.

Edit...removed book comment.

 

[gavr]

Re:

My view, whilst 753 had clear benefits to racers and pros BITD, and allure for collectors today; when ordering my SBDU frame I could see no tangible benefit in having one in 753.

I'd agree with that - and to be fair I think it was the advice that G O'D gave bitd i.e. a 753 was pretty much impossible to repair so you needed deep pockets if it was to be anything other than a Sunday special

 

[gavr]

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Back from the paintshop - something a bit different to all the Team Pros out there.

Crimson enamel, with golden yellow highlights from Bob Jackson, transfers from Nick T. The transfers are repros of the early time trial specials and other special builds, and since the frame came with headbadge drillings it now has one and not a second foil transfer.

It's come up really well considering its original state. There's a bit of pitting and the odd small dent but nothing much to take away from quite a special frame. The flat rectangular shape of the wheel clearance space in the chainstays, plus the 27.2mm seatpost confirm the 531SL tube set.

In the spirit of being a bit more original this won't be a SuperRecord throughout build but rather a sympathetic refurb with a mixture of appropriate period 1976-77 parts and modern components that will give this another 40 years. I'll start a build thread in Readers' Bikes

 

[gavr]

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Finished build - a mix of Record and Suntour Superbe from 1977

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=307977