Raleigh’s big day out

[KondratievsBike]

So ages and ages ago I bought a Raleigh 531 frame in diabolical condition and it sat in the garage for ages. Looking at the frame number and catalogues and the particular braze ons I came to the conclusion that it was built to order in 1984.

It was going to be a Raleigh Banana replica and I even had it powder coated yellow to start the process off but then I had a change of heart and decided it needed to be the classic 70s team colours. Another powder coat later and it lay around the garage for ever while I collected bits for it, got and applied decals and so on.

Then last Friday came around that was the day before the Triathlon Club Relay Championships in Nottingham. We’d entered a team as a sort of tribute to the people who did the first triathlons on old bikes dug out of the shed wearing speedos and vests (I hate where this is going) and Team Speedos and Bollés was born.

I’d promised people old bikes to ride and another old Raleigh fan on the team bullied me into finally building mine in an all day shift of dismantling, cleaning, reassembling and building... and here it is (don’t look at the last photo of the bikes with the team in their outfits) :shock:

 

[Jamiedyer]

That looks great and the powder coat is the nicest I have seen in a long time as the lugs are still clearly defined. It's not too thick as is usually the case with powder. It certainly shines, especially with the Dura Ace.
I think you made a good choice going for the team colours.
Hope the Triathlon was fun and I also like the comment on your photo about not knowing whether to like it or report it

Jamie

 

[HoldsworthBen]

Great work! Looks stunning

 

[Goldie]

Re:

Really nice job by the powder coaters - do you mind me asking who you used? The Crane’s a great choice of mech too. I love the look and finish on these, and they genuinely work brilliantly. Not many Shimano components that have an emotional pull for me, but these do.

 

[KondratievsBike]

Re:

Thanks for the kind comments

Goldie, the powder coating was done at LSN in Castleford, West Yorks.

I took an old frame there a while ago and they did a really good job so I took some nicer ones back.

They have a facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/537307896286783/

 

[KondratievsBike]

Re: Re:

Really nice job by the powder coaters - do you mind me asking who you used? The Crane’s a great choice of mech too. I love the look and finish on these, and they genuinely work brilliantly. Not many Shimano components that have an emotional pull for me, but these do.

It was the first time i'd ever played with a crane mech and I'm a tiny bit in love... in fairness it might just be all the 70s kit coz I love Arabesque too and the Simplex SX410.


While I remember, LSN did this too.

It's really lush with the only frustration being that it slightly filled the "Barron" engraving in the seatstay caps.

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