Raleigh Special Products. 97 Custom. 853 steel, very red.

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Dog knob red actually.

For reasons, I decided I was suddenly in need of a steel bike from the short hinterland between cantilevers and discs. I thought I wanted a fluorescent US exotic, but it turns out I didn't. I actually wanted a home grown frame the hue of a priapic spaniel.

This appears to be a (probably) custom order from the Raleigh Special Products division in 1997. Sold to me by @Matt_wood55 of this parish, built up but never ridden. He has the exact same frame but in road flavour.

It's rather lovely, absolutely no frills and is exactly what I was looking for for but didn't know it.

 

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Budget is sensible but reasonable. I've been buying bikes, keeping bits and selling the rest on to keep on top of it. Just started piecing it together this week.

Rear mech and Brakes XTR M950 (my first ever XTR component) were near enough seized solid. By jove these are fiddly parts to dismantle and service. They are the smallest bearings in MTB, like ant boll0cks.

 

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Forks came from a marketplace bargain and just been through Tim's magic service. Pinned on with my first ever King headset (SWOON) and a Thomson stem. That bar is just for building, I'll fit a riser bar for riding to get the right position. I do actually want to use it, no space in the shed for ornament bikes.

 

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And my teenage dream crankset paired with a new UN55 from SJS. Sort of matches the XTR kit...