Very early 753 SBDU frame

[lastpubrunner]

Hi All,

Here are some pics of Lee Langford's very early TI Raleigh 753 - SB534.

This bike appears to my (non-expert ) eyes to be entirely original - apart from the possible addition of the mudguards. I think that it is early 1976. It appears to have all-original decals, including one from EG Bates - presumably, the retailer ?

I've done some looking around on Google and I see that Peter Kohler's time trial machine is :

BB stampings: SB576 59.5 H31

Lee's machine is : SB543 59.5 H55

What I can't understand, is how is it that Lee's bike has a lower SB number, but a higher H number ? Is it earlier or later than Peter's ?

Like Peter Kohler's machine, this has a single chainring, so I assume that it is a pure time trial bike.

All fittings appear to be Campagnolo,

Lee is considering selling this bike, but would like to know an approximate valuation - any ideas on this ?

Any thoughts/opinions on this bike would be very much appreciated

(Lee sought information on this bike on the TI Raleigh forum, but no responses have been forthcoming - odd, given the age and rarity of the bike, I thought they'd be all over it).

 

[Midlife]

SB534 is end of 1975 most likely. The EG bates sticker is typical of a frame ordered through EG bates who were an authorised dealer, ordered for a customer and not stock as per the "H" stamp, not always sure what the number after the stamp meant. Maybe each dealer was allocated a block of order numbers. size 59.5cm.

Angles look typical Road / Kermesse with bottle brazings. TT would have had vertical drilled dropouts and no bottle brazings. Lack of top tube cable eyes was trendy LOL

Are those rims Mavic Module E? not clear. The dent in the chainstay would be to accomodate multiple chainrings....

God knows who put the seat pilar on back to front............... !!!!!!!!!!!!

Looks like a genuine frame with a bit of swaps over the years.

Price depends on who wants to buy it.

Shaun

 

[lastpubrunner]

SB534 is end of 1975 most likely. The EG bates sticker is typical of a frame ordered through EG bates who were an authorised dealer, ordered for a customer and not stock as per the "H" stamp, not always sure what the number after the stamp meant. Maybe each dealer was allocated a block of order numbers. size 59.5cm.

Angles look typical Road / Kermesse with bottle brazings. TT would have had vertical drilled dropouts and no bottle brazings. Lack of top tube cable eyes was trendy LOL

Are those rims Mavic Module E? not clear. The dent in the chainstay would be to accomodate multiple chainrings....

God knows who put the seat pilar on back to front............... !!!!!!!!!!!!

Looks like a genuine frame with a bit of swaps over the years.

Price depends on who wants to buy it.

Shaun

Hi Shaun,

Thanks for taking the trouble to post some very useful information.

This is the oldest 753 SBDU frame that I've ever heard of . . . . . . . I wish it was mine .

 

[Midlife]

Been thinking about this today I wanted a 753 frame for my 16th Birthday which was December 1975 (fat chance) but I don't think they had been released to the public in 1975.

Being a Raleigh Dealer we had seen them with the reps but I don't think 753 came out until 1976, that means it's probably one of the first 753 frames released to the public. Unless my memory is playing up again...............

Still can't believe the seat post is back to front

Shaun

 

[originalshinkicker]

This is an email from Mike Mullett to the TI group regarding the earliest known 753 SB frame, frame number SB498... this frame is in full Bob Jackson livery.

"Hi
Several 753 frames “in the raw” were built at Ilkeston for close trade acquaintances of Gerald. These frames were finished and transferred (or decaled) with the shop or builder owner. In my day these raw frames were supplied to Harry Hall, Bates and a few others.
Hope this helps your query. My guess is that G’OD supplied this to the original Bob Jackson for the 1975 New York Show.
Mike Mullett
Workshop Manager Ilkeston 1978/1983"

Cheers
Neil

 

[carlrh]

shaun's right 753 was released in 1976 frame builders had to do a test build of a bottom bracket shell with cut down tubes. it was then checked before they were 753 certified, due to the heat treating process they had to braze with silver not brass so as not to overheat them which would result in a brittle and unridable frameset.

 

[Midlife]

Thanks carlrh...........maybe my memory isn't so bad after all

So I guess the frame in question is 1976 as it's not a "pre-production" 1975 model which I would have seen touted by the raleigh reps.................these are the same reps that would ride around a stage some years later on a Raleigh Grifter LOL

Difficult to see...........are the lugs cut down Capella?

Shaun

 

[carlrh]

you got me there shaun lol they could be capella i wouldnt like to say.

 

[Midlife]

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=246020

here's one with Capela type lugs, 753 and numbered in the 600's.......

Shaun

 

[carlrh]

I quite good on reynolds grew up over the road from G Pigg he worked on developement side of reynolds up to 1980 ish. think he use to bore lots of people going on about bike tubing i just lapped it up lol