Hello,
I own one of the 1983 Raleigh Team Pro frames ordered by Mike Fatka for the 1983 season for his Raleigh USA Team. For 1983-1985, they mostly used Raleigh components with mostly 531 and a few frames with Columbus tubing built by Marinoni and several other USA builders. I have talked to Mike personally about this.
The Raleigh USA Team stayed away from 753 because there were durability concerns and 531 was prefered. While the Raleigh UK Team had easy access to 753 frames and quick replacements, the USA Team did not have quick shipping like the UK. This is why Raleigh components were built up by USA manufacturers - as a better souce of repairs or replacements.
Regards, Steve Neago
Cincinnati, OH
> In a message dated 3/4/02 9:41:52 PM Eastern Standard Time, > Subject:
Re:
> > [CR]Sitting on top tube allowed?
> >
> > 'da Garth wrote:
> > >I leaned my derrire and some of my 158 lbs of avois dupois on the
> > >top tube. Then I thought, "Could this possibly collapse?" These tubes
are
> > >very thin and not designed to take a load in this manner.
> >
>
> And Roy D. wrote:
>
>
> > Wasn't there a problem with tube denting with a light version
> > of Reynolds 753 when it came out?
> >
> > Roy "fading memory" Drinkwater
> > Lititz "digging out 'The Custom Bicycle' now", PA
> >
> >
>
> Roy:
>
> I've had an early 753-tubed Raleigh Team Pro since 1979, and since the TT
is
> about .017" or so in the unbutted section, I've been told you can crush
it
> with bare hands if you try hard enough. I've also heard a story of a
> brazed-on shifter and its boss being pulled off of a 753 DT on a Cuevas,
> leaving a fatigue-type hole! (Too much heat perhaps?)
>
> Who knows if any of this is really true, but it certainly is interesting
to
> ponder (I know my 60cm Team Pro can flex pretty good up a hill). I
remember
> that when I was working at the Raleigh Midwest warehouse in Illinois in
1982,
> we used to see orders for the "Time Trial 753" frames for Mike's Cyclery
in
> Ames Iowa (Michael Fatka's team). Yikes! 0.75 pounds lighter than the
> "standard" ones....
>
> Greg Parker
> Sub-zero windchill Ann Arbor, Michigan
> (but of course it'll be near 40 degrees and rainy tomorrow...).