Hi gang, While at the LBS yesterday, I noticed that they had dug up another NOS bike out of the basement. This is an early 70's (late 60's?) Raleigh Grand Sports. This is their mid-level sport/touring bike of the era, equipped with randonneur bars. It was the lowest bike in the line-up to have a full 531 frame, so it was relatively light and lively. Some key features of the bike: - Stronglight 93 crank! A design classic. This is set up like a triple crank, but with a chainguard where the outer chainring would be. Un- anodized aluminum, so it shines like a mirror! - Simplex Prestige derailleurs. The "New Coke" of Simplex derailleurs! Made of high-tech, space age hydro-carbon polymers (i.e. black plastic). - chromed steel quill pedals.... Lyotards, maybe? Very nice looking. - GB bar & stem - B.17 saddle - Weinmann centerpull brakes, of course. - Normandy hubs, 27" rims. The brakes can be adjusted to accept 700C rims too. - No derailleur hanger on the rear dropout. This means that the bike would make a nice fixed gear conversion (no shifter bosses on the down tube either). - a very classic and stylish white paint job, with Lagoon Blue for the seat tube panel and headtube. If I'm not mistaken, these are the Carlton Cycles colours?
the frame is "small". I'm guessing about 21" or 22" (hard for me to tell, 'cause I'm used to riding a 24 1/2" frame). I'm still waiting for the shop to find a Raleigh Pro in my size, hidden waaayyyyy back in the basement! :-)
A quick question for the Raleigh experts: when/how/why did Raleigh switch between the "Grand Sports" name and the "Gran Sport" name for this model?
cheers,
Steve Kurt
Peoria, IL