About the misleading write-up of :
First , I'll be honest . It makes me kinda cranky . Makes me want to write the seller a letter . . . And , component parts can be swapped . On this bicycle , obviously , they have been .
But , the frame itself seems to have all of its original paint , and decals ( transfers ) , plus the later addition of a little oval Campagnolo sticker .
Up through 1972 the Raleigh name on the down-tube was done in flowing cursive script .
Beginning in 1973 the Raleigh name on the down-tube was done in squared-off print . I'm not an expert on fonts . But , I'd call it square , bold , block , sans serif , slightly italicized .
So , the lettering on that eBay Raleigh is from 1973 or later . No Question .
The 1972 Raleigh catalog lists the Gran Sport as having a Stronglight crankset . But , the photo doesn't look like a Stronglight crankset to me . Perhaps the one in the 1972 catalog photo is a Zeus or Nervar version of the T.A. Pro 5 Vis / Stronglight 49D ?
The 1973 , and the 1974 , and the 1975 , Raleigh catalogs show the Gran Sport with a Stronglight 93 crankset ( with chainguard ) , not a Nervar Star crankset .
The 1973 catalog shows the frame as white with blue head-tube and trim ( same as the eBay example ) .
The 1974 & 1975 catalogs show the frame as blue with a white head-tube and trim .
And as always , both Mark Bulgier's site and Sheldon Brown's site are worth long visits !
http://retroraleighs.com/
I'd say the one on eBay is very likely a 1973 bicycle , with a whole lot of swapped parts . And , if it were the 23 1/2 inch size , instead of the 21 1/2 inch size ( and if it were less expensive ) , I'd be very tempted !
Raoul Delmare
Marysville Kansas
> Reading the description about this Raleigh Gran Sport, one might think the
> writer was a true Carleton expert, but I think he is engaging in some
> superlative historical fiction. I remember the white & baby blue Gran
Sports
> as being a really nice, underappreciated model, but 1960? I don't think
so.
> Maybe a dozen years later, but not 1960. I remember the Gran Sport as
> having decent Simplex delrin derailleurs and Normandy Competition hubs.
This
> one has a Valentino rear, Record front, and Campy hubs. I think at some
> point, the Gran Sport switched to forged dropouts.
>
> Anyone able to date this bike and know what it would have come with? Mark
> Bulgier has a '74 catalog on his website that shows the Gran Sport with
> forged dropouts and a chainguard on the Nervar Star. I'm thinking this
one
> is somewhere between 71-73.
>
>
http://ebay.com/
>
> Steve Barner, Bolton, Vermont