72 Raleigh Professional original colours details New ZealandTo:classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Plain Text Attachment [ Download File | Save to Yahoo! Briefcase ]
Hi,I have recently purchased a 72 Raleigh Professional from ebay in Black (Dominant) and red paint scheme. A similar pattern to the mink (light blue) dominant colour and silver stripe professionals I have seen recently of that year. ( I partly brought the bike as years ago I brought a new Carlton Professional in Lagoon blue and White (which I always regretted selling - in fact I went to try and buy it back three weeks after selling but it had sold on). My understanding is that the Raleigh Professional is basically the identical bike. I am trying to establish what the correct detailing and equipment of my new bike should be.I have many questions as I have never seen a Raleigh Professional in the flesh and am not likely too except if travelling overseas. I live in New Zealand. When these bikes were new I only ever saw the Carlton Professional like mine here (very rarrely), then later the red black and yellow team Raleigh. I guess Raleigh professionals were not brought into this country.The black bike has the fastback seat stay. More ornate lugs than either 71 gold professionals I have seen or the 74 raleigh catalogue photograph and later professionals, (or my own Carlton had), but I have seen images of at two other 72 professionals (G) with these semi elaborate lugs. The question is does anyone know if it is possible that the paint scheme is original. The seller said he wasn't sure but thought that it was. There is no Black listed in the 72 catalogue (but then the 71 catalogue cover has a colour professional that doesn't appear to have been produced that year). The 74 catalogue does list a black bike but it is listed as black and silver. Are there any variations in number of stripes on the seat tubes of professionals anyone knows about? This black and red one has three equal size red stripes.Others I have seen photos of have seven stipes, working from the top of the seat tube down two smaler then one larger then two smaler. Also in photographs the mink blue professionals with sliver stipes professionals I have seen the little triangle cut outs in the lugs and the outline edges of the lugs are outlined in gold as are the edges of the stripes. Was this always the case? On other colour schemes? The bike has 531 decals on forks (as does the 74 catalogue bike) but photos of 72s I have seen have little carlton decal. Which do you think is correct for my bike?Were the same decals generally applied to the bikes in a given year or were there changes? What should all the decals be and where are they positioned? The rims are black which I guess is not an original possibility though I have seen an early 70s Competition which had been carefully restored with a lot of attention to original detail that also had black rims so maybe? The bike is equiped with campagnolo NR pretty much everywhere, except the gear change levers which are in the handlebar tips which I will change to original. I have owned British sports cars which are not hand made but even with them there are small variations in a year so I guess with handmade bikes this is even more likely (eg the more elaborate lugs at least some 72s seem to have. One final thing - the bike has eyelets front and rear. Interestingly the owner of the other professional with the more elaborate lugs comments that his also has eyelets -he speculates that maybe his bike was originallly intended for the British market. Does anyone know if this theory is correct? Maybe this is the reason for the more elaborate lugs as well? Apologies for so many questions. I live in New Zealand - I am not going to see many Raleigh Professionals here to verify what is originally correct. ( I have only ever seen the Carlton Professional here).Thanks in anticipation for your help.Grant
Grant Browne
Christchurch
New Zealand
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