Obscure question? Certainly not, sir... anything to get some discuss ion going around here about RRAs!! Of all the fabled classic lightweights, the
RRA sure gets little mention around here. I guess we RRA riders know a g ood thing and spend our time riding 'em than talking 'em to death.
To my knowledge, you could have your '48-54 RRA painted in any of the Raleigh Industries colours (Raleigh, Rudge, Humber) and others besides. Lined or unlined. Transfers: does not the '48-49 catalogue show the RRA fitted out in 'touring' configuration (including the rare alloy chainguard
used on the Lenton Tourist as well) with the 'old' style seat tube 'R-R-A'
transfer? Or am I imagining that? This simple transfer was what you got when you returned a RRA frame to Nottingham for refinishing and the stock colour seemed to have been carmine red a la Reg Harris' RRAs. But the pr ice listings I have for refinishing gave one the option of lining and colours as long as they had the paint in stock. At least one Nottingham refinish ed RRA frame has been offered on eBay and in carmine with the pre-war transfers. And a RRA I got from the UK and later sold was polychromatic carmine with the fancy transfers.. a repaint but I am not by whom or w hen. No lining.
I have seen refinished RRAs in the UK (by John Wild of Sidmouth) with lining and the old style transfers, but as in 1948, this was due to the owner's preference.
Raleigh lining of club bikes was usually a single line, not double, and usually white but this was more to due to the stock frame colour. Some years there was no lining and this was specifically mentioned in the specs
for the Lenton Sports and Clubmans.
So I don't know if there is a "right answer". Which makes the RRA the typical British lightweight of the era.. if it looks "right", it most probably is.
Peter Kohler Washington DC USA
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