I have a '73 too, and really like it. I believe just the 3 main tubes are plain, not butted, 531 but I don't know what the forks and stays are.
Does yours, as a '73, have the Exclusive Capella lugs - nice & fancy and only used during this year. If it does I expect the serial-number is 00xxxxx, which doesn't match any of the published schemes for Raleighs?
Alan Lloyd
Schaumburg, Illinois, USA
Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2006 01:47:13 -0700 (PDT) From: dan kasha <dankasha@yahoo.com> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: [CR]Any fond memories of a Raleigh Super Course? Message-ID: <20060929084713.54687.qmail@web38913.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Precedence: list Message: 16
I think a 1973 Raleigh Super Course qualifies as a vintage "lightweight" ...
I was wondering what people thought of the old Raleigh Super Course, and if they had any fond memories of them?
I just recently picked one up, a little aged, but all original down to the handle bar wrap, and took it out for a first ride. Please email me if you would like to see a picture.
The reason I was interested goes back to 1975 or so, when my first bike, a Jr. sized Peugeot was stollen (I was probably 13). I went to the local bike shop (Bruskin's in New Haven Ct) and after a long study of the bikes, decided that a Raleigh Super Course II was the right bike. Alloy rims.
Those uniquely beautiful coterless steel cranks. And the 531 sticker. Why I knew about these things at that age I don't know, but I decided this was it. $230 was the obstacle.
My father had another idea, I think he viewed the Raleigh as dated and clunky and not a modern concept. I ended up with a Viscount Aerospace GP, it was $179 I think. 3 or 4 pounds lighter. The cranks were really cool. The sealed bearings even cooler, perfectly smooth. The Shimano Titleist
deraileur really did work well. But I always remembered that Raleigh Super Course II .
So rebuliding this one (a 1973 Super Course) was fun. It is suprisingly similar to my International, with the rapid taper stays. And the cable guides and routing. Though many things have the feel of quality (cranks, brakes, bar, stem, saddle, even the chrome seatpost). Many things feel low end (pedals, hubs, headset). But all in all it works. Rode great, had a really solid feel, with very predictable handling. I was able to carry nice speed with it, only negative was that it has the standard 14 - 28 cluster, and often found I needed a gear inbetween. And a shift of the front
chainring would slightly disturb the rear and I would have to make a minor adjustment of the rear.
But all in all, a nice bike. Will be my bike for cruising to a coffee shop here in Seattle.
Anyway, just wondering what others think of the Super Course. I feel it qualifies as a light weight (531 after all), and it certainly has a long history.
Oh, and one last question (if you are still reading at this point). The sticker says 531 frame tubes. Does this really mean that only the 3 main tubes are 531, or are the stays as well? The shape is so similar to the international, it is hard to imagine they are not. But if not, what would they have used, just their won generic high carbon steel? Or another Reynolds tubing?
Dan Kasha
Seattle, Wa