[CR] Raleigh International

(Example: Framebuilding:Norris Lockley)

From: "Bob Hanson" <theonetrueBob@webtv.net>
Date: Sat, 12 Aug 2006 14:26:10 -0600
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR] Raleigh International


Interesting auction just ended:

http://ebay.com/<blah>

Final price was $440 ($410 + $30 shipping). Seems a bit high for just a frame & fork with no extras, but I've been watching these go up in eBay-valuation over the past couple years.

Nice light sport-touring framesets, very similar to the Schwinn P15 touring frames of the day.

Amusing that the catalogue specifications between my own (1971) and this 1974 model had made some clever minor modifications to "legitimately" reduce the claimed weight. Earlier listings show the bike, with 27 x 1-1/4" wheels & tires at 25 lbs.... but, by 1974 they were listed at a weight of 22-1/2 lbs. - when fitted with, a certainly less appropriate, tubular/sprint wheelset.

Apparently, the days of gram-shaving statistics had arrived... at least to impress the American market - which, for the most part, was probably not informed enough to be impressed by simple mention of full double-butted Reynolds 531 tubing and Nervex Pro lugs.

Bob Hanson, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA