RE: [CR]Original Derailleurs on a Raleigh Grand Sport(s)

(Example: Racing:Roger de Vlaeminck)

Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2007 08:00:09 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jerome & Elizabeth Moos <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: RE: [CR]Original Derailleurs on a Raleigh Grand Sport(s)
To: Steve Kurt <kurtsj@mtco.com>, Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
In-Reply-To: <46B7D68C.2090401@mtco.com>


This Grand Sports has a Nervar crank, which I think must be original, as I doubt someone would change out a Stronglight 93 for Nervar, at least not in the US, where Nervar was much less known and much less available than Stronglight. Raleigh was fond of those Stronglight chainguards. I removed one from a Super Tourer I bought last year. As you say, they are fitted like the outer ring of a triple. This requires the use of a triple BB axle and longer chainring bolts. I never liked that design, as removing the chainguard requires changing out both the chainring bolts and the axle to get proper chainline, unless one actualy goes to three chainrings. I'm a big fan of Stronglight, but not of this particular bit. The Nervar also has a chainguard, but it simply bolts to the outer ring, which is a lot more sensible.

Regards,

Jerry Moos Big Spring, TX

Steve Kurt <kurtsj@mtco.com> wrote: From: Jerome & Elizabeth Moos

"Someone else has said offlist that about 1977, the Grand Sport was drastically downgraded to gaspipe tubing ala Grand Prix. Mine carries correct and evidently original 531 DB decals. So, unless the Raleigh catalogs are incorrect, which they sometimes were, the evidence is mounting that the SunTour stuff is not original. "

I bought a Gran Sport in 1976, and rode it wherever I traveled for 14 years! It brought me many wonderful memories, but that might be a result of replacing the Simplex derailleurs with SunTour Cyclone immediately after buying it.

Actually, many of the original parts were quickly replace with higher quality parts that I already owned. The Stronglight 93 cranks appealed to me quite a bit, so they stayed, albeit after getting rid of that chainguard that was fitted like a triple chainring.

My advice would be to not worry about the original parts too much. Most weren't that memorable anyway. Install some good parts that date from that era, and enjoy the bike. The big draw for me was the 531 frame, and the good value. And like a lot of Raleighs of that era, the paint scheme was pretty good too. Plus, the Lagoon Blue is the trademark color of Carlton, so it carries some of the Carlton history with it.

regards,
Steve Kurt
Peoria, IL