RE: [CR]Raleigh'o'philes: Super Course MK2 ??

(Example: Racing:Jean Robic)

Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:14:51 -0700 (PDT)
From: Donald Gillies <gillies@cs.ubc.ca>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: RE: [CR]Raleigh'o'philes: Super Course MK2 ??

Clyde,

in 1973 - the year before the MK2 was introduced, Grand Prix went to QR hubs front-and-rear and so i imagine that there wasn't much advantage to a SuperCourse MK2 - just alloy rims and chainrings. What's more the SuperCourse MK2 lacked _extension levers_. The 531 plain gauge main-tubes frame of the MK2 would be hardly lighter than that of a Grand Prix.

as a kid who lurked in bikeshops in this period, the price jump between grand prix and supercourse mk2 appeared quite substantial ($140 -> $170 ?? if i remember). I wonder if the ride was any different at all.

Do you think Carlton was trying too hard to make a pretty bike? My Super Course MK2 is pretty sloppy up-close, worse than most Gazelle-of-Holland Grand Prix's including my original 1972 Grand Prix. Did low-end buyers even notice such things?

According to this bikeboom article, about 45 million bikes were sold from 1970-73 (most super course mk1's are from this period), and 30 million bikes were sold from 74-76 (super course mk2's lifespan) :

http://www.truewheelers.org/research/studies/aaa/02users.htm

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA, USA


--- "Putman, Clyde" wrote:


> I sold Raleigh during that time. I remember those Super Course MK II not

\r?\n> selling terribly well, but frankly can't recall why. Perhaps folk who

\r?\n> wanted better than Grand prix were willing to spring for 531 DB?

\r?\n>

\r?\n> We had a matched pair of the green / white that sat around for ages,

\r?\n> then sold to a husband and wife who just loved them and put tons of

\r?\n> miles on them.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> If you get private replies I would love to see them too.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Cheers!

\r?\n> Clyde

\r?\n> Dallas

\r?\n> Texas

\r?\n> USA

\r?\n> Earth