I also assumed the seller was speaking of "custom built" in the sense of bu ilt up at the shop with the customer's desired components. Maybe I misse d it in the photos, but I didn't see anything that indicated the frame is a Raleigh. The bike does look English, but the Meteor badge doesn't look like anything I remember Raleigh using. Is it possible Meteor was one of the many brands that Raleigh acquired after WWII? Or is the seller just mistaken about the Raleigh conection?
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA
From: Otis <otis@otisrecords.com> Subject: [CR]Help ID a bike To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2008, 2:01 PM
http://portland.craigslist.org/
Anyone ever heard of a raleigh Meteor? It says it's custom built in CA...
Cool looking bike, I especially like the fork crown.
George Ramos Portland, OR USA
I have no idea of the actual source. But C. Harding in Westwood, was Charli e Harding's bike store in Westwood CA. (Los Angeles). I know Charlie sourced
frames from the UK and branded them Hardings as I bought one in 1979.
I would assume the "Meteor" to be along those lines and not a true "custom" build. More like "custom", in built up to spec in the shop by Charlie.
Anyone know the whereabouts of Charlie Harding these days? He was a quirky
but really great guy, and gave me a lot of guidance when I first started riding road bikes. In the early 80's his shop was just dying a slow death
and full of NOS 60's, 70's and beyond. Wish I knew then what I know now!
Jon Williams
Grants Pass OR USA