Re: [CR] Raleigh TI 753 53CM (Ed Granger)

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Cinelli)

From: "P.C. Kohler" <kohl57@starpower.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <92D211FD-BEE1-42E2-888C-89FC79413878@earthlink.net>
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:40:25 -0500
Subject: Re: [CR] Raleigh TI 753 53CM (Ed Granger)


If you want (as you should) a TI Raleigh 753 Team frame, it's not the colour or the decals that make it so. Raleigh, like Bianchi, put their team livery on everything. There was even an excreable "Team Record", the 2030 tube Raleigh base $89 10-speed, in team colours.

What makes a real Raleigh Team bike is the SB serial number denoting a SBDU Ilkeston-built frame. They made frame in 531 and 753 (these were only available as framesets) and they have nothing in common with the Worksop W-prefixed frames.

Ilkeston-built frames were built by about four framebuilders in true bespoke fashion and from 1974 to 1986 they turned out fewer than 10,000 total frames... Worksop made more Internationals in a single year in the mid 70s. I have two SB frames and don't own two better built or finished bicycles. Nor can imagine wanting anything better. But that's just my personal opinion. Add to this the association with the all-conquering TI Raleigh Team, the winningest team of the late classic era and yep, these are pretty desirable!

But they can be had and quite reasonably, too. My recently acquired SB5708 (1984) cost me 170 pounds on eBay (UK) in October. SB frames are on eBay (UK) quite frequently actually although the classic team liveried frames are not as common. Anyway, worth waiting for the "real thing" methinks. These are superb real race proven machines in the best British framemaking tradition. Heck, these were even built in the old Rolls-Royce shops!

Peter Kohler moderator of the Yahoo Group "Raleigh Team Pros" Washington DC USA