[CR] Raleigh & the German Connection?

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Avocet)

From: "P.C. Kohler" <kohl57@starpower.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <929370.87846.qm@web35604.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2009 19:59:52 -0500
Subject: [CR] Raleigh & the German Connection?


I've always wondered why the 1969 Raleigh Professional Mark I ("The White One") has the colours of the German Federal Republic (red-black-gold yellow) as the seat tibe band. The TI Raleigh Team eventually adopted these colours as well as their team livery although the gold-yellow became plain bright yellow.

Then Goggle revealed a cycle discussion group topic on the Mark I Professional which said the colours were in recognition of the German Olympic Cycling Team in the 1968 Olympics riding Raleigh machines. Can anyone here verify this or, perchance, have any other details? The West German team won a silver that year in the team pursuit (track) but I am not sure if Raleigh (or indeed Carlton) provided both the track and road machines or one or none at all.

Peter Kohler
Washington DC USA