Yikes, lots of typos in my previous attempt, i shouldn't watch tv and write messages at the same time, sorry ... try again ...
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Seat stays - what can go wrong ...
I have a 1970 Raleigh Super Course. A crack began to travel from the oval cap-area of the seat stay itself, and luckily it stopped at the vent hole on the back / top of the seat stay. With oval seat stay inserts, it is imho easier for these cracks to form and travel.
I have 3 x 1974 Raleigh Internationals and ALL had stress cracks in the paint forming ALL AROUND the oval inserts at the top of the seat stays. These inserts are not structural, so it was not a problem, but it scared one list member enough that he had stripped some paint and was about to have the cap welded, before realizing it was of no consequence.
At Ilkeston Raleigh was trying to create distinctive frames. Recall that very early Team Pros have a raised ridge in the middle of normal seatstay caps, to make the bikes distinctive.
The later oversized caps may still allow cracks to form in the paint of TI Raleigh Team Pros, but any cracks (from flexion) would occur on the UNDERSIDE of the seat stay caps - out of sight, out of mind.
So I think Raleigh used these oversized caps for BOTH reasons.
- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA