Re: [CR] Perception of Raleigh in U.S. (WAS Dawes)

(Example: Framebuilding:Restoration)

Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 17:57:19 -0800
From: "Steve Whitting" <ciocc_cat@yahoo.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
In-Reply-To: <398574.66839.qm@web51107.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [CR] Perception of Raleigh in U.S. (WAS Dawes)


I've love this thread!  So much history . . . I hope someone is taking notes.
>From my own (U.S.) perspective - I became acquainted with Raleigh when the early 1970s "Bike Boom" hit Fayetteville, Arkansas.  The year was 1972 and I was riding an entry-level Chiorda (lugged frame but basement-grade steel bits) when the owner of our town's first the recently-opened bike shop, was debating carry Raleighs.  I bought my first "good bike" from Highroller Cyclery in Fayetteville (a Gitane Tour de France), but in 1977 traded-up for an all-Campy Nouvo Record equipped Raleigh Pro Mk. IV when I started racing Cat IV.  Alas, the frame proved to be too big for me and I sold it about two years later but kept all the Campy bits which became part of my next bike.  I recall the workmanship on my Pro being superior to my French-built Gitane and on-par with my two subsequent Austro Daimler fames, but decidedly inferior to my Ciocc San Cristobal which I built-up in 1986 - and still ride. In the local USCF racing circuit the mid-to-late 1970s, I recall there being a bit of snobbery that favored riding Italian frames (e.g., Colnago et al). Steve Whitting

"The Ciocc Cat"

Prairieville, Louisiana USA

Website at http://ciocc-cat.angelfire.com/


--- On Sun, 2/7/10, Greg Lone wrote:


From: Greg Lone <gwlone@yahoo.ca> Subject: [CR] Dawes To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Date: Sunday, February 7, 2010, 3:30 PM

Hi list, regarding the Dawes debate I think it is important to keep a sense of perspective. They were obviously not Colnago's or Gillott's or even close. In the 70's in rather Provincial British Columbia, Canada, they seemed a step up from the universal UO 8's, Apollos and Raleigh Firebirds of my friends. They provided a good starting point for a young cyclist who could then decide if a move up to a PX10 {Or International or Pro if you were a Raleigh fan} level bike was warranted . I found mine quite satisfactory once I replaced the rear dropouts with a pair of Campys, ditto the derailleurs for a pair of NR's and the crankset for a PX 10 surplus Stronglight setup. The wheels ; Campy tipo's, Fiame yellow label clinchers were from a otherwise clunky Crescent. All in all a reasonable bike with a budget price. And it was a good education on bike mechanics . I still own it , and still enjoy riding it.  I even preferred it on casual rides to the Competition GS  that replaced it as my "good" bike.

Greg Lone Langley B.C. Canada

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