Hello All,
Has anyone got some information about a 1982 Raleigh "Carlton" bicycle? "Carlton" in this case, being the model not the firm! I purchased the frame on a whim (must stop doing this!) thinking it was a Raleigh Clubman since the paint colour and decals were the same. I didn't notice the model name on the cross bar until I went to pick it up. I've looked in various early 80s Raleigh catalogues but cannot find the exact same bicycle. By comparing the frame with other models this is what I think the spec for the frame is:
Reynolds 531 Competition Tubing (main frame at least, not sure about the forks) Haden Royal Sovereign Lugs Rear drops are Vitus Front drops are Gipiemme with a sloping fork crown. Braze-ons for water bottle on down tube, gear cables under bottom bracket and brake cable routed over top tube. No mudguard eyes. There is also a stop on the down tube to suggest a band on shifter.
The frame seems to be better than a Clubman, maybe lower than a Competition 12 in the Raleigh product hierarchy of the time. I'm assuming Raleigh just made so many models they couldn't possibly list every single one in their catalogues. I'd be interested to know if anyone out there has the same model. Was it sold as a complete bike or a frame only? If a complete bike, what kind of components were in the original spec?
Thanks,
Jon Wright
Wakefield, West Yorkshire
England, UK