{Classic Rendezvous} Re: [CR] Help ID a Raleigh International with mysterious fork

(Example: Racing:Roger de Vlaeminck)

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2011 00:36:10 -0800
From: "verktyg" <verktyg@aol.com>
To: classic-rendezvous-lightweight-vintage-bicycles@googlegroups.com, kristel@pacbell.net, gillies@ece.ubc.ca
Subject: {Classic Rendezvous} Re: [CR] Help ID a Raleigh International with mysterious fork
References: <20110222074746.9F66D457D9@ssh-linux3.ece.ubc.ca>
In-Reply-To: <20110222074746.9F66D457D9@ssh-linux3.ece.ubc.ca>
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Good point about checking to see if the frame has been crashed. That's my first suggestion when considering a frame with a possible replacement fork.

Not to gore anyone's ox but during the early 70s the Raleigh International models varied from the advertised frame specifications probably more than any other Raleigh model. I looked at and test rode a number of them back then. They all had different frame geometry.

During the bike boom of 1970 through 1974, there were constant shortages of frame parts and bike components. To me the flat top crowns with the triangle cutouts in the long central point were some of the best looking I'd seen on a production bike from that era. That said, I've run across Raleigh Internationals with at least 2 or 3 different style crowns not including the chevron top Wagner on this frame.

I've seen those particular Wagner crowns used on Raleigh Grand Sport, Grand Prix, Super Course and other models so it's not as if they didn't have them available.

The deciding question, does the fork have Campy fork ends (or at least Zeus)which it looks like it does. If not then the fork's pedigree is questionable.

Sheldon Brown's Retro Raleigh website: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/international.htm

Chas. Colerich Oakland, CA USA

donald gillies wrote:
> I've seen one or two forks with that type of vagner crown,
> rather than the one with 3 tangs and a triangular cutout.
>
> Your top-tube braze-ons indicate the bike is early-74 or earlier.
> The brake bridge and campagnolo dropouts are almost certain signs
> of a Raleigh International (or sometimes Competition) model. The
> chromed lugs say Raleigh International, however. The wrapover
> stays say 1973 or earlier.
>
> So nothing is really unusual about this frame. It's conceivable
> that the fork was replaced, perhaps with a supercourse fork. You
> might want to carefully sight along the underside of the top tube
> and look for wrinkles or ripples, as the result of a crash, that
> may have destroyed the original fork, and may have led to a repaint.
> If there are no signs of this sort, then I'd say the fork is probably
> original.
>
> - Don Gillies
> San Diego, CA, USA
> Who owns way too many raleigh internationals 1970-74.

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