fr188
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
Hi I’m looking for a big 531 or any similar type forks, for my 64cm Raleigh 531c race, looks like I need forks with at least over 250mm steering tube,
Thanks
Thanks
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PHL67
Veteran
- Location
- Frinton on Sea
Hi did you get some forks for your bike. I think I have some in my workshop but will need to check the steerer length.
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
Do they have to be Raleigh forks? I would strongly advise avoiding anything 26tpi threaded, as headsets are a bit of a 'mare. Up to the mid-80s (varies by model) Raleigh used their own headset standard, which is fundamentally JIS sized (30.0 cups, 27.0 crown) but in 26tpi. Best to source a normal ISO fork and, if necessary, have the head tube reamed and faced for ISO. Any bike shop worth its salt can do that.
If you must get a Raleigh fork, you can have the crown seat milled down to ISO 26.4 to enable use of any modern headset at the bottom*, but you will always have to use a Raleigh top half, and they are not the best - heavy chromed steel, no seals and very hard to find in NOS condition. The races are U-shaped, unlike modern angular contact races, although IME this doesn't present any particular problem with unwanted play. For cost reasons, I have a bike running this type of frankenheadset and it all works nicely but is undoubtedly inferior to matched ISO fork and frame.
*this is actually worth doing as the bottom race has a much harder life and you can use a cartridge bearing unit. Do NOT have the top of the head tube milled to ISO if you do this, as Raleigh cups are loose in ISO head tubes. A Coke can shim will solve this but it's better not to ream in the first place!
If you must get a Raleigh fork, you can have the crown seat milled down to ISO 26.4 to enable use of any modern headset at the bottom*, but you will always have to use a Raleigh top half, and they are not the best - heavy chromed steel, no seals and very hard to find in NOS condition. The races are U-shaped, unlike modern angular contact races, although IME this doesn't present any particular problem with unwanted play. For cost reasons, I have a bike running this type of frankenheadset and it all works nicely but is undoubtedly inferior to matched ISO fork and frame.
*this is actually worth doing as the bottom race has a much harder life and you can use a cartridge bearing unit. Do NOT have the top of the head tube milled to ISO if you do this, as Raleigh cups are loose in ISO head tubes. A Coke can shim will solve this but it's better not to ream in the first place!
