Another Ebay purchase

[Mark Grant]

I was browsing Ebay the other week when I saw an old Triumph racer, it was 'pick up only' about 90 minutes drive from home but I put it on my watch list and thought I'd have a bid if it din't go silly. So just as the auction ended I put in a bid and won it for £33.

It appeared to be in good condition just a bit grotty so I gave it a quick strip, clean and rebuild.

I haven't changed anything apart from the standard pedals for SPD SLs (and the grease in the bearings!). I finished re-assembling it this morning and went for a 20 mile ride this afternoon.

 

[Mista Preston]

wow - bargin. Looks lovely Mark.

 

[smokeysmoo]

wow - bargin. Looks lovely Mark.

What he said ^ Lucky bugger, looks like new, great buy

 

[ianrauk]

Decent colour too..

 

[Sittingduck]

33 quid?! Nice one Mark

 

[Bobtoo]

That looks a great deal. I've never seen a modern (I'm guessing it's mid-1980s, which I regard as modern) Triumph before. Did they end up as another Raleigh brand?

 

[Mark Grant]

I think that it is just a rebranded Raleigh, the chainset is Raleigh as are the wheels and 'Raleigh Racing' tyres. Also the head tube badge says 'Made in Nottingham'.
I was pleased that the chrome rims cleaned up nicely as so many of this age are rust pitted beyond redemption.
Riding it today around Richmond park the lack of ratios (only 10) was apparent, not sure what the rear gears are but the front are 52-42 and 'spinning' in the lowest gear was quite a grind!
It did make me smile when I got home to think that although my ride had probably been slower than if I was on my carbon Ribble, this bike had only cost me £33.00 and was no less fun .

 

[biggs682]

go and enjoy the feel of steel

 

[Bobtoo]

I got a similar bike for my son a few weeks ago. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190560677560 It's a Phillips Phantom, which is also a Raleigh in disguise and quite possibly the exact same bike as yours. I found it quite nice to ride and kind of wish I'd got it for myself but I agree that the gearing could be better.

 

[Mark Grant]

I got a similar bike for my son a few weeks ago. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190560677560 It's a Phillips Phantom, which is also a Raleigh in disguise and quite possibly the exact same bike as yours. I found it quite nice to ride and kind of wish I'd got it for myself but I agree that the gearing could be better.

Ha!
I looked at that one but decided it was a bit too far to pick up!

 

[Bobtoo]

It was a bit far for anybody to pick up, including me, but I had work to do in the area so I booked it for the day after the auction ended.

 

[Globalti]

Wow! Lovely shiny bike!

I can't help thinking it was gearing like that that must have put a lot of potential cyclists off the sport. First mountain bikes and more recently compact gearing have made cycling so much easier for the novice.

 

[Alembicbassman]

Used to do my paper round on a Triumph racer in the 80s when I were a lad. Mine had gold Weinmann suicide levers though.

 

[captainhastings]

Great job wish I had them bike skills

 

[upsidedown]

Very nice.