Attempt to repairing a Raleigh 531 lux

[SkipdiverJohn]

I wonder does anyone know what the price of this frame cost back in 1988?

I can't say for your exact frame model, but to give you an idea, I read recently that my £30 secondhand 1985 Raleigh Royal with 531 frame & forks were priced at £343 in 1987. When I put that number into Hargreaves Lansdown's website inflation calculator, it says the equivalent in today's money would be £1,000!
OK, a full bike would cost substantially more than just a frame, but you are probably looking at the upper hundreds of pounds all the same. Personally I have never ridden a bad 531 frame, all that I have tried have been comfortable & pleasing to ride. I know a lot is in the geometry, not just the steel, but anyone specifying 531 tended to put a bit of thought into the design because they were aimed at a discerning customer who would care how a bike felt to ride.

Edited to correct error in price.

 

[rogerzilla]

I've seen photos of cracked frames fixed with bandage and epoxy! Looks minging but works.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

bandage and epoxy! Looks minging but works.

Not that far removed from how a carbon frame is constructed if you think about it - and most of them look minging before they need repairing.

 

[Illaveago]

It is quite interesting looking at the picture of the bike side on and seeing where the cracks occurred!

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

It is quite interesting looking at the picture of the bike side on and seeing where the cracks occurred!

Are you thinking that possibly the size of the frame and therefore the likelihood of it having been ridden hard by a large rider, might have caused it to fail as a result of a lot of flex?
I've recently had an 18-23 Pioneer frame failure at the drive side chainstay dropout. I doubt the failure was rider power-related though...

 

[Illaveago]

I was just looking at it and it looks like those are the points where the frame is twisting .