Guerciotti - or in reality a Raleigh Professional in disguise

[DCLane]

I picked up this earlier - bought via eBay from a known seller. However, there appears to be a 'WR' plus numbers frame number underneath and it doesn't look original. The frame's been re-painted and the decals are stuck on afterwards.

Therefore I'm doubting it's original, but if not, what is it? The crankset's French and the chainrings are non-original drillium, the brakes drilled and unbranded, Campagnolo Avanti front/rear derailleurs, modern Tiagra brake calipers, Mavic wheels on Shimano Exage hubs.

Seller's photo:

My photo of underneath, with what appears to be a frame number, and also the stem 'shield':

 

[biggs682]

Nice colour mixture
Stem looks more like a 60's design to me
Different cable guides and plain looking cut outs on bottom bracket , i wonder if it's Italian threaded ?
Could have sworn i saw you comment about not buying bikes ?

 

[DCLane]

@biggs682 - no bikes. Hmmm. I remember that as well. I've decided unless they're different or interesting; I do like projects to give me something to do and SWMBO's commented that it fits my environmentalist leanings as well.

We're picking up a frameset tomorrow as well, but that's a Ridley Fenix which will hopefully become a new winter bike for son no. 2.

 

[biggs682]

@biggs682 - no bikes. Hmmm. I remember that as well. I've decided unless they're different or interesting; I do like projects to give me something to do and SWMBO's commented that it fits my environmentalist leanings as well.

We're picking up a frameset tomorrow as well, but that's a Ridley Fenix which will hopefully become a new winter bike for son no. 2.

Similar thoughts here ie interesting or different

 

[Spiderweb]

Looks a very nice frame but I doubt it’s a Guerciotti as they usually have their name stamped into the tops of the seat stays where they join the seat tube and often a logo stamped into the tops of the fork crown.

 

[Jameshow]

Certainly heniz 57 in the component dept!
Haven't a clue to the authenticity of the frame!

Surely one in one out in your garage!🤣

 

[DCLane]

Thanks @Spiderweb - the lack of frame/fork marks made me suspicious of originality, with the re-paint more obvious.

@Jameshow - currently two frames for my son (Ridley Helium plus a Fenix tomorrow hopefully) and one bike for me in. There will have to be some juggling and Shimano 105 components sold to cover part of the cost. What we do with the old frames is still to be decided.

 

[Cycleops]

As James says definitely a Heinz trying to look like a two star Michelin pasta and really not succeeding.

 

[DCLane]

The members of Retrobike have come up trumps - https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/guerciotti-or-not.465931/

It's not as sold, which is disappointing but I had half-guessed this.

So I've got a Raleigh Professional bitsa which someone has badly re-sprayed. Now I've to decide what to do with it ...

 

[Cycleops]

A bike not as it seems on eBay, well I never.

Sorry.

 

[midlife]

Is the rear end chrome? Or just silver paint.

I'm trying to work out what a Mk 6 was

https://radpropaganda.org/raleigh-team-pro-timeline/

 

[DCLane]

@midlife - it's neither. There's laquer over polished steel. The forks look to be the same.

And yes, I can't work out what a Mk 6 was either. The closest match I can find is this one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155650923037 which is £850 complete and there's a battered frame for a very hopeful £245 on eBay. Or a bargain that someone got for £10 as it was badly described: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-...nolds-road-racing-bicycle-frame-/334880602276

I'm going to take some of the paint off, particularly where the frame number is, and see what year it is. The vintage Dawes stem will be sold as I need to re-coup some costs, with a Raleigh stem probably sourced although I've got the Woodrup's old one now spare. It'll become a project I would guess unless anyone else wants to take it on and comes close-ish to my purchase price of £215.

 

[DCLane]

I've got the full serial number up; WR2001504 as it's had grey primer with what seems to be white gloss over. The red and green also appear to be gloss paint. So I'm guessing it's a 1982 frame. But by then the Worksop factory had closed.

If it's 1982 then it may be one of these - a 531 or 753-framed Team Replica 12 - https://radpropaganda.org/raleigh-team-pro-timeline/ :

Weren't these the things Raleigh was flogging for £2500 recently?

 

[biggs682]

@DCLane have a look at this thread

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/raleigh-professional.253131/

 

[GuyBoden]

I was talking to a bloke on a Guerciotti today, he was fast, obviously, I couldn't keep up with him to check the bike more thoroughly.