Help Identify this Raleigh please.

[Donned]

Hi

I'm new to the forum and bought this bike unseen a few years ago as I needed something to commute for a few days a week during the summer. It was £20 and I liked the style. With some spare time now I want to really give it some love, replacing the worn head bearing and strip the terrible paint job and do it properly. I've tried searching online but am struggling to identify the exact model without any serial numbers on the hub, nor bottom bracket. Any help is appreciated.

Many thanks

D

 

[midlife]

Are you sure there is no number stamped somewhere. Raleigh bean counters usually meant everything was stamped. Is there 3 holes for a headbadge?

 

[Donned]

I am sure there's nothing visible at the moment, but the bike has been (badly) resprayed at some point, so any code is likely to be buried beneath the thick layer of paint. I was hoping to get a background on the bike before stripping the paint.

 

[midlife]

Braze ons and style is typical of an Arena if it is a Raleigh

 

[Donned]

Looking at the Arena online now, this bike is very very similar. Slight difference around the handle bars but close enough to confirm that it's a raleigh. I'll get working on it and keep an eye out for a serial number in the process.
Thanks so much.

 

[Cycleops]

Could be an Arena:

It was a budget bike made for the youth market.
Restoring it will be quite expensive as you describe and you'll likely not make your money back on it.
It's a small size and looks like it may be too small for you.
Welcome to the forum

 

[Donned]

I'll do my best to keep costs down, but admit.im not sure what I'm letting myself in for. I'm not looking to make money on it. Just have myself a nice classic style bike to cruise around on on a Sunday.

 

[Spiderweb]

As @Cycleops says it could be an early Arena. There even looks to be some of the original blue paint on the rear drop out. In all honesty I’m not sure it is worth spending too much money.

 

[Donned]

Ok gents, it's good to know what I have at least. I'll tighten the bearing to take out the slack that's in there, stick a set of (uncracked) tyres on it and do whatever else I can for free.