New/Old bike - what is it??

[porteous]

I have just been given a 1980s {?} Raleigh touring bike in nice condition but have never heard of the model. Badged "Alpha Sport" it has Sachs Huret 10 speed gears but everything else is badges Raleigh. I has a TI/Raleigh sticker so if pre 1986. Anyone know what I've taken on?? Photo here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31231726@N03/3031223751/

 

[02GF74]

looks like it has the chainset from hell - a two piece set where the crank is pressed onto the chainrings. That has been know to fail (no need to ask how I know that)

 

[porteous]

You may be right, the brakes are "Raleigh foreign" whatever that means and there is a little more chromed steel where I'd like to see alloy. (Bars, rims, seatpost.) The 18-23 tube sticker doesn't inspire confidence either. On the other hand it is quite light. I'd like to know where it fitted into the model range in the year it was made.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Bottom end clunker I'm afraid, suicide brake levers and steel rims. Nothing wrong if you just want something to hack around on, but a tourer it definately ain't.

 

[mickle]

What Joe said.

1823 is the year of manufacture.

 

[porteous]

Miserable lot. It's a nice old bike doing it's best and deserves saving. So I sold it to my mate who is fat and will only ride it twice a year.

 

[Mr Phoebus]

It looks in bloody good nick for its age.