Raleigh frame number code

[Gwylan]

Always a mistake getting attached to things.

Anyway, for visitors we acquired a Raleigh Sport 300. Described as a 7000 series aluminium rapid transit.

Well, that's what the sticky labels say.
Cleaned it up, got gears working and the brakes acceptable.

Then I rode it, it's quite nice, light, handy.
I paid £65 for it , is it worth spending a similar amount on?
New chain, brake shoes, cables, cassette? Wheels and tyres are good.
Saddle a bit scruffy.

Now it would be nice to know more.
The frame number is DS2400261.
I know it means something and can be deciphered.
What does this mean?

 

[Chris S]

Always a mistake getting attached to things.

Anyway, for visitors we acquired a Raleigh Sport 300. Described as a 7000 series aluminium rapid transit.

Well, that's what the sticky labels say.
Cleaned it up, got gears working and the brakes acceptable.

Then I rode it, it's quite nice, light, handy.
I paid £65 for it , is it worth spending a similar amount on?
New chain, brake shoes, cables, cassette? Wheels and tyres are good.
Saddle a bit scruffy.

Now it would be nice to know more.
The frame number is DS2400261.
I know it means something and can be deciphered.
What does this mean?

View: https://gist.github.com/njlr/758ee39e7294dd22907dd27f880cb016

 

[Gwylan]

That looks fine, until you try and date this bicycle.

My frame is DS2400261

D is Irish Raleigh

S is December

Now, 2 is the second year of the decade. Their system works that way.
So,is my bike a 1992, 2002, or 2012?
But here's the odd bit. Raleigh stopped production in Ireland in 1980.
Can this bike really be 1972? Did they keep the frame in stock for a very long time?
And did they only make 261 bikes in a month?

 

[raleighnut]

Raleigh frame numbers have always been a mystery.
Frinstance I have a 1983 Road Ace in 531 with a 'W' frame number prefix despite the Worksop factory having been closed for several years by then.

 

[Chris S]

That looks fine, until you try and date this bicycle.

My frame is DS2400261

D is Irish Raleigh

S is December

Now, 2 is the second year of the decade. Their system works that way.
So,is my bike a 1992, 2002, or 2012?
But here's the odd bit. Raleigh stopped production in Ireland in 1980.
Can this bike really be 1972? Did they keep the frame in stock for a very long time?
And did they only make 261 bikes in a month?

It would have been the 261st bike they made that month. They stopped UK production altogether around the millennium.

 

[Gwylan]

It would have been the 261st bike they made that month. They stopped UK production altogether around the millennium.

But it makes the bike a 1973?
That's what puzzles me .

 

[T4tomo]

But it makes the bike a 1973?
That's what puzzles me .

It wouldn't be 1973 with 7000 series aluminium.

I suspect its a cheap Taiwanese offering wearing a Raleigh name from after the brand name was sold?

pics may help but I wouldn't be spending much on it other than to make it useable...

 

[DCLane]

The RSP300 is from 1998-1999. It's a fairly low end model and is probably worth £60-80 if in decent condition.

I had an orange and white one for a while.

 

[raleighnut]

But it makes the bike a 1973?
That's what puzzles me .

Aluminium frame in 73............................don't think so.

A bit of research (internet so not that reliable) suggests that Raleigh Aluminium frames were made after 1999 apart from the 'bonded' (glued) frames made by the SBDU in Ilkesten

 

[Gwylan]

It wouldn't be 1973 with 7000 series aluminium.

I suspect its a cheap Taiwanese offering wearing a Raleigh name from after the brand name was sold?

pics may help but I wouldn't be spending much on it other than to make it useable...

Has a label on it, giving the impression that it's not foreign

I'll get a photo of that, soon.

 

[Gwylan]

It was sold by the LBS, but all the staff look younger than my bike.
They're unlikely to know.
I'll ask anyway.

 

[raleighnut]

View attachment 772333 Has a label on it, giving the impression that it's not foreign

I'll get a photo of that, soon.

Probably assembled and painted in England, might say 'Built in England' on the sticker

 

[T4tomo]

It was sold by the LBS, but all the staff look younger than my bike.
They're unlikely to know.
I'll ask anyway.

Eminently useable, but defo not valuable nor of any real historical interest.

 

[Gwylan]

Bit like me then