Raleigh Gemini Trail XC proto-graveladventurecross bike for giants (25" / 63.5cm) on FB Muppetplace, Suffolk, £80

[raleighnut]

Oh, and that rocket launcher stem , that would be getting replaced sharpish.

That may not be possible, it could be a standard size but over my 30 years of re-purposing and modifying Raleighs there was a period when Raleigh used their own unique headset sizing so that only their own components would fit, same went for seatpost sizes*

With it being a 531 frame this may not be the case but the shape of that stem casts doubts in my mind as to whether a standard stem would fit a frame of that era.


* I could generally get shim rings to take the seat-tube to a size where standard seatposts could be used.

 

[Windle]

That may not be possible, it could be a standard size but over my 30 years of re-purposing and modifying Raleighs there was a period when Raleigh used their own unique headset sizing so that only their own components would fit, same went for seatpost sizes*

With it being a 531 frame this may not be the case but the shape of that stem casts doubts in my mind as to whether a standard stem would fit a frame of that era.


* I could generally get shim rings to take the seat-tube to a size where standard seatposts could be used.

I'm currently having the same trouble with my Trek Singletrack, which has a very similar stem. It's a quill stem but seems to be an odd diameter (1 inch internal diameter steerer) so I'm trying to get hold of a Quill / A Head adapter to fit it.

 

[raleighnut]

I'm currently having the same trouble with my Trek Singletrack, which has a very similar stem. It's a quill stem but seems to be an odd diameter (1 inch internal diameter steerer) so I'm trying to get hold of a Quill / A Head adapter to fit it.

1" is quite standard not like the Raleigh 'only ours will fit' size
1" is 25.4 mm but other standard quill stem sizes are 22.7 mm

 

[Windle]

1" is quite standard not like the Raleigh 'only ours will fit' size
1" is 25.4 mm but other standard quill stem sizes are 22.7 mm

I've only looked in the two north east Recyke y' Bikes and a local place that does old parts to be fair, but none had a 1 inch quill stem, other than one horrendous looking adjustable thing that looked like it belonged on a WW1 Dreadnought .

 

[raleighnut]

I've only looked in the two north east Recyke y' Bikes and a local place that does old parts to be fair, but none had a 1 inch quill stem, other than one horrendous looking adjustable thing that looked like it belonged on a WW1 Dreadnought .

Yeah Maz's Dawes has one of those on and they flex alarmingly if you try too hard (when going uphill frinstance)

 

[GuyBoden]

I put short drops on a Raleigh Gemini for a Winter bike in 2016.

Nice bike for winter, same Raleigh 531 ride quality as all Raleigh frame geometry is the same, but I didn't like the Canti brakes, so sold it.

2016 thread here:
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/my-1988-raleigh-gemini-winter-bike.210839/

 

[raleighnut]

I put short drops on a Raleigh Gemini for a Winter bike in 2016.

Nice bike for winter, same Raleigh 531 ride quality as all Raleigh frame geometry is the same, but I didn't like the Canti brakes, so sold it.

2016 thread here:
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/my-1988-raleigh-gemini-winter-bike.210839/

View attachment 704668

At least you fitted a proper stem too

 

[wafter]

I put short drops on a Raleigh Gemini for a Winter bike in 2016.

Nice bike for winter, same Raleigh 531 ride quality as all Raleigh frame geometry is the same, but I didn't like the Canti brakes, so sold it.

2016 thread here:
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/my-1988-raleigh-gemini-winter-bike.210839/

View attachment 704668

I remember reading about that previously - looks grand

That said I already have a decent utilty hack and the thing that draws me to the bike in the OP is its originality.. seem to have developed a nostalgia-fuelled fetish for all things old-Raleigh recently and if I had the space would love one good example from the mid-top end of each of their lineups - road, touring, off-road, town...

 

[chris667]

I'm currently having the same trouble with my Trek Singletrack, which has a very similar stem. It's a quill stem but seems to be an odd diameter (1 inch internal diameter steerer) so I'm trying to get hold of a Quill / A Head adapter to fit it.

That is a 1 1/8" quill stem. SJS Cycles has quite a few.

Yes, the quill bit is 1" on a 1 1/8" stem. Hope that's clear!

 

[chris667]

As to the headset on these - I suspect it will be a standard 1" quill.

There was 1" BMX headset standard which a lot of MTBs from around then were using (Muddy Fox and Puegeot were two). They almost fit, but a 1" quill stem doesn't tighten up in steerer tube. On my old MF Courier I used a beercan shim for a time which worked but I had a different attitude to risk back then so probably wouldn't now! 1" BMX threaded stems are available but not common.

This is a 1" BMX headset:

https://alansbmx.com/collections/old-school-headsets/products/tange-mx320-headset

Note 26.4mm bearing race and 32.7mm cup size. That's the giveaway.

 

[chris667]

Now, this one - I am wafting on a bit here, so bear with me.

Generally, there is a lot of credit given to bike designers but it was not a massive leap for a company to make a drop bar MTB back then. Muddy Fox had a drop bar MTB at the same time this came out.

I would want to be sure if I bought this that it wasn't a 26mm bar forced into a 25.4mm stem by a previous owner. I only ever had one drop bar failure, and although I didn't come off it knocked my confidence badly.

 

[Hover Fly]

would want to be sure if I bought this that it wasn't a 26mm bar forced into a 25.4mm stem by a previous owner. I only ever had one drop bar failure, and although I didn't come off it knocked my confidence badly.

Looking at the photo, it looks like the slot in the stem by the clamp bolt is parallel so I reckon bars and stem match.

 

[Drago]

It'd probably fit me. I'd ride it, look after it, keep it standard.

 

[grldtnr]

It'd probably fit me. I'd ride it, look after it, keep it standard.

Your a long tall dollop like me then Drago, but I have no interest in harming my eyesight with that ultra violet paint job .

 

[chris667]

Looking at the photo, it looks like the slot in the stem by the clamp bolt is parallel so I reckon bars and stem match

Can you really tell a 0.6mm difference from a photo? Or that the stem wasn't forced open to get an oversized bar to fit?

You simply can't tell if the stem has been damaged. Especially as it is painted.