Top end vintage off-the-peg Raleigh tourers - Classic versus Randonneur...

[Hover Fly]

Tip: If you want to restore it nearer to the original condition, I wouldn’t bother with the Sugino PX, they were as flexible as cardboard in the chain wheels and cost “having a laugh“ prices. Go for one of the Sugino ATB chainset of the era.

 

[Methersgate]

Tip: If you want to restore it nearer to the original condition, I wouldn’t bother with the Sugino PX, they were as flexible as cardboard in the chain wheels and cost “having a laugh“ prices. Go for one of the Sugino ATB chainset of the era.

Thank you. That’s very useful.

I haven’t decided whether I like the chainset yet. The chain line seems quite good. I definitely like the non-period brakes, and it’s quite possible that I will want to change the saddle back to a B17 but change the bars to include bar top brake levers.

 

[biggs682]

Not a lot to say at moment it's in my watch pile and just waiting till end of next month when I get chance to view it

Someone beat me to it 😔

Never mind might be going to see this tonight

https://www.facebook.com/share/177mJ2P5e6/

 

[Methersgate]

Someone beat me to it 😔

Never mind might be going to see this tonight

https://www.facebook.com/share/177mJ2P5e6/

I think you need to rescue that from a Fate Worse Than Death, such as falling into the hands of someone who doesn’t know what it is. Good luck!

 

[biggs682]

I think you need to rescue that from a Fate Worse Than Death, such as falling into the hands of someone who doesn’t know what it is. Good luck!

Trouble is there's so many nice bikes out there at cheap prices this will need to be a good price

 

[wakemalcolm]

Someone beat me to it 😔

Never mind might be going to see this tonight

https://www.facebook.com/share/177mJ2P5e6/

That's been used heavily as a winter commuter: check for holes in the seat tubes (unless it's 531 Solid Tubing).

 

[biggs682]

I think you need to rescue that from a Fate Worse Than Death, such as falling into the hands of someone who doesn’t know what it is. Good luck!

Had a message from seller tonight just before due to go and view it saying that someone else had offered £200 unseen for the bike, so I wasn't thinking about paying anywhere near that amount so I cancelled the viewing

 

[Methersgate]

The Classic has acquired a Brooks Flyer; I think it suits it better and it certainly suits me better!

 

[biggs682]

Someone beat me to it 😔

Never mind might be going to see this tonight

https://www.facebook.com/share/177mJ2P5e6/

This has popped back up for sale again so I don't know if it sold or not

 

[Methersgate]

This has popped back up for sale again so I don't know if it sold or not

It looks quite promising. The Mills dynamo is a charming period touch!

 

[Methersgate]

The Classic is getting a pair of shiny black Bluemels mud guards, and in a fit of extravagance a Carradice zipped roll saddle bag.

The question of the moment is “do I fit the Blackburn racks that it had when new or do I go with something more modern?

Since the Randonneur is almost entirely original apart from the chain rings, and the Classic is generally modernised, I’m tempted to go for a more modern rack on the Classic.

What does the panel advise?

 

[Hover Fly]

Just had a quick look, the original Blackburns are still made, which says a lot about their quality and I didn’t see anything obviously better, unless you are carrying a very light load. The

 

[Methersgate]

Just had a quick look, the original Blackburns are still made, which says a lot about their quality and I didn’t see anything obviously better, unless you are carrying a very light load. The

Thank you very much!

Blackburns here we come!

 

[Methersgate]

Next question in my endless stream of Raleigh Classic questions…

This bike has been modernised to some extent in the chainwheel, cassette and derailleur department, and has Tektro 59 brakes, but to a non-connoisseur of Ancient British steel frame bikes she still looks “in keeping”.

I use this bike for shopping and a little gentle commuting, and “the nights are drawing in”… is there a modern, powerful, lighting set that would not look out of place on it?

I can find somewhere to put a battery in the panniers or in the saddlebag or conceivably in the bottle carrier…

Edited to add - I am really out of my depth, here! I love the idea of a battery that I can take off the bike to recharge.

 

[Methersgate]

As the years have dragged by I've increasingly seen the appeal of older, nicely-made stuff, over arguably technically-superior modern offerings.

As such going slowly on a really nice vintage tourer appeals far more than smashing it on a modern plastic racer, and I've long-ago accepted that were the right bike to come up at the right place not-too-far-away then I'd turn a blind eye to the bike embargo.

A Raleigh Randonneur has always been top of the tree; ideally a 3x7sp 531 model in the classic two-tone gunmetal grey with white head tube (1987-1990?). I've always had a soft spot for the earlier Raleigh Classic however (1984-85?); which I believe was the fore-runner to the Randonneur as Nottingham's touring top-dog.

I think the burgundy / silver Classic just edges the Randonneur on aesthetic grounds; espcially with its lovely chromed forks and chainstays. Practically the Randonneur's 3x6 (or later 3x7) gearing trumps the 3x5 of the Classic. Not sure how the centre-pull Weinmann calipers of the Classic compare to the Shimano cantis on the Randonneur.

The Classic just pre-dates Shimano's rise to dominance in the components market; with the aforementioned Weinmann calipers, that gorgeous six-spoke Sakae crankset and other bits from Huret and Suntour. The Randonneur on the other hand has mostly Shimano running gear, complete with the ill-fated Biopace elliptical crankset that was all the rage for about 10 minutes when the bike was available.

Perhaps the biggest turn-off for the Classic is its archaic 27x1/8" rims versus the much-better-catered for 700C on the Randonneur.

Both have Brookes saddles (which look the part, although I don't particularly get on with them), while the Randonneur has proper brown bar tape and the Classic that horrible '80s black pipe lagging; although given the years elapsed both have probably crumbled and been replaced numerous times on surviving examples.

Which do you prefer and why?

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I couldn’t decide. So now I have both. 😉

The Randonneur is almost completely original and I plan to use it as a “proper tourer”. The Classic was nicely updated when I bought it a few years ago and I’ve continued that, it’s my “everyday bike”.