Older Raleigh Record Bike

[SandyLS]

Does anyone know anything about a Raleigh Record from about 10 or so years ago? I picked up the old 10 speed at a garage sale yesterday mainly because it was $15.00 and I was so excited to find a bike at a garage sale that was something other than a Huffy! The bike is grey and silver, is in really good shape but weighs a ton. I know it is American made with suntour components. The research I've done says that the Record was an entry level road bike. It is the traditional sloped woman's style. It sure is a pretty thing with a beautiful head badge and decrative lugs. I'll post a picture when I get it home next week. I'm thinking it might work as a first road bike for my 14 year old grand daughter. My garage sure doesn't need another bike. Hubby has two recumbents in there, I have an old department store bike, my Trek Mt. bike and my Bianchi road bike.We just finished giving away all of the old kid bikes we kept here for the grandkids now that they are all teens!
Remind me not to stop to look at anymore yard sales! Be just my luck I'll run across a deal on a full carbon something that I can't live without to add to my growing collection.(Wouldn't that be nice though!)

[mimitabby]

for 15 bucks it sounds like a good deal to me!
Raleighs are good bikes.

[Popoki_Nui]

Is it a lugged steel frame? "Entry level" or not, it should be a study reliable ride for many years. FWIW, SunTour components were generally excellent; most of their lineup (even the low end stuff) shifted better, weighed less, and looked better than Shimano, and sometimes Campagnolo, too.
If your Raleigh is in reasonable shape, I'd say it's a keeper.

~Sherry.

[DebW]

I worked on and sold Raleigh Records in 1973-1976. Assuming the product line didn't change since then, it was their lowest priced 10-speed road bike. Sold for $99 in 1973 if I remember correctly. The next model up, the Grand Prix, sold for $125. The Record had a lugged frame, I think the derailleurs were Huret in the 70's, but makes sense that they were upgraded to Suntour in the 80s. I'd be surprised if Raleighs were ever made in America - this was the primo English brand. The Raleigh Record I knew came with steel handlebars, stem, seat post, rims, bolt on steel hubs, cottered steel crankset. It probably weighed around 35 lb. I'd be interested to see pictures or a parts list on your bike.

[SandyLS]

Thanks for your input on this old Raleigh. I brought her home and got her cleaned up a bit. DebW is right, she was not made in the U.S. A little sticker hidden away on her says, something like "designed and enginered in America, manufactured in Tiwan." (My 2005 Bianchi was also made in Tiwan despite the Italian markings on her). The head badge says "Raleigh an American bicycle company". Still she is a classy old gal. I think my grand daughter will get $15.00 worth of use out of her. Heck, I would have been temped to pay that much just for that pretty head badge! Pictures can be seen here.
http://pictures.aol.com/ap/myAlbums.do[IMG]pictures.aol.com/ap/myAlbums.do[/IMG]

How can I post pictures directly on TE without going through a web link? Copy and paste doesn't seen to work. How do the rest of you get those beautiful pictures of your bikes on with your posts?

[mimitabby]

Sandy,
mine are actually on my own website and i put a link on it to here.
can you see right above the posting window the little yellowbox with the mountain in it? click on that.

[Popoki_Nui]

When I click on the link to see your Raleigh, it tales me to some sign-in page and not to your photos. I'd love to see her.
If you want to post pics here, click on Reply, and look for the paper clip icon at the top of the reply window. Click on that and then you can Browse your computer files for the photo you'd like to upload, then click Upload. This pic should appear in your reply. Type in any text you might wish to include in your reply. Does this help, or have you already tried it?

~Sherry.

[SandyLS]

Thanks, Sherry, for the tip on how to post these.

[xeney]

Ooh, pretty!

[DebW]

Thanks for the pictures. What brand are the brakes and crankset?

[SandyLS]

Deb, I don't really know. The crank arms have 'Raleigh' stamped on them. I could find nothing on the brakes except for a nut at the center pull part of the
brakes (the part where the right and left brakes are held together at the center down by the wheels) have a nut on them that also says Raleigh.

[Python]

Very, very nice. Raleigh's are good bikes, most of them being very well made.

What a cracking find

[Popoki_Nui]

Love the pantographed (engraved) fork crown and seat stays! She's a keeper.