Identify an old Raleigh

Donie75

Hi,
I've come across an old Raleigh racer/tourer for sale. It looks in decent condition except for a poor paint job. The woman selling it hasn't a clue about the size or model and it's 60 miles away from me. Has anyone any idea what it might be. I'm looking for a bike to do a respray and single speed conversion on for messing about on.

A few disinguishing marks are the full chrome forks with lamp bracket.
QR front wheel
It looks like it was a ten speed but the crankset was replaced.
The pump bosses appear to be on the down tube.

Here's the link to the ad. http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/bicycles/3970061
Can anyone identify this bike? Does it look big enough for someone 5 foot 11?

Thanks.

ugo.santalucia

I think it will be ok for your size, it's a very long frame (assuming the wheels are 700c). With these old bikes there is always something that doesn't quite fit modern parts, so you have to be inventive at times and use unconventional tools (a drill, a file... ) if it has 120 mm rear dropouts, you luck out, otherwise you can always cold set them to 120. It certainly appears to be well kept.
Occasionally the front dropouts are 90 mm instead of 100, so even there you might have to be inventive.

A note: this is a touring frame, it won't be stiff, it won't be light... frame and fork will easily exceed 3.5 Kg and compliance is the strength, rather than stiffness... as a single speed will be OK, but as a fixie/track bike will be a bit dead and unresponsive

Donie75

Thanks for your help. It looks perfect for what I want and a heavily built frame may suite me better because I'm a big guy.
I wonder if its an old Raleigh Record Ace. It looks a little bit like a few I saw when I googled.