Can anyone identify this Raleigh?

JPKotimaa

This is my very first post to bikeradar, so please educate me if this is unwanted topic in these whereabouts.

Since moving to Netherlands (from Finland) I have absolutely fallen in love with casual biking. Unfortunately I have an odd tendency to destroy anything I ride, so I have also ample opportunity to test new bike every now and then. I suppose the combination of lack of maintenance skills, rather hefty body, and storage of the bike on the street 24/7/365d due to living arrangements are the main contributing factors. In any case I am completely hooked into bicycles, in the extent that me and my significant other are currently building custom Bob Jacksons for Rando/Audax purposes. But as those are not for everyday uses (groceries etc) I always need a casual bike.

A few months back my wife needed a replacement bike and a local bikeshop had a "n"th-hand petite ladie's Raleigh that she took home. After seeing how much my wife loves her 1983 green raleigh (based on the Sturmey 3-speed) I got horribly envious and looked through our local ebay (marktplaats.nl) for a similar find.

After a short search I found a men's Raleigh "Royale" and decided to act quickly because of the ok(ish) condition, decent price and ok size. I got it with 90€, and I was pleasantly surprised as it seems most parts are originals and don't feel of the low-end variety. The owner was clearly attached to the bike and had had it for a long time but could not take it with him due to relocation. I did vouch to keep it in good shape, and why not? It is a pretty bike after all.

The thing is, I cannot find the model "Royale" anywhere, nor the frame serial "K* 26642" located on the seat post,where the star may be a capital "I", "L", "F or anything with a "I" like letter. The bottom bracket nor any othe rpart does not seem to have any markings. Based on the remnants of the Seat tube decal, the frame is Reynolds 2030 High tensile. The bike has Sturmey Archer 3 speed with code "71 6" suggesting that the bike may have been built around the first part of seventies as the Archie is from 1971. The top tube has brazed on holders for bicycle pump, I forgot to check other braze-ons. The bike has been originally sold by a bikeshop in Rotterdam based on the back fender sticker, maybe some Dutch-only series? Any other details I could give out?

I hope the pictures might be of use:


1) Overall

2) Front view

3) Handlebar and Sturmey Archer Shifter

4) SA shifter cable router and seat post

5) Chaincase (metal if anyone is interested)

6) seat tube decals (the frame type decal was badly deteriorated, I figured that it had yellow background and 30, suggesting the 2030 Raleigh frame)

7) Down tube decals (The "royal" is also on the fork lugs)



I would appreciate if anyone could tell me more about the bike. I am not interested about its "monetary worth", I appreciate it's age, wonderful feel on the road and usefulness.

-J

tangled_metal

No idea but I know a little bike shop called Dynatech near Lancaster UK that has a little bike museum specializing in Raleigh. I'm sure they have a Raleigh Royale bike. They've got some interesting bikes there including a gold coloured Raleigh that went b to 100 selected main retailers or retailers that have served Raleigh well for some time. The bike shop owner got given it in commemoration of Raleigh's centenary.
If you Google them and contact them, they might recognise it.

JPKotimaa

Thanks for the tip Tangled Metal!

If no one else can help, I will try to find the email of the shop and ask if they could help.

Best

-J

owenlars

Have a look at this web site they have catalogues going back years plus a registry of bike numbers
http://www.kurtkaminer.com/bikecollection.html

owenlars

Have a look at these web sites they have catalogues going back years plus a registry of numbers. The second link shows format details for Raleigh frame numbers. Aplogies if you already have this stuff

http://www.kurtkaminer.com/bikecollection.html

http://www.bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalo ... umbers.jpg

crescent

Can't help with identifying the bike I'm afraid but I got a real pang of nostalgia seeing that little "R" on the seat clamp bolt - took me right back to my Raleigh Arena circa 1981

JPKotimaa

owenlars wrote:

Have a look at these web sites they have catalogues going back years plus a registry of numbers. The second link shows format details for Raleigh frame numbers. Aplogies if you already have this stuff

Thanks for the suggestions! I have indeed looked through Kurt Kaminer's site but the other one I had not seen yet. KK gave me a few ideas on where to look additional markings. The "serial" as it is now, is in the wrong place if the official convention is to be trusted. Here in the Netherlands the side of the seat tube may have markings for anti-theft purposes as well.

Crescent wrote:

Can't help with identifying the bike I'm afraid but I got a real pang of nostalgia seeing that little "R" on the seat clamp bolt - took me right back to my Raleigh Arena circa 1981

Thanks anyways! I was surprised to find the special bolts which are also in the cranks. It´s a bit baffling as none of the previous Raleighs I have seen here on the road have them:) I have seen similar setup for sale but all of them were "Sports" and had a steering lock in the front fork. Search goes on:)

xixang

Tangled Metal wrote:

No idea but I know a little bike shop called Dynatech near Lancaster UK that has a little bike museum specializing in Raleigh. I'm sure they have a Raleigh Royale bike. They've got some interesting bikes there including a gold coloured Raleigh that went b to 100 selected main retailers or retailers that have served Raleigh well for some time. The bike shop owner got given it in commemoration of Raleigh's centenary.
If you Google them and contact them, they might recognise it.

where in Lancaster is the shop? I've googled it but not found anything and being local may pay them a visit one weekend

rolf_f

Tangled Metal wrote:

No idea but I know a little bike shop called Dynatech near Lancaster UK that has a little bike museum specializing in Raleigh. I'm sure they have a Raleigh Royale bike.

The Royale in UK has usually been a touring bike (name has been used as such for many years) so any Royale here is unlikely to be the same thing at all to the OPs.

Escher303

xixang wrote:

where in Lancaster is the shop? I've googled it but not found anything and being local may pay them a visit one weekend

It's called Dyno Start not Dynotech and it's in Carnforth not Lancaster http://dynostart.com/museum/.

JPKotimaa

Rolf F wrote:

The Royale in UK has usually been a touring bike (name has been used as such for many years) so any Royale here is unlikely to be the same thing at all to the OPs.

What I have figured so far is that Royale usually points toward women's mixte tour bike and Royal to the men's version. My ride is definitely not the tour model.

I have seen four or five Men's Royales with the identical decals in the top tube and forks. They also have had the less-ordinary placement of the pump peg-braze ons below the top tube. However all of these have been either built or converted into 5-10 speeds with derailleurs. My bike seems to have all original setup down to the handlebar grips, bell and lamp, which I have not seen in any 1970s catalog or over the interwebs.

What is strange is that the frame serial is either missing or is in atypical position (side of seat tube instead of behind or at the seat post), which based on Kurt Kaminer's site should not be the place to look for.

-J