Raleigh Record Sprint - which year?

drdunans
drdunans Posts: 18
edited June 2010 in Road general
I've got an old Raleigh Record Sprint, with Reynolds 501 tubing (not the one with the aero-tubing). It's the usual black and gold, with gold Sugino chainset and handlebars, but black Weinmann calipers and levers.

Curiously it has internal cable routing on the top tube, which I've not seen on any other internet pictures.

Can anyone place the year of the model?

Thanks

Comments

  • MrTapir
    MrTapir Posts: 1,206
    I'm pretty sure Sheldon Brown has one and has a section on his site about it, that might give you the year.
  • pete.whelan
    pete.whelan Posts: 788
    possibly 1985 or a couple of years earlier
    Recipe: shave legs sparingly, rub in embrocation and drizzle with freshly squeezed baby oil.
  • drdunans
    drdunans Posts: 18
    Thanks.

    That Sheldon Brown site is really good - a whole website on retro Raleighs! Not surprisingly, perhaps, it is based around American models, and the Raleigh Record Sprint doesn't even get a mention...!

    Have checked the internet a bit more and still can't find a reference to a RRS with internal cable routing on the tiop tube....

    [/b]
  • bagpusscp
    bagpusscp Posts: 2,907
    I will ceck my catologues ..Back to tomorrow.
    bagpuss
  • andy162
    andy162 Posts: 634
    The serial number should give you a clue. It should start W(Worksop factory) or NM(Nottingham) followed by several numbers.

    The first number is the year of manufacture. Record Sprints are a 80's machine so this number should clear it up...if it's a 4 it's an 84 bike, 5 an 85 & so on.

    Hope this helps a bit.

    Check out www.raleighbikes.com too.
  • ScaldedCat
    ScaldedCat Posts: 111
    1983-6 ish maybe as that was a popular bike with lads at my school.
  • drdunans
    drdunans Posts: 18
    Oh, well - thanks all anyway. That Raleigh site is good - I bet if I really wanted to, someone on there could tell me.

    None of the serial numbers seem to match the standard configurations, so I'll have to satisfy myself with an estimation of mid-late 80's.

    Just in case anyones interested, I put a 105 groupset I had sitting around the garage on it, together with some half decent hand built wheels and it rides very well indeed (I understand doing that might be sacrilage). I also have an alu-carbon Wilier with even nicer stuff on it, and apart from when going 100% or up big hills, there isn't a great deal of performance difference.
  • GarethPJ
    GarethPJ Posts: 295
    Just out of interest, what is the serial number on yours?

    I have a 501 framed Raleigh Elan with internal cable routing that I just got for free. It's got an Shimano Exage gruppo and I'd expect it to be much later than an RRS, but you never know it might be the same frame.
  • seumasl
    seumasl Posts: 100
    I had one but it had Campag Mechs and gear levers, that was 1985, if I could find another in reasonable condition I would love it
    Just hold it there,don\'t move and don\'t drop it, I\'ll be back in a while.(If it\'s safe).
  • drdunans
    drdunans Posts: 18
    The serial umber doesn't conform to the 'rules' mentioned in sheldon brown and the raleigh site. If I remember rightly it's about 4 numbers long - something like 7482... partly obscured by the cable guide.
  • GarethPJ
    GarethPJ Posts: 295
    Have you tried taking off the guide to see if the rest of the number is underneath?

    Actually I've come across several where the paint was so thick that the serial number was partly or completely obscured. One of mine has the format:

    XX9
    999
    999

    The XX9 bit was completely obscured by paint, just showing up as irregularities in the paint. I carefully scraped off the paint to reveal the number and then repainted.

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