Retro Raleigh

This project is inspired by the modern groupset on old frame post. It is likely to take a month or two to complete so bear with me.

I have a Raleigh Kellogg's Pro which I really like but it is slightly too long in the top tube for me so I started looking for a better sized frame. I was initially looking for a vintage frame but was having no luck and then I saw the frame for me on ebay. It took a little while for me to pull the trigger as my funds always seemed to be committed on other things.

It arrives!:

1 Attachment

Unboxing complete

1 Attachment

A Ti Team Raleigh replica in Reynolds 525 so nothing exotic but it does seem to be quite light so I am hoping the final build will be no more than 10kg.

I have a few bits already, but I am not 100% sure which groupset to get. The frame came with a campag record headset but this does not match a Dura Ace 7410 seat post I have and I could not find a campag seat post in silver that I liked so Shimano it is.

I have got a Dura Ace 7410 NJS headset on the way courtesy of tomsvoboda (thanks Tom) so the campag will be swapped out next week. https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/331317/#comment14683223

I also managed to find a nice Raleigh branded stem at a local bike shop and with a bit of elbow grease it has shined up nicely.

1 Attachment

This stem is a little short so I am on the look out for a 90 or 100mm version. there are a couple on ebay at the moment but I am holding fire until the decision on which bars is made.

Is a retro groupset you after or are you doing a neo retro build

No it will be a modern groupset on a retro style frame - I am almost sure it will be 105 r7000 black but if I found a nice campag seat post I could go with potenza in silver, but that adds to the total budget. I think r7000 gives the best vfm and black will suit the frame.

Yes to neo retro

love these old raleighs

new headset installed

1 Attachment

Beautiful...I have a Lemond Alp D'uez made from 525 and it's butttery smooth. 525 is lovely So comfortable. I've got 105 on it and it weighs about 23lbs.

Thank you. I have just bought a bike that came with a set of campag hyperon wheels with new tubs and am deciding whether to keep the campag record groupset and put this on the Raleigh. The chainset is 53/39 and is clamp on fd where I need a braze on and lower gearing. If I can get a good price for the groupset I might reconsider 105 r7000 and go with campag potenza in silver. I will have to change the headset back out though!

Not sure of the weight as yet but frameset and wheelset feels very light. weight was not my priority but I won't complain if it does end up being light:)

Look on internet for' Sunrace R80 compact crankset'-looks the part and is going for 43.00 new...

Have managed to score a wheelset - campagnolo hyperon tubulars hardly used no sign of brake pad wear spinning smoothly and true. Very pleased. Came with two tubulars and a brand new spare. Not used tubulars before so I am hoping it will be a good experience. I have a clincher wheelset if I don't get on with them.

Wheels are very light and I pleased to have snagged them at a ridiculously low price.

Next step is to decide on groupset. I was thinking shimano 105 r7000 initially but have seen sram red etap 11 speed at £949 with another £2/300 quid for force chainset, brakes, cassettes and a chain. The additional cost would set the build back by a few months but it would be great to go electronic on a vintage style frame. Is etap worth the additional monies? I could go with 105 and switch it over to my second bike a few months down the line but 11 speed etap may no longer be available then. Any opinions from etap users?

1 Attachment

Bit of a delay since last update.

I have bought a donor bike with SRAM Etap 11 speed! Hopefully once I have sold the frame and / or wheels and the a few other finishing kit bits like bars and saddle etc, I will have got the groupset for cheeps:). The bike has been very lightly used and is in very good nearly new condition. The rear derailleur is a medium cage and was only recently installed for a proposed trip to Mount Ventoux which got cancelled so is only about 4 months old and little or no use.

I still need to find a shimano freehub body for the campag hyperon ultra wheels - anybody have need of a campag freehub body and want to trade for a 11 speed shimano one?

The only problem is that I think the crankset spindle is for a BB30 / PF30 bottom bracket shell and may not fit the english BSA shell on my frame. SRAM did a number of options but the donor bike is a Boardman SLR signature so it is likely to be BB30. I do not have the right tools to remove and find out so my LBS are removing it and they think there may be an adapter with larger outboard cups to accommodate the larger spindle and the bearings. I will find out on friday so fingers crossed. If I can use the crankset and I can get the adapter same day, I will try and complete the build this saturday.

Wheels that came on the bike are Mavic Cosmics which look really good but the noise from the hub when in freewheel is bound to grate on me if I decide to keep them.

I am going with foam grips for the handlebars if I can make it work with the shifters but longer term I want to do have leather wrap with contrast colour lacing

Hopefully next update on friday and build pictures on Monday!

3 Attachments

A little bit of progress!

Could not use the SRAM red crank as the spindle too short so have bought a Rival semi compact with a view to upgrading if I get on with it. Unfortunately as I also went with 11-32 at the back the chain is just too short, so I am awaiting a new chain.

Tried to fit the foam grips but found it impossible to seat brake outer in the lever with the cable running under the foam. I think it should be a lot easier if I can run the cable through the bars once I find suitable grommets. I have ordered Ragley internal cable guides to see if they might work. Going to go with black bar tape temporarily so I can get out and ride it and fine tune the fit.

The SRAM red brakes are a pain to fit as the cable length seems to be crucial to within millimetres or so it seems and it took a while. My cutters are not great so any suggestions for quality cable housing cutters would be much appreciated. The Jagwire housing cutters seem to have good reviews - any thoughts?

Now finished and rideable!

Went for the maiden ride on Sunday and very pleased with it. I have a set of campagnolo hyperons and Rolf Prima's (which I think look better than the mavics but I need to have freehub conversions on both before I can use them)

Seat post binder that came with the frame bottomed out so I had to replace with a Raleigh one which I had in the spares box and it is a little tatty so will need to be replaced at some point.

I am also not sure that the 3T bottle cages will stay and I am thinking vintage style ones either in aluminium or perhaps anodized red / black.

I have taped the bars (badly, I know:) ) until I have finalised bar, stem and shifter positions. I intend to run the brake cables internally and put either foam grips or perhaps leather sew up wrap on in due course.

5 Attachments

The quality of the paint job on the frame is not the greatest as the paint does seem to chip very easily but there is not a lot I can do about that.

5 Attachments

more pics

3 Attachments

Love this. Lose the Brooks (+ some tidying up/fettling) and that is spot-on.

I have never tried a Brooks so I thought I would give this a go and managed to a copper rivet and rails one fairly cheap. It has hardly been used and is not broken in. I found it quite comfortable first ride and better than the charge spoon I am used to. The brooks are supposed to get better with use so it augurs well. The Brooks is staying for the time being:)

This looks great, but to my mind will looks a hundred times better with the wheelset you initially photo'd up-thread, those mavic decals are far too much for me - hope we get to see it in that configuration!

Those are the camp at hyperon tubular and I think they look good as well. Unfortunately they need a shimano/sram freehub and having licked up a couple of parking tickets and the power steering pipe on my car cracked that will have to wait a month or two. Unless someone has a correct freehub to trade?