Info on Raleigh Record Sprint frame

Hi,
I'd been looking for a semi-decent large frame for my first proper fixed gear build (on a tight, research student's budget). Came across an old Raleigh Record Sprint frame, cro-moly with Reynolds 501 tubing, in good condition. Anyone know anything about these, i.e. are they any good?

cheers,
john.

it should be fine. how long are the dropouts?

501 tubing is bottom level tubing, wouldn't pay alot for it!

it will be heavy.
Man....

will be alright for:

"semi-decent large frame...fixed gear build (on a tight, research student's budget)"

though, yes?

could be worse, carbolite!!

yeah, i've got one. it's suprisingly light compared to other low level tubing like carbolite. obviously not 531 but fine for a first build. i've done hundreds of miles on mine.

they have slightly weird dropouts. there was a post on here some time ago and i put up pics of the dropouts. the drive side is essentially a semi-horizontal campag style that is half filled in. so you may need to file it a bit. search my posts and you'll find the pics.

it should be fine. how long are the dropouts?
not that long unfortunately, not enough to get the chain tension right anyway, was planning on getting a half-link for the chain to sort it out.
was aiming for an entry-level frame really, something affordable that would be a step up from the old dawes steel frame that was rescued from a skip for my first single-speed build. certainly seems like an improvement, but i'm pretty new to this stuff.
cheers for the replies.

I had a Record Sprint at the end of the 80s, it was my one any only road bike, don't remember it being a heavy bike at all, and it rode very nicely.
It was black with gold decals. Had concaved rims too?

My first proper road bike was a Holdsworth Avanti, the frame was made of double butted 501, I think it was the first bike Holdsworth made in 501 tubing. It was their entry level bike, so not particularly exotic but I definitely remember that the Avanti fork and frame was lighter than Holsworth's cheapest double butted 531 frame and fork at the time. So a 501 frame while no feather weight won't neccessarily be that heavy.

File the dropouts. Now there's a useful suggestion I hadn't thought of. Will definitely try that, nice one.
what a great forum, loads of useful replies within half an hour of my first post.

there's a black and gold one always parked in marylebone high street. i always thought it looked good for a conversion, nice horizontal top tube and all that jazz.

yep, has served me well for technical stuff.

on the filing, you've got loads to play with but still be careful. little bit at a time, making sure to keep everything in line.

that thread is here: http://www.londonfgss.com/discussion/360/

pics half way down.

dogsballs could be worse, carbolite!!

I lurves the carbolite...

As my time in the NightRide timetrial will attest.

i thought you'd be sick of me mentioning it :p

i've got a peugeot triathlon from the late 80's it's 501 it's not really that heavy...

Mal's 531 Raleigh weighs a frickin' tonne.. wheels and frame and bits all heavy..

Ive got one of these sat in my house for the past 4 months waiting to be built up. One quick question, do they take a regular bottom bracket (nothing fancy or awkward??) I know nothing about bottom brackets and dont wanna get in a pickle buying one. Cheers if anyone knows the answer.

Raleigh are almost all English BBs. There was a French threaded TI road frame on ebay a while ago but not sure how common these are. Sheldon has a whole page on Raleighs with links to a couple more..

i had one as a kid one with aerospace tubing oval down tube i remember the black concave wheels black and gold colour scheme looked the buis and i remember it being pretty light to weinmann bits

yeah, the concave rims are pretty weird. still got mine, hope to rejuvenate them at some point.

some fat kid rod my bike into a wall and bust the front rim, so had to buy a plain black replacement, i was not happy... Gimp!

80 notes buy it now on ebay

raleigh

Do an Ebay search for 'reynolds 531' - there are a few larger-sized frames on there right now, unlikely to cost much. I remember riding 501 and 531 frames back in the day and could really tell the difference