Raleigh SBDU Services des Courses 531c Track

As one project build ends, another one begins...
For a very long time I have been in conversation with @lesterama with a view to acquiring this frameset which was too big for him ut about right for me. The lengthy protraction was in no small part due to the fact that he lives right on the south coast which is some way from Derbados.
Anyway an opportunity arose this week to meet up with him on my way to the Tunnel and what a delightful pleasure it was. Without going too much off topic, if you are into steel road and track he has one of the best collections of bikes and parts I've ever seen and he's a great bloke too.
So deal done the frameset is now on its hollybobs with me in France. It's a sort of grail bike project and I can now get great VFM contemplating the build before it commences in Autumn...pics to follow.

Great to meet you too, @EcuriePeril. I'm glad it's gone to someone who fits it better and who has that local connection to the SBDU. Looking forward to seeing the build, and hopefully pics of it at Derby in due course.

Nice, you finally got it. I've seen the frame in lesterama's thread and always enjoy a build around a good frame. Be sure to take holiday pics lol.

subbed. or is it sbdud. in any case will enjoy seeing this one come together

Will it be a period correct build ?

Thanks everyone.

With regard to your period build question @kjlem then the answer is pretty much. I say that because the crank is likely to be a new(ish) Dura Ace 7710 track crank so I then have interchangeability on the Mercian, Merckx and the Raleigh. TBH they are a fairly traditional looking track crank in any case.

Wheels will be the Dura Ace hubbed Open Pro's that I swapped out from the TokyoFixed although there will be the opption for the Suzue Promax with Campag Seoul 88 tubs from time to time.

Headset would have been Campagnolo. This willl in all likelihood now be a new Tange Seiki Levin CDS with a very similar stack height. I can't get overly excited about headsets, they aren't a part of the locomotion.

Initially I have a set of Cinelli 65 crit bars and stem to ue although I would like a pair of Nitto 125 bars. I've got these on the Mercia and they feel good. I have a Nitto Pearl stem ready.

A friend has a turbo saddle which I will try out although a San Marco Regal Girardi non slip would be my preference

Now I'm back home it is time to start putting this bike together. Frame paint is ok for the age of the bike but there are some chips.bi think I'll certainly patch the paint on the underside of the bottom bracket

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Headset will now be a Campagnolo Record thanks to @marxist_vulcan. Bars will be the Cinelli criterium 65-42 shown with Cinelli stem

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Seat and seatpost are period Kalin fluted post and gel turbo saddle

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Looking good…love the frame…can’t go wrong with SBDU…bit of history!

As mentioned above the crank will eventually be a Dura Ace 7710. However, in order to get the bike up and running I will be using a Stronglight 2000 in the interim.
The sooner I sell some stuff the sooner the Dura Ace is acquired. Watch out for my track sales thread shortly

The above mentioned crank complete with ex Harry Tanfield 52t sugino 75 chainring and a KMC X101 chain

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Thanks Nye. It was built in Ilkeston which is a handful of miles away from where I live in Belper. So alongside the Mercian it will be two local track bikes

So what is the old SBDU factory site in Ilkeston now used for?

No idea, it was prior to Raleigh special bikes a Rolls Royce site. I'll see if I can find out

Wheels will be the Dura Ace/Mavic open pro's that were previously fitted to the Tokyo Fixed with Vittoria Pista Control tyres

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Appreciate that.

Lovely set of wheels....To be used on the track or on the road?

Track only for this bike, I'm going to run 52x15 which will give just under 93 inches

Crikey…93 inches!

Sounds big but not by what a lot are riding on the track.bMost appear to be 96 plus. I started on 84 and went up incrementally. The Mercian is just under 96 but 93 feels sweeter

30 years ago I would race on 88". Now it would be 92-96". And sadly, I'm no faster now.

I haven't got the aerobic capacity to twiddle the cranks fast enough to keep up below 90.

Sprint or pursuit? I could do 93” but not for long! I used to use 72” on my fixed gear bikes for flat terrain and drop to 68” for hillier terrain…but those days are gone…long gone…10s freewheel now with a triple chainset! 😹

Yes to 72" fixed, 68" single free. But 3x8 here on the 1991 Yates Condor, first-gen Campag Ergos still going strong

General endurance riding really. All the sprinters are pushing well over 100" now. Also a friend who is looking to medal in the 65years plus pursuit at the next Masters champs is looking to be on 104-108" gearing by then!