1980 Raleigh Record Ace

[goldcoastjon]

Illaveago,

I just received a 1980-ish Carlton-made Raleigh Record Ace (s/n WP "S" 0002075) from a French ebay seller and found this thread in a search for more about them.

What are the dropouts, fork ends, serial number, and BB cable routing details on your bike? Mine may have been made or detailed for the French export market, per Hilary Stone, but I am just starting to learn about these frames. (Mine has Vitus dropouts that I have not yet seen on any other Record Aces of this period. The upper-DT placement of the Reynolds sticker is also unusual for bikes made to be sold in the UK or USA.)

Thanks so much!

Jon

 

[Illaveago]

Illaveago,

I just received a 1980-ish Carlton-made Raleigh Record Ace (s/n WP "S" 0002075) from a French ebay seller and found this thread in a search for more about them.

What are the dropouts, fork ends, serial number, and BB cable routing details on your bike? Mine may have been made or detailed for the French export market, per Hilary Stone, but I am just starting to learn about these frames. (Mine has Vitus dropouts that I have not yet seen on any other Record Aces of this period. The upper-DT placement of the Reynolds sticker is also unusual for bikes made to be sold in the UK or USA.)

Thanks so much!

Jon

Hi Jon. I just spotted your post . It looks nice ! It looks to be a later model from what I have been able to find out on the net . Yours has the nice looking cutouts in the lugs especially around the head tube . Mine has short spear pointed plain lugs with small heart shaped holes cut out .
I will go off and get my thinking head on and get back to you .
The letter S placed at right angles on the frame number rings a bell .

 

[midlife]

The 0 after the WP is 1980, rumour has it the frame builder stamped the S to identify him as the frame builder.

 

[rrarider]

I think you bike looks more like a Road Ace than a Record Ace. The colour scheme doesn't look like the fern green of my 84 RRA and the Road Ace had brazed on lever bosses, not the clamp on ones like mine. I'm surprised that the Reynolds decal doesn't read '531c', as I think Road Aces, and Record Aces, were all built with that tubeset. The catalogue scans on http://www.bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/ , particularly Raleigh83 and Raleigh84 should be of some help. Unfortunately there is no Raleigh80 page.

P.S. Also, the Record Ace has mudguard eyes, yours and the Road Aces shown in the catalogues don't have them.

 

[Illaveago]

I have had a quick look at my frame and found out that there is only a month difference between them but nearly 9000 in number . Mine also has the letter S so possibly built by the same builder .

 

[carpenter]

Lovely frame Jon.

My Competition has similar look, also has the "S" on its side over the serial number (WP2000837).








(My earlier question about the @raleighnut saddle is because I thought it looked very similar to what I have on mine - I think that Rivet must have use that Brooks as a source of inspiration . Just realised - dog in background is fine, just sunbathing)

 

[goldcoastjon]

"...An hour later I popped back in and bought the frame.
When I got home the first thing I did was to give the frame a good clean. The Reynolds transfer had almost been obliterated but discovered that the frame and tubes were 531 with the main triangle being butted tubes. Most of the paintwork was in pretty good condition with a few scratches here and there.... The wheels came straight off my Carlton Clubman. It would help me to do a direct comparison of how they felt. Both frames are identical when placed side by side , both being 23 1/2 inch . The only difference I could find was the mounting of the rear brake bridge, being slightly lower. This has allowed me to fit a pair of Campagnolo which had insufficient drop for 27inch wheels on the Clubman, there's no way I could fit 700's. I had a spare set of bars and brake levers, the cranks and saddle were borrowed again .
My first test ride was only short but I could immediately notice the difference between the two bikes. I have since put some more miles on the bike and find that the ride feels smoother than the Clubman. I am enjoying it and I'm also beginning to get used to the colour, a greenish shade of metallic Murray Mint.

Illaveago -

I bought a small (51cm CTT seat x 54cm CTC top tube) Raleigh Record Ace this spring (May 2020) from a French ebay seller. The s/n is S/N WP 000 2075, with a horizontal "8" stamped above the first two zeroes. The color is white underneath a very lightly-tinted mint-green "clearcoat" or topcoat. The lugs and under-BB cable housing stops on mine match the frame you found as well as some of the details on another Record Ace posted here:
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/v...-you-help.262620/#lg=attachment527864&slide=0

I have not yet built it up and am trying to figure out:
1) how the Raleigh Record Aces in the 1978-1980 years might have been equipped for sale in the French market;
2) whether the s/n indicates a 1978 or a 1980 model year build. (The horizontal "8" above the initial zeroes makes me wonder: is the "8" the model year or is it the initial zero?)

Thanks for any and all assistance in figuring out how I should build up this frame.

Jon Spangler
Alameda, California USA

 

[goldcoastjon]

Thats a lovely bike. Is it an original chainset? I seem to remember a drilled one back in the 80s

@Grant Fondo - I just bought a 1980 or 1978 Raleigh Record Ace ((Carlton Worksop-built, s/n WP 000 2075, with a horizontal "8" above the first two zeroes).
What can you tell me about how these bikes would have been equipped in 1978-1980? Could it have come with a Stronglight 93 or 105 crankset?
What about derailleurs and wheels?

Thanks,

Jon Spangler
Alameda, California USA

 

[Gunk]

@Grant Fondo - I just bought a 1980 or 1978 Raleigh Record Ace ((Carlton Worksop-built, s/n WP 000 2075, with a horizontal "8" above the first two zeroes).
What can you tell me about how these bikes would have been equipped in 1978-1980? Could it have come with a Stronglight 93 or 105 crankset?
What about derailleurs and wheels?

Thanks,

Jon Spangler
Alameda, California USA

I would build it up with a 105 1055 7 speed groupset. they were introduced around 1979.

Wheels I would use 105 1055 hubs on Mavic open pro rims.

 

[raleighnut]

I would build it up with a 105 1055 7 speed groupset. they were introduced around 1979.

Wheels I would use 105 1055 hubs on Mavic open pro rims.

Err 89 I think, they were the best 'Bang for Buck' when I rebuilt my Carlton.

 

[Gunk]

Sorry, I must of been sniffing something. I’m a decade out, I misread the original post.