Raleigh Pro Race

[mikeymustard]

The garage is filling up (well, full actually!) and here's the newest addition to the clan. It's been owned from new by the chap I bought it off; he said his dad drove him to Hereford to pick it up and he rode it the 30 odd miles back to Gloucester.

 

[biggs682]

@mikeymustard the old Pro Races are nice , you must have as many as me know

watch out for @JoeyB as he has one as well

 

[JoeyB]

I do indeed. I have a thread on here somewhere detailing my single speed conversion.

 

[mikeymustard]

I do indeed. I have a thread on here somewhere detailing my single speed conversion.

I'm becoming a bit of a fan of these late eighties 501 frames, I've only just sold my Sirocco and an Elan (the Elan frame is identical to the pro race - as was the later record sprint frame), and I've got another Elan frame to be built.
I'm not so keen on the variety of different coloured components, from white stem through grey chainset all the way to black brakes and levers. I've decided these are definitely going onto the Elan frame and the Pro Race is going to get the rsx group, which includes brake shifters; I think it should make a worthy upgrade

 

[biggs682]

I'm becoming a bit of a fan of these late eighties 501 frames, I've only just sold my Sirocco and an Elan (the Elan frame is identical to the pro race - as was the later record sprint frame), and I've got another Elan frame to be built.
I'm not so keen on the variety of different coloured components, from white stem through grey chainset all the way to black brakes and levers. I've decided these are definitely going onto the Elan frame and the Pro Race is going to get the rsx group, which includes brake shifters; I think it should make a worthy upgrade

some of the late 80's framesets are full 501 are worth looking out for

 

[mikeymustard]

I never knew that, I thought all 501s were main tubes only, do you know which ones?

 

[mikeymustard]

Spent a sunny couple of hours fettling yesterday: started building up the elan frame which is going to have the mechanicals from the Pro race donated to it, and I also had a go at the mark on the top tube of the Pro Race.

underneath the dodgy paint repair was a nasty scratch all the way to metal.
I put on a couple of coats of the white that came with my modern Genesis, but it looks a bit too white!

I don't really know what to do now, it's in a very obvious spot so I don't think I can just leave it; my daughter, who's quite good with paint effects suggested sponging some of the [faded] orangey colour over it, or do I just remove it and start again?
Another option I thought I might try was this stuff: Spray.bike paint.
Has anyone tried this before? I was thinking of maybe a quick spray over the whole of the orange bit, the catalogue shows it was much brighter originally

 

[biggs682]

I never knew that, I thought all 501s were main tubes only, do you know which ones?

The Reynolds label won't say main tubes or butted frame but from memory says main tubes, fork blades and rear stays . Sure some of the Scirroco's were amongst other ones

 

[mikeymustard]

The Reynolds label won't say main tubes or butted frame but from memory says main tubes, fork blades and rear stays . Sure some of the Scirroco's were amongst other ones

Ah right, I've seen 501 fork stickers but never actually on a bike! I was sure I read somewhere they didn't use 501 on stays but I could have that wrong. The Sirocco I had, from '87 didn't - maybe the earlier solid coloured ones did?

 

[Illaveago]

I think my Raleigh Criterium 12 is 501 throughout.

Colours come with a variety of other colours in them. I can still remember the colours that went into the old Ford Ermine white. White, ochre, red oxide, and blue/ black. It looks as though you need a colour that is a mixture of what you have put on and what the previous person used.
The trouble is that the touch up is leaving a hard edge, if it was faded in it might not be so noticeable, but you also have the orange fading the opposite way.
If you could get the correct or very close match to the orange a small amount could be dusted over with an airbrush. If it went wrong you should be able to immediately wash off the paint with cellulose thinners. It would be best to check first, perhaps a quick dab somewhere not so noticeable with thinners to see if the paint softens of comes off on to your rag.

 

[biggs682]

Yes I think criterium's were and i think triathlons might have been as well

 

[Illaveago]

The Raleigh Criterium Triathlon 12 is made from Reynolds501 butted frame tubes and has Reynolds501 stickers on the chain stays.

 

[mikeymustard]

Had a play today with some spray.bike fluro orange on the Pro Race then had a go at signwriting the logo.
The spray paint is supposed to be easy to use; I guess it might be easier than a normal rattle can but I'm not convinced, but then I'm no paint expert!

It's a matt finish, and then you need a lacquer for a gloss.

Doesn't look quite so good close up, but first attempt, and freehand and all that. It's only acrylic, I was getting a bit shaky at the end, drew a much better "e" but then smudged it!

 

[biggs682]

@mikeymustard the bike is 20 + yrs old its not meant to be perfect so dont panic

looks good in pics either way

 

[Daddybus]

Looks great...You must have a really steady hand to do that!