Raleigh Record Ace
- Thread starter philtalksbx
- Start date
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- raleigh
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Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
The Suntour Power Shifters were just about the best non-indexed downtube shifters on the market. I like indexed shifters, but only really need them for those closely spaced 9 or 10 speed cassettes.
12boy
Guru
- Location
- Casper WY USA
When I've rattlecanned things I put them in my van in the summer sun if I can...gets to be 66C and works like a paint oven. I like friction shifters as they are light and pretty much bomb proof. I prefer stem or bar end shifters to downtube, but those Suntours do look mighty fine on there.
OP
OP
philtalksbx
Über Member
- Location
- Oxford
When you are in the mood, wonderful things can happen. Only brakes and bar tape to finish it off and be ready for the first shake-down ride. They should all appear in the next few days if I'm lucky.
To regather the spec....
It's a Raleigh Record Ace frame from 1983, it's a big one but not sure how Raleigh measured their frames at that time. By my measure from BB centre to top tube centre is 24 inches/ 61cm. Raleigh catalogues of the time show 23.5in or 25in - take your pick.
Paint is Ford Diamond White and decals from H Lloyd. The paint should have hardened properly by Christmas!
Mavic Aksium wheels with nine speed 11-30 cassette
Dura-Ace 7700 rear mech
Suntour Power Shifters (friction!!!!)
Campagnolo Veloce triple crankset 52-42-30
Tiagra band-on front mech
Shimano A530 SPD pedals
Charge Spoon saddle
3TTT bars and stem
Tektro R559 brakes (just arrived).
I think I'll find some old levers and cables as a temporary until the new ones get here and duffle around the block for the first shakedown. Cheerio....
To regather the spec....
It's a Raleigh Record Ace frame from 1983, it's a big one but not sure how Raleigh measured their frames at that time. By my measure from BB centre to top tube centre is 24 inches/ 61cm. Raleigh catalogues of the time show 23.5in or 25in - take your pick.
Paint is Ford Diamond White and decals from H Lloyd. The paint should have hardened properly by Christmas!
Mavic Aksium wheels with nine speed 11-30 cassette
Dura-Ace 7700 rear mech
Suntour Power Shifters (friction!!!!)
Campagnolo Veloce triple crankset 52-42-30
Tiagra band-on front mech
Shimano A530 SPD pedals
Charge Spoon saddle
3TTT bars and stem
Tektro R559 brakes (just arrived).
I think I'll find some old levers and cables as a temporary until the new ones get here and duffle around the block for the first shakedown. Cheerio....
Foghat
Freight-train-groove-rider
My first thought was the enormous apparent size of the frame must make it a 25", as I'd owned a 23.5" 1983 Record Ace frame and don't recall it being particularly huge (although all my subsequent custom-built frames were definitely smaller).
However, scrutinising some images around the web, it seems yours is a 23.5", and I must have been riding around on the cycling equivalent of a farm gate too. Anyone owning a 25" must have played basketball professionally.....
matticus
Guru
Sick.
OP
OP
philtalksbx
Über Member
- Location
- Oxford
Finally got round to fitting the brakes and some bar tape.
Very happy so far, rides very nicely so now it's down to the detailing and fine tuning.
I need to find a suitable bottle cage and may look out for a slightly shorter stem. It's a big frame and the reach is just at that almost comfortable but not quite place. It came with the bars and is quite long so back to the parts bin and failing that, eBay. I always think these builds never really end, they just go into a phase of slower evolution and improvement.
Very happy so far, rides very nicely so now it's down to the detailing and fine tuning.
I need to find a suitable bottle cage and may look out for a slightly shorter stem. It's a big frame and the reach is just at that almost comfortable but not quite place. It came with the bars and is quite long so back to the parts bin and failing that, eBay. I always think these builds never really end, they just go into a phase of slower evolution and improvement.
MntnMan62
Über Member
- Location
- Northern NJ
Gorgeous!
That looks grand - nice work
Re. the brakes, could you get some drop-blocks made up that bolt through the original mounting holes and provide a hole at an appropriate height directly beneath? Could machine them out of the solid to retain some stiffness with a CSK head bolt on the outside to keep the profile low..
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OP
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philtalksbx
Über Member
- Location
- Oxford
I didn't really get on with the friction shifting, probably got lazy in my old age, so things had to be changed.
After looking at a number of options I found a Tiagra groupset on the bay and have started the transition but it's a bit chilly in the garage in these conditions so progress is slow. A new cassette arrives today, and with that I'll be able to get it back on the road. Looking forward to the updated version and a return after many years to Shimano shifters.
After looking at a number of options I found a Tiagra groupset on the bay and have started the transition but it's a bit chilly in the garage in these conditions so progress is slow. A new cassette arrives today, and with that I'll be able to get it back on the road. Looking forward to the updated version and a return after many years to Shimano shifters.
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Nor me on the Revell mixte, so that will shortly be a 2x8 flat-bar Sora set-up.
OP
OP
philtalksbx
Über Member
- Location
- Oxford
And here is the Tiagra groupset now fitted.
I'm very pleased with the result. The wheels will eventually match - I needed a ten speed Shimano set and had suitable silver coloured Aksiums on the Claud Butler so snaffled those but have only fitted the rear so far. The cassette is 11-34 with a compact front so I still have the bail-out granny gear if I need it.
I saw another set of Aksiums on Ebay but with black rims and didn't think they would suit this build. I bought them anyway to go on the Claud which they should suit nicely when they get here.
Remaining jobs? I will get some cable adjusters as there is no adjustment on the front mech as it stands. There is a mounting lug on the shifters so I will track down some Shimano spares to go there rather than have them on the downtube clamp. I may also shorten the gear cable outers a little bit at the front, there seems to be a lot of it but I know you can only go so far with that on this routing. Then it is touching up the chipped paint. It's better than when it first went on but still seems a bit fragile.
I also want to do something about the gear casing to the rear mech - the lug on the frame is too small to seat any of the ferrules I have and if the cable sits in there on its own it, the casing seems to skew outwards which looks wrong for the cable routing as it enters the casing. Hence the temporary cable tie arrangement to run it along the stay until I can do something better - any thoughts anyone?
I'm very pleased with the result. The wheels will eventually match - I needed a ten speed Shimano set and had suitable silver coloured Aksiums on the Claud Butler so snaffled those but have only fitted the rear so far. The cassette is 11-34 with a compact front so I still have the bail-out granny gear if I need it.
I saw another set of Aksiums on Ebay but with black rims and didn't think they would suit this build. I bought them anyway to go on the Claud which they should suit nicely when they get here.
Remaining jobs? I will get some cable adjusters as there is no adjustment on the front mech as it stands. There is a mounting lug on the shifters so I will track down some Shimano spares to go there rather than have them on the downtube clamp. I may also shorten the gear cable outers a little bit at the front, there seems to be a lot of it but I know you can only go so far with that on this routing. Then it is touching up the chipped paint. It's better than when it first went on but still seems a bit fragile.
I also want to do something about the gear casing to the rear mech - the lug on the frame is too small to seat any of the ferrules I have and if the cable sits in there on its own it, the casing seems to skew outwards which looks wrong for the cable routing as it enters the casing. Hence the temporary cable tie arrangement to run it along the stay until I can do something better - any thoughts anyone?
I’ve got a brand new set for sale if you need them?
