Ramblings from a Raleigh Road Ace EX

[RyanW]

Hello to all,

I shall not bore you with a long back story, lets just say I like to tinker with things. A few years ago I salvaged a Raleigh Olympus and got it riding again, however this time I felt like something that might take a bit more work, but hopefully I will get some proper use from (I sold the Olympus as it was too small)

I recently won on 'bay a 1983 (I believe http://www.bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/Raleigh83/ral83_05.jpg) Raleigh Record Ace EX. I plan on posting the odd picture / story to document my progress.

My plan, is not to "restore" but to get it get it riding again. Although I love to see vintage bikes buffed to the 9's with perfect paint, I'm after the more used look. (read that as : I cannot afford a respray.)

So far I have come across two issues, which both are possibly rather big depending on how you look at it. Although its worth adding, i'm happy to spend as much time in the world on something, as long as it does not cost me too much!

1st: The seat post is stuck, not stiff, but rammed home hard. (I posted in another forum about it) so my intention is to remove it using caustic soda. Not pleasant but I dont think its coming out any other way. The original specs say that the seat post is oval, so I have a feeling it may have been rammed in.

2nd: There is a slight crack radiating off the rear cut for the seat tube. My plan here (Once the post is out) is to drill two holes where the splits are in the hope of stabilizing. If that does not work i can either get it brazed, or buy a new frame....

On the positive side, everything else on the bike has come off perfectly. Its all sitting there waiting to be cleaned, de-rusted and polished. According to the original owner it has done very few miles, and from the look of what I took off that indeed does look to be the case.

I will try and update as and when I can, including a video of the seatpost removal (If i remember) and some pictures, however I do tend to forget.

Any tips more then welcome.

Ryan

 

[ChrisEyles]

Good luck with the seatpost removal! The cracks in top of the seat tube look a little worrying... Drilling the ends is a good idea, I wonder if you could get an additional clamp around the tubing over the cracks to stop any wiggling of the seat-post from making it worse?

Looking forward to seeing how you get on with getting it back on the road!

 

[13 rider]

Raleigh Olympus oh the memories that was my first proper bike . bought with co-op stamps .look I'm showing my age . good look with the project keep us posted

 

[biggs682]

Good luck with the seatpost removal! The cracks in top of the seat tube look a little worrying... Drilling the ends is a good idea, I wonder if you could get an additional clamp around the tubing over the cracks to stop any wiggling of the seat-post from making it worse?

Looking forward to seeing how you get on with getting it back on the road!

i can only echo what @ChrisEyles says above re post and cracks , i would be tempted to try "theseatpostman" for removal , but either way keep the pics coming

 

[Gravity Aided]

Caustic soda. Mind the mess and hydrogen fumes. I wonder if the frame got damaged from previous attempts at seat post removal? Look at YouTube video for pointers.

 

[RyanW]

i can only echo what @ChrisEyles says above re post and cracks , i would be tempted to try "theseatpostman" for removal , but either way keep the pics coming

I was tempted to save me the bother, but to be fair, the cost of having it removed would make the bike owe me money, and at the end I would still have a frame with a crack and not great paintwork worse case is the frame is fubar and I spend the money I would have spent on seat post removal on a new frame..

Well, that's the plan.

I have also suspected that the cracks may not have been me (which was my initial though) but someone else either tying to get it out, or getting it stuck in the first place (Someone riding it with no seat screw forcing it down.) As there is some slight rusting there.

Ah well no point in speculating. I intend tomorrow to try the removal, the other half has already asked if i wanted a COSH assessment. Bloody chemists. Will try and give an update if I can, providing i'm not in A&E.

Ryan

 

[uphillstruggler]

I was tempted to save me the bother, but to be fair, the cost of having it removed would make the bike owe me money, and at the end I would still have a frame with a crack and not great paintwork worse case is the frame is fubar and I spend the money I would have spent on seat post removal on a new frame..

Well, that's the plan.

I have also suspected that the cracks may not have been me (which was my initial though) but someone else either tying to get it out, or getting it stuck in the first place (Someone riding it with no seat screw forcing it down.) As there is some slight rusting there.

Ah well no point in speculating. I intend tomorrow to try the removal, the other half has already asked if i wanted a COSH assessment. Bloody chemists. Will try and give an update if I can, providing i'm not in A&E.

Ryan

the cracks should be easy enough to fix should you manage to get the seat post out, best of luck.

 

[Tony Raynor]

JB weld should fix the cracks f they aren't too big. Used it on cars with good results.

 

[RyanW]

I have spent today trying to derust all the chrome, there was more damage (pitting) then I originally thought but the pedals have come up ok. Does anyone know how much it would cost to have them re-chromed? The front derailleur is looking ok but again too many filly parts to get it looking how I would really want it.

I plan on reusing the old bearing in the headset, BB and pedals, unless anyone recommends against this? most looks as good as new, a few have some marks on them.

Pictures tomorrow hopefully.

 

[contadino]

I've been reunited with a Raleigh Record Ace after a 30-odd year break and they are awesome bikes.

If you can shift the post and fix the crack, I'll wager that in 12 months you'll have plans for a full resto.

Each time I start thinking about a n+1, I always come back to the fact that I'm not confident that it'll be any better than my '80 RRA.

 

[RyanW]

I've been reunited with a Raleigh Record Ace after a 30-odd year break and they are awesome bikes.

If you can shift the post and fix the crack, I'll wager that in 12 months you'll have plans for a full resto.

Each time I start thinking about a n+1, I always come back to the fact that I'm not confident that it'll be any better than my '80 RRA.

That's a big if. It's going slowly and I'm not 100% sure it will ever budge (Well a few months but I may give up before that.) On the bright side I have now sorted the pedals. I have removed everything, re greased, de-rusted what I could and put them back together. The pictures do not do them justice, One has been polished with a dremel and some autosol the other one hasn't. Again its hard to tell with the pictures but that are lovely looking pedals.

Tomorrow I hope to finish the pedals and the shifters.

 

[RyanW]

Seat post finally out.

Next job is a re-paint, then its get bits and assemble time..

I need: Head Badge and decals, Seat post, Tyres, bar tape. new chain and some cables. So not too far to go. Hoping to have a ride this year but we will see.

 

[stevevw]

Get your Transfers here: http://www.hlloydcycles.com/page7.htm

 

[RyanW]

Update:

I have found someone who will powder coat it for £50 which seems like a good price as I have been quoted 100~ by everyone else. He has done then before so seems like a safe bet.

I have decided on British racing green, as i think it will go nicely. We will see though.

I may even try and do some outlining of the lugs as i love the look,

I know im going away from the original look more down the lines of a classic tourer then a racer which it is, but, hopefully will look good. Also, I cannot find a colour that will look good as a solid block, rather then graduated.

 

[RyanW]

Has anyone ever lined their own Lugs? Any tips etc?