Spiderweb
Not So Special One
- Location
- North Yorkshire
Top end vintage off-the-peg Raleigh tourers - Classic versus Randonneur...
- Thread starter wafter
- Start date
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Jameshow
Veteran
Tbh classic bikes tend to have sloping top handlebars whilst modern ones have flat handlebars often with another flat behind the brake levers.
You know you've found a good forum when a mild disagreement elicits this response
In response to both the above posts, this is something my conscience has constantly wresteled with re. my Routier... bottom line, I think modern compact bars usually have a short, parallel section between upper and lower parts. Vintage drops on the other hand seem to have a more open / obtuse angle between these areas; forcing the rider to accept an angled lower-section and flat upper, or flat lower and forward-sloping upper..
I make no apologies for having swung in both directions in the past
Spiderweb
Not So Special One
- Location
- North Yorkshire
You know you've found a good forum when a mild disagreement elicits this response
In response to both the above posts, this is something my conscience has constantly wresteled with re. my Routier... bottom line, I think modern compact bars usually have a short, parallel section between upper and lower parts. Vintage drops on the other hand seem to have a more open / obtuse angle between these areas; forcing the rider to accept an angled lower-section and flat upper, or flat lower and forward-sloping upper..
I make no apologies for having swung in both directions in the past
View attachment 703867
View attachment 703868
The bottom image is period correct and the top image is probably more comfortable to ride with. Most modern day bikes now have flat top bars and brake hoods, progress eh!
Ta - I'd concur with both of these. Bottom image looks better IMO (and evidently suits the location of the brake levers from new), top image is how it's currently set to be least-horrible to ride
T4tomo
Legendary Member
Exactly!👍
Hover Fly
Lazy so and so
- Location
- Besides the lake, beneath the trees
They did,
https://defietsenmaker.nl/product/shimano-tourney-center-pull-brake-caliper-with-long-reach-2/ also in dura-ace quality.
Rusty Nails
We remember
- Location
- Living in the slow lane
I know this is slightly outside the desires of the op, but I loved my 94 Randonneur in blue with Reynolds 708 tubes.
I sold it to a bloke who used it to tour Europe for a year and also loved it until it was stolen in Switzerland.
I sold it to a bloke who used it to tour Europe for a year and also loved it until it was stolen in Switzerland.
Hover Fly
Lazy so and so
- Location
- Besides the lake, beneath the trees
Another one to consider would be the Gran Tour, similar frame to the Classic, but sold as frame and forks bare, same chrome but black with gold panels. You could set one up exactly as you like with no worries about original or not.
All uphill
Still rolling along
- Location
- Somerset
Here's my Grand Sports back in 2020. Badged Raleigh, but also badged "made in Worksop by Carlton."
I bought it for £60 from a local cycle charity as a wreck, spent a small fortune turning it into a single speed. When I needed the space I stripped it and redonated the frame and fork to the charity where it remains.
I bought it for £60 from a local cycle charity as a wreck, spent a small fortune turning it into a single speed. When I needed the space I stripped it and redonated the frame and fork to the charity where it remains.
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midlife
Guru
Cheers all
Indeed; although since this is a strictly self-indulgent, heart driven escapade I'm drawn mostly to the high-end stuff; and particularly to the aesthetic of the Classic.
Nice work! Would I be correct in thinking that there was a period where these effectively disappeared before "dual pivot" stuff came in, and the market was left with side-pulls? Seems that this format of caliper went the way of the dodo about the same time that market dominance transferred from the European brands to Shimano around the late '80s.
Actually, perhaps that's the reason the Randonneur has cantis; since this bike seems to highlight the demacation point between European and Japanese finishing kit; at least in the touring bikes.. and I don't think Shimano have ever made centre-pull calipers and maybe going back to side-pull was considered a retrograde step.
My experience in this field is a bit sketchy and I've never owned anything with centre-pull brakes or cantis.. I've got reasonable experience of most other stuff though - the Routier has cheap Weinmann (copy?) side-pull calipers, the Boardman dual-pivot 5800 105s calipers (and before it cack Tektro side-pulls), the C-line has Brompton's own brand dual-pivot calipers, the Fuji has Tektro mini-Vs and the Genesis has its sublime R7000 hydro disks.
Despite being the worst on all bikes I own, I find the brakes on the Router acceptable now that I've put some ally rims on it, so anything superior to this should be perfectly adiquate for the odd nostalgia-fuelled, fine-weather waft
Thanks - the literature does also suggest Maillard 600CX hubs; although I couldn't find reference to any rear examples to confirm what standard they were built to. Considering their European and Shimano evidently pioneered the freehub standard I'd concur that the Routier had a freewheel setup out of the box.
I hear you on the environmental thing; however sadly I guess another angle to consider is improper disposal. Creosote is probably alright when used correctly - the problem coming when people start dumping it / disposing improperly of stuff treated with it. Not that I'd advocate for its use, but Asbestos is another good example - fine if undisturbed; potentially fatal if improperly handled.
lol - cheers! I see the Classic comes with mudguards so clearance can't be too bad; although I also see that 1 1/8" / 28mm tyres were standard and it makes me wonder whether anything much fatter would give clearance issues..
Ta - saw that earlier and tbh were it closer I'd probably have had it. That said as nice as these seem to be, it's not quite what I'm after. I have sent the link to a mate who lives fairly close to the seller; whom I'm trying to push towards a tourer as I think it'd be right up his street (and would perhaps open the door to a bit of touring!).
I'm sure dual pivot brakes came out in the 50-60's, Altenburger rings a bell. I'll have a Google.
Thanks - every day's a school day!
Cheers - spec-wise I prefer the later examples (for the bar end shifters if nowt else) but prefer the retro aesthetic of earlier bikes, and have never been sure about 708..
Ta - still very much sold on the aesthetic of the classic though... and am in no hurry since I shouldn't be buying one anyway. Just doing the groundwork for a pipe dream, should something too good to miss come up locally
fritz katzenjammer
Der Ubergrosserbudgie
It’s had a bit of work but the paint and most of the running gear is original, 77 Centurion Protour, salvaged from the scrap heap at a bike shop I worked at last year… the stuff is still out there.
It’ll outlive the Trek it allows into the garage.
It’ll outlive the Trek it allows into the garage.
