Unknown bike ?

[SkipdiverJohn]

They're only glued on, I've 'de-badged' a couple and it doesn't leave a mark (I'd post photos of them but both unfortunately got nicked, I wonder if they'd have been stolen if the thief knew they were Raleighs)

@raleighnut - What method have you used to non-destructively remove the glued-on Raleigh headbadges? I'm assuming you've dribbled some sort of paint solvent down the head tube and let it soak into the badge/tube joint face? Or did you resort to heat?
The reason I'm interested is that I now have two shabby 1991 Raleigh MTB frames made of 501 that at some point I will want to get shotblasted and powder coated, so I get a better finish than I could achieve DIY with paint. I want to be able to remove and equally importantly, reinstate the headbadges afterwards. I ride my Raleighs with pride and want the badges in situ.

The Raleigh Granada does have one huge give away I am sorry to say . It has Raleigh stamped into the seat stays at the top.

The stamped seat stays seem to be a feature unique to frames made of 501 or 531 for just a few years between the late 1980's and early 1990's It seems to be indicative of the material rather than the bike model though. My two 501 MTB frames have the stamped seat stays, as does my 531 Gemini hybrid frame that dates to 1988/89. My 1995 Pioneer 501 hybrid frame doesn't have them though, it just looks the same as any 18-23 hi-tensile Pioneer, so the stamped feature was dropped before 1995.

 

[Illaveago]

It may not be the case . But if I had bought a cycle from a well known frame builder and later discovered that the frame had been imported I would feel cheated!

 

[Illaveago]

@raleighnut - What method have you used to non-destructively remove the glued-on Raleigh headbadges? I'm assuming you've dribbled some sort of paint solvent down the head tube and let it soak into the badge/tube joint face? Or did you resort to heat?
The reason I'm interested is that I now have two shabby 1991 Raleigh MTB frames made of 501 that at some point I will want to get shotblasted and powder coated, so I get a better finish than I could achieve DIY with paint. I want to be able to remove and equally importantly, reinstate the headbadges afterwards. I ride my Raleighs with pride and want the badges in situ.



The stamped seat stays seem to be a feature unique to frames made of 501 or 531 for just a few years between the late 1980's and early 1990's It seems to be indicative of the material rather than the bike model though. My two 501 MTB frames have the stamped seat stays, as does my 531 Gemini hybrid frame that dates to 1988/89. My 1995 Pioneer 501 hybrid frame doesn't have them though, it just looks the same as any 18-23 hi-tensile Pioneer, so the stamped feature was dropped before 1995.

If the headbadge is held on like car badges it will have a double sided tape backing. In which case some heat from a hair drier/ paint stripper gun should soften the glue. If you pop into Halfords and pick up a pack of plastic spreaders ( used for applying filler ) you can use them to gently slide under the edge of the badge and slowly work the badge off. Any residue glue will soften with white spirit. You may need to buy either refix tape or double sided tape to refix the badge depending on how well it comes off.
The spreaders make ideal ice removing tools for clearing windscreens or freezers.

 

[raleighnut]

If the headbadge is held on like car badges it will have a double sided tape backing. In which case some heat from a hair drier/ paint stripper gun should soften the glue. If you pop into Halfords and pick up a pack of plastic spreaders ( used for applying filler ) you can use them to gently slide under the edge of the badge and slowly work the badge off. Any residue glue will soften with white spirit. You may need to buy either refix tape or double sided tape to refix the badge depending on how well it comes off.
The spreaders make ideal ice removing tools for clearing windscreens or freezers.

Yep that's how I did it, hairdryer though as a paint-stripping heat gun is too hot.

 

[Alan O]

At least one of my Raleighs had Sakae handlebars.

Interesting. It's tough trying to dig out old memories now, but I have a vague recollection of seeing Sakae bars on a number of late 70s/early 80s bikes.

Ha, and I've just checked to see my mid-80s Orbit Gold Medal has Sakae bars - though marked "England".

 

[Gravity Aided]

Only possible problem there is that the list says the second symbol is the month and the third symbol is the year. So Malaysia April 1980 would presumably start "ME0" and not "M0E" as shown?

Could M0E22373 possibly be a Sakai, Japan frame number? They used MnXnnnnn numbers when they were being used for Quinn-badged frames - http://classicrendezvous.com/British_isles/Harry_Quinn/HQuinn_registry.htm

Sekai was my first instinct, although I've never experienced one with a shifter brazed on, but that may be my experience in lower end frames like the 1000 and 1500.