Hi Jack/Paul,
I own a 1978 Raleigh Pro where the seat binder bolt is an allen head bolt and it has whitworth threads. Whitworth was common in Britain but by 1978 or later it is odd to still find it in use on a bicycle. Any top notch bolt specialty shop (check the internet or Hemmings Motor News) should be able to help if yours is indeed whitworth.
Good Luck,
Eric Elman
Somers, CT
Hi Jack,
I have your frame's younger cousin (#SB-3265). I also dated mine to '83 using the Retro Raleigh info, which fits given when the original owner remembered getting the bike, but I have nothing more authoritative than that.
Mine sounds very similar to yours, Midnight Blue with black head tube and seat tube panel, nutted brake mounts, 126mm rear spacing; mine has double bottle cage mounts, though. I measured it as 59cm seat tube c-t, 57.0cm c-c top tube, 73-deg seat tube, 75-deg head tube, 41.5cm chainstay, 27.2cm bb height---to me it rides tight, racey, corners very well but is not twitchy.
My seat tube o.d. measures 28.0mm, and came with a 26.8mm seatpost, which fits well. After reading Mark's helpful posts, I'd be wary of trying to ream the seat tube to take a 27.2mm post _if_ your o.d. is also 28.0mm.
The seatpost binder bolt is an unfamiliar thread (crankarm bolt threads in a few turns then binds), and the bolt head is slightly buggered--if anyone has any leads on finding replacements please let me know.
Good luck Jack, and enjoy!
PB
On Wed, 19 Dec 2001 10:38:59 -0700, "Jack Bissell"
<jackbissell@hotmail.com> wrote:
>I have checked the Retro Raleighs site for help w/ dating my 753 Raleigh.
>According to their serial # info, my bike #SB 3628 would be a 1983. Can
>anyone confirm/ deny this? My frame is midnight blue & has braze-ons for
>shifters, brake guides, 1 H2O bottle. Brakes are nutted. Dropout spacing is
>126mm. It has the small "wave" on the head tube lugs.
>
>Also, I'm tempted to ream the seat from 27.0 to 27.2--is that possible and
>acceptable w/ thin 'super-steel'?
>
>Jack Bissell, dating seriously in Tucson, Az
Paul C. Brodek
Hillsdale, N.J. U.S.A.
E-mail: pcb@skyweb.net