Re: [CR]Chrome Raleigh Pro?

(Example: Framebuilders:Tony Beek)

In-Reply-To: <004101c3d85c$5d5e5540$6400a8c0@bourke>
References: <CATFOODtAEHLB8TrBHx00000604@catfood.nt.phred.org>
Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2004 12:07:51 -0500
To: "Stephen Barner" <steve@sburl.com>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
From: "Sheldon Brown" <CaptBike@sheldonbrown.com>
Subject: Re: [CR]Chrome Raleigh Pro?


Stephen Barner wrote:
>This appears to be an early '70s Raleigh Pro. It's got the correct lugs,
>seat cluster and fork crown. Also, I believe earlier Pros, and those for
>the British market, left the eyelets on the dropouts. But all-chrome
>finish? Since the bike lacks decals, I suspect it had its paint removed,
>additional polishing and chroming added after the fact.
>
>http://ebay.com/<blah>

That seems quite plausible. Doing an all-chrome frame is not something that every bumper shop can handle...a bike frame is very difficult to chrome properly. The major problem area is around the bottom bracket, where expansion/contraction issues during the chroming process make it very hard to get good coverage.

Whoever did the chroming on Schwinn Paramounts was one of the few to lick this problem.

If you look at the close up photo http://i9.ebayimg.com/01/i/01/28/6b/1f_3.JPG it appears that this has been the case on this bike. Indeed, it appears to me as if the bottom bracket shell has been painted with aluminum, sorry aluminium paint.

I would note also that frames that are plated on an aftermarket basis (and even some with factory chrome) frequently have serious internal rust issues, possibly due to chemical salts from the plating process that can't be readily removed from the interior of the frame.

Sheldon "Caveat Emptor" Brown +-----------------------------------+ | The gains in life come slowly, | | but the losses come suddenly. | | -- Garrison Keillor | +-----------------------------------+ --
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