Hi Mike,
It's great to have such an insider on the list, thanks for the info. Always interested in what the pros really rode, information that's sometimes elusive.
You mentioned 803 gauge - my Reynolds catalog shows the specs for 801, 802 and 804 - mysteriously, no 803. Can I ask - what were the tube diameters and thicknesses? I was thinking it would be Imperial (inch) diameters at Ilkeston, but that 26.8 seatpost usually means thin metric stuff. 26.8 seatpost in a 28.6 seat tube would be pretty heavy for a pro road man. Unless the seat tube was double-butted?
Is it true what I heard, that only Raleigh could get 753 in 28.6/25.4 at first when everyone else could only get metric? That might explain why 803 was left out of my Reynolds catalog (if 803 is Imperial) I worked on a couple of 753 Raleighs back in the day, but I can't remember if they were inch or metric...
I was certified in 753 in 1980, though that doesn't mean much, the test was a bit of a joke. Made only a handful of frames out of the stuff, though I liked it. The shop I worked for didn't push it.
Mark Bulgier Seattle WA USA
Mike Mullett wrote:
> Genuine Raleighs no less, built at Ilkeston in the Winter of
> 79/80, Frame Nos JZ 1.80 and JZ 2.80. 753R tubing (803
> gauge, ie 26.8 Seat post). 57 cm frame (C to T) 26.8mm Bottom
> bracket height, 525mm Top Tube and 75 degree seat angle.
> No Freek Faro the decals were not a fake and yes Jan LeGrand
> built them assisted by me.
> Mike Mullett
> Reading UK