re: [CR]Raleigh Competition Fork?

(Example: History:Norris Lockley)

From: "Bob Hanson" <theonetrueBob@webtv.net>
Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 21:35:25 -0600
To: jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net
Subject: re: [CR]Raleigh Competition Fork?
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

Jerry,

I just ran through all my 70s Raleigh catalogues and all of the Raleigh Comp.Mk II and later GS versions - right up through my 79 catalogs - are listed with Vagner fork crowns (and they certainly appear to have them in the photos). I thought that only the Professionals had the Italian-style sloping crowns throughout the 70s - catalogs seem to concur.

HOWEVER, as Harvey has just pointed out (and now I'm increasinglly coming to notice), there seems to be absolutely nothing "Written in Stone" when it comes to most 70s bikes,... regardless of maker.

A number of catalogues had already stated the "specifications subject to change..." which has now become the defacto Standard disclaimer for virtually all manufactured goods. This certainly allowed them the convenience of simply substituting some non-spec. frame parts or components whenever they happened to run short on some or have an excess of others already stockpiled. It hurt nobody... buy it drives us all completely nuts today.

Bob Hanson, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

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Harvey sachs wrote:

I believe that the term "creativity" is a nice way to describe Raleigh kit and framesets in the early 1970s. My black Competition (can't find either a II or a GS on it) has sloping crown with chrome on the fork legs but not on the rear stays. Has 531 DB; Carlton; and Worksop decals on seat tube. S/N H1899 on the right side of bottom of BB.

harvey sachs McLean (VA) eua

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Jerry Moos inquired:

I had thought that the early 70's black Jubilee-equipped Raleigh Competition, which I think was the Competition MkII, had a Cinelli-type full sloping fork crown, whereas the Competition GS in the mid 70's switched to a flatter more conventional lugged crown. Yet recently I've seen a couple of frames marked Competition, not GS, with the flatter crown. One of them has the Ti Reynolds frame decal suggesting the late 70's. I had thought the Competition MkII was discontinued in the mid 70's when it was replaced by the Competition GS. Am I wrong? Were the MkII and GS produced simulatneously in the mid/late 70's? If not, what is the story behind black Competitions with a flatter fork crown and Ti Reynolds decal?

Regards,

Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Republic of Texas