Original Message: ----------------- From: Dale Brown oroboyz@aol.com Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2007 16:17:34 -0500 To: kohl57@starpower.net, timeflies1955@msn.com, Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: Was Raleigh vs Dunlop, now Campagnolo vs Raleigh
"Was there not a Campagnolo ~ Raleigh impasse in the 1970s, the year that Raleigh offered the white with yellow RRA with all (almost) French parts?
Maybe Mike Mullet knows the inside poop on this? ?I heard that was precipitated by a "Campagnolo strike" but then I later
heard maybe that was not the case... "
Possibly. But it was always interesting that Raleigh, hedging their bets , maintained a parallel line, if you will, of top quality French component bikes: the Gran Sport (the French version of the International), the Competition and briefly the RRA as the French equals or almost, of the Professional during the early to late 1970s. Personally, I thought the French version of the Competition (Huret Jubilee etc) was cooler than the Professional. The RRA was shortlived but the other two were evergreens i n the Raleigh line. It could also have been done simply to ensure they weren't held hostage to component shortages especially during the bike boom. Or to remind the manufacturers that none of them were irreplacable . I don't think Raleigh were ever comfortable outsourcing anything since it wa s contrary to their roadster days when they made it all except for saddles and tyres.
Did Carlton's UK line during this time also have this French-fitted range?
If not, I suspect it had to do with the US bike boom more than anything else.
Peter Kohler Washington DC USA
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