Folks can trash Raleigh all they want, but some of the Raleighs really do ride well. Years ago I had a customer who bought a Masi Team 3V from me - a very nice one from Italy. He also had an early Raleigh International. He never could adjust to the 3V - and you know? His International really rode well! I've riden PX-10's that were simply horrid, and I'm supposed to like French bikes. Last year at Veloswap my "prize" score was a 74 Copper International in exactly the same size and color as the one I had in High School. I had a rush of memories riding that bike the next day, and it really was very pleasant.
I've said it before; Internationals often ride much better than frames I've sampled that cost in the thousands. They aren't perfect though (handling is a tad off), but its plain fun. Sure, workmanship stinnnks.... but thats not the point. I'd rather have a bike with stinky workmanship than a multi-thousand dollar frame which rides stinky. As I see it, Internationals are a fantastic value. May the bike Gods shutter...
Mike Kone in Boulder CO
> Collecting comes down to individual tastes & interests. People are in the
> hobby for different reasons. If someone wants to collect primarily based on
> perfection and/or build quality, that's fine. That's one type of collector.
> But I collect from a nostalgic point of view. My guess is a lot of people
> on this CR list do the same otherwise we'd all be riding carbon fiber
> frames.
>
> My collection has focused (ironically for this discussion) on Masi's and
> Raleigh Team Pros. I like them equally for different reasons. Sure, maybe
> the lug work on my Gran Criteriums is nicer than my Team Pros but it's not
> extraordinarily different. Maybe I got lucky with the Raleighs I own.
> Either way, I couldn't care less. When I was 14 years old in 1974, I
> admired Team Pros because John Howard rode them. Today I buy what I admired
> back then so I'm as likely to add a Raleigh to the collection as I am a
> Masi.
>
> Nostalgia also lured me to my Schwinn Paramount and Schwinn Apple Krate
> (gasp!). Heck, that Apple Krate doesn't even have lugs and I didn't bat an
> eye when I bought it. And I promise I didn't buy the Krate for its ride
> quality, even if it does have more shock absorbers than you can shake a
> stick at.
>
> So us sitting around here saying one bike is better than another bike, is
> like saying a Chevy is better than a Ford. It's all perspective, baby!
>
> Mark Winkelman
> Dallas, TX USA
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From:
> To:
> Cc: ;
> Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2008 10:39 AM
> Subject: Re: [CR]Boston CL Raleigh Pro
>
>
> > Dean,
> >
> > I have to agree with you. 70's Raleighs are my choice for the worst cons
> > truction of any frame that we commonly see and know. I'd take a PX-10 ov
> > er a Raleigh in a heartbeat, insofar as construction goes. I've seen a g
> > ood number of Raleigh Pro frames that were tack brazed at the DT/BB junc
> > tion and ST/BB junction but never got the rest of the braze material add
> > ed. All kinds of other stuff too.
> >
> > Raleigh is my last choice for a bicycle. Sorry guys.
> >
> > Brian Baylis
> > La Mesa, CA
> >
> >
> >
> > -- dean 53x13 wrote:
> > I know there is a certain appeal to these old Raleigh Pro and Internatio
> > nal frames, but really, people, and I know this is MY OPINION only, whic
> > h may not be worth much...but they are not a good value. These bikes wer
> > e pretty poorly brazed....I worked in Raleigh shops for years as a teena
> > ger and college student, and we had a lot of bad ones. They rode okay, b
> > ut on the stiff and dull side, at least IMHO.
> > Just two cents.
> > Dean Patterson
> > Alpine, CA USA
> >
> > Peter Naiman wrote: Jack; I was cruising the w
> > eb doing my usual Hetchin's search and noticed the advert which I think
> > you're referring to. Below is the URL to the advert on Craigslist.
> >
> > http://boston.craigslist.org/
> >
> > I called as well and if the bike is mint why the seller using a stock
> > photo on Craigslist, and
> >
> > willing to email photos. He might be honest, but seems a bit fishy. Pl
> > us the advert has been around for a while. The only way to buy is if you
> > know someone close by who could check out the bike and purchase it for
> > you. My thoughts !!
> >
> >
> > Peter Naiman
> > Milwaukee, WI USA
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Jackson Kokeny wrote:
> > Careful with this one. If the fluctuation in model year and list price
> > isn't
> > enough of a red flag, I offered the guy $700 (this was on the 1974 $1,00
> > 0
> > version from a few weeks ago). He accepted and I haven't heard from him
> > since. Could be he's just playing the market or could be he's collecting
> >
> > numbers (*no emails*) for his boss at for 24 Hour Fitness. In any case,
> > I'm
> > not touching it, but I did manage to get a few fuzzy photos of it if any
> > one
> > else wants to have a go. Hit me up off list and I'll share the pics. Oth
> > er
> > than some hideous bar tape (which I ironically just replaced on my non-m
> > int
> > '74), it does appear to be a nice mount.
> >
> > Jackson Kokeny
> > Aspen CO
> > USA
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> >
> >
> > Dean Patterson
> > Alpine, CA, USA
> > DPCowboy
> >
> >
> > ---------------------------------
> > You rock. That's why Blockbuster's offering you one month of Blockbuster
> > Total Access, No Cost.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > DDeYdbgFBGazEPCuZmEzDSxzpn/
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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