----- Original Message -----
From: "donald gillies" <gillies@ece.ubc.ca>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Cc: <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 8:24 PM
Subject: Re: [CR] Raleigh Professional Mark IV--high BB
>
> Incidentally, I doubt that anyone owns a 1970 Mark I. Beause that would
> mean that in 1971, the Mark II AND the Mark III were both released in the
> same year!
>
> - Don Gillies
> San Diego, CA, USA
I don't think you can doubt serial numbers, Don. My 1970 Mark I is serial no. E8325. Rich Pinder's is E8409. The Retro Raleigh site features a Mark II, no. 228 of 500, with an F serial number (1971). Raleigh often had two different versions of the same model available the same year. New models came on line around October so a "1971" model could and was often built and sold starting the autumn of 1970. The "Bicycling" review of the Mark I was in the March 1969 issue so this "1969" model was, of course, assuredly built and available in late 1968 or it would never have been designed, built and shipped to the US from England, and tested, by January which would have been the deadline for a March issue. So, what is called the "1969" Mark I was really in production from late 1968 to early to mid 1970 it seems.
I think it's well past time to start a Yahoo Group on Raleigh Professionals, start a proper database and document this important marque once and for good.
Shockingly, that makes three posts from me today and quite enough for the balance of the season methinks.
Peter Kohler
Washington DC USA