As I mentioned in a previous email, I'm researching the 1930s RRAs, and I have a couple of observations to add.
I was told earlier this week that the letter prefixes don't relate to the year of manufacture, but to the production line upon which the machine was built. The person who told me this said that he was told this by an ex-Raleigh employee, but in the absence of documentary evidence, and lacking in-depth knowledge myself, I'm reserving judgement.
However, this one would certainly appear to date from around 1934/5, since the frame angles at that time were 67/67 degrees, and this RRA appears from the photos to have relaxed angles. The angles were steepened to 71/71 for the 1936 season.
The saddle is a later, post-war replacement, I believe.
The pedals are Brampton Racing, rather than the Raleigh steel quill with heron's head, which was introduced for the Record model in 1932, and used on the RRA on its introduction in 1933. However, this exact pattern was standard equipment on the 1931 Record, and may have been specified by the original owner, since even at that time, Raleigh were willing to alter the specification of accessories on the RRA to suit individual requirements.
The handlebars are, I believe, Bailey pattern, rather than the standard Marsh bend, but again, this could have been specified by the original owner.
Neil Foddering Weymouth, Dorset, England
> Date: Tue, 4 May 2010 07:44:16 -0700
> From: kohl57@yahoo.com
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Subject: [CR] 1934 RRA
>
> Enthusiasts of the Raleigh Record Ace might wish to take a look at this well presented and well preserved early example as well as the catalogue scans.
>
> http://ebay.com/
>
> or
>
> http://tinyurl.com/
>
> Peter Kohler
> Washington DC USA