BUILD & RIDING THE TEAM RALEIGH RECORD

"As Found", the Team Raleigh Record was in great shape, from a preserved point of view.  The paint and art were pretty, original, and sporting few blemishes non-manufactured blemishes.  Everything was in working condition, requiring only some chain oil, and some air in the tired old tires.  However, and even though all looked to be OK, I still put the bike in the work stand and gave it a thorough inspection - just in case.  Riding any bicycle, for the first time, without carefully checking it over, might well end in disaster.  Such was the case with an early eighties Olmo that taught me to check the bike over first.  And, of course, I did have to learn the hard way.

Once assured that the Raleigh was safe to ride, I took it out for a short test ride, to ensure that the bike would track properly.  The bike did ride well, but it did not offer a good ride.  The Raleigh is a heavy bicycle, by lightweight standards, and fitted with a very heavy wheel set.  These two factors alone would negatively impact ride feel, when compared with other road bikes.

The entry level components would prove to be, anything but, "user friendly".  I, personally, find stem shifters difficult to use, and the ones mounted on the Raleigh proved to be just as annoying, in use, as did any other stem shifting arrangement.  Shifting was slow, thanks to the entry level derailleurs and the awkward feel of the stem shifters did little to help.

Though I have nothing against the dual position brake lever, the ones on the Raleigh appeared to have been installed wrong.  The safety lever would bottom out on the handlebar.  Slightly changing the place where the brake lever bodies were attached, would have alleviated this problem.  Needless to say, my opinion of braking quality was pretty much negative, by the time I returned the Raleigh to The Old Shed.

I never intended to keep the Team Raleigh.  I had hoped to pass it on, as a complete bicycle, for a hundred dollars, or so.  I considered the options and felt that, considering the very low quality of the component grouppo, the bike would auction best as a frame and fork set.  Strangely enough, it is not uncommon, to sell a frame set, for considerably more, than the whole bicycle would sell for.  Go figure!

And sell, the Team Raleigh Record frame set did.  For a whopping three hundred, plus, dollars.  I could not believe my eyes, as the price for the frame set soared, during the closing minutes of the Ebay auction.  $305.00, as I recall, for a frame set that I felt to be worth considerably less.  And, keep in mind, I listed the frame set for $9.99 US.  For the frame set to reach the three hundred dollar, plus, mark, at least two people would have had to have wanted it.

So, with little adieu, the Team Raleigh made, yet another, journey, this time travelling south of the 49th parallel, to its new home in the USA.  I do, from time to time, wonder how the bike turned out.  Perhaps I will see a picture of it, all dressed up, as a Single Speed one day.