How to age an older bike

[scoot]

Hi,

How do I find out how old my Raleigh Equipe is?

Its mainly a creamy white with turquoise forks and rear triangle, had white bar tape, seat and stem and a purple and yellow ring around the frame near where it changes colour.

It was 10 speed maybe 12.

Down tube shifters, very narrow drop bars and extra brake levers just in front of the bars

Cheers,

Paul

[Cyril Haearn]

We would like to see some pictures
What is the frame number?

[eileithyia]

We would like to see some pictures
What is the frame number?

Agreed, pictures and frame number? Any information on other kit on the bike; gearing, brakes, wheels?

[AM7]

I just googled the Raleigh Equipe and the paint deign and typeface look very similar to those on the more upmarket Raleigh bikes in the 1989 Raleigh Lightweights catalogue, so I'd say around 1989/90.

[eileithyia]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ralei ... 66&bih=662

Pictures here; clicking on one with blue and white with white tape and down tube shifters indicates around 1985

[Brucey]

frame number has the year in it IIRC. Also many parts are (often cryptically) marked with the date of manufacture too.

cheers

[scoot]

Hi,

Being an IT numptie I am not able to add pictures but it is just like the turquoise and white ones on the google image search link by elliethyia. I did see that and thought it may be 1985

Where do I find the frame number?

I will have a look tonight as per Brucey's comment at parts for a date

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I bought it for £30, the wheels were too far gone and are now modern. I have kept the original brakes and added modern blocks plus new brake cables too,- they are still awful. I have changed the rear cassette and chain for a modern 10 speed ( I get 9 gears with care from the SIS selectors), there is some rust on the frame but not too bad, looks age related rather than frame threatening , it now has purple bar tape to match the stripes and I have fitted a modern seat to preserve the original one, new bottom bracket bearings, new (cheap) 25mm tyres and also removed and replaced the stem with a nice aluminium one that I got for £10 because the original white one was too short and looked nasty.

Total cost about £80 plus a pair of old wheels from my race bike.

Gotta say its a nice ride, the bars are very low and too narrow but I can put up with that. On a nice day its my favourite ride.

Cheers,

Paul

[scoot]

This looks exactly like mine before I messed with it

http://images.postadsuk.com/2015/09/02/ ... r-shim.JPG


Just like this one only scruffier

https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/pict ... lassic.jpg

Cheers

Paul

[scoot]

Hi,

Here it is from a fb page

https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/ ... e=5BFDBF02

Cheers,

Paul

[mattsccm]

Ask on retrobike.
Someone will tell you which way the assembler dressed as well. Frame number under BB usually.

[scoot]

Hi Mattsccm,

Retro bike wasn't too informative, ctc is always very helpful

I asked retrobike first because I can add piccies to fb and like seeing a pic of my bike on the www.

I'll look on the BB later

Cheers,

Paul

[Cyril Haearn]

Ask on retrobike.
Someone will tell you which way the assembler dressed as well. Frame number under BB usually.

Or on the rear dropout

[scoot]

Hi,

Frame number is 9038220

Where can I check this out?

Cheers,

Paul

[gxaustin]

http://www.kurtkaminer.com/TH_raleigh_serials.html

These go up to 1986. Most have one or more letters though

Is the saddle original? If plastic based there should be a date circle.

[bagpussctc]

Loads more pictures available here . You will have to wade thourgh a lot of Raleigh catalogues from the time period.
http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/catalogs/