# 1980 Raleigh Record Ace = 41 lbs (huh?)



## jakerson (Jun 15, 2004)

I bought a 79-81ish Raleigh Record Ace. I hoped that it was a 531 frame. I accepted the possibility that it might be another type of steel, but... I wanted a nice older steel bike to mess with. 

I got the tracking number and the package weighs in at 41.7 lbs. I know that 3 or 4lbs could be packing stuff... but I had hoped for a 24-26lb bike - not a 34-36lb bike... 

Anyone got a good example of one of these? Is it a 35lb bike? 

Other than the retro-raleigh page, anyone know of good places to snoop for more info on it? 

Thanks!


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## filtersweep (Feb 4, 2004)

Don't worry about the shipping weight. A good packer uses a double-wall box, carboard reinforcement, braces in the fork and rear drop out, disks over the hubs... etc.... it all adds up.


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## Straightblock (Jan 30, 2004)

Raleigh made a lot of bikes under the Record banner, mostly low-end "10-speeds", a few nice racers. You may have a 32-lb bike with steel rims & a simple carbon steel frame, a popular college campus bike in the late 70s to early 80s. I hope you're pleasantly surprised.


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## Maybeck (Sep 30, 2004)

http://cgi.ebay.com/80-Raleigh-Reco...ryZ98084QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Sorry but that is a 35lb bike. For the future, anything with stem shifters, pie plate spoke protector, suicide brake levers, and a big-ring chain guard is not going to be a 531 frame. Ya live and ya learn.


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## WalterJ (Sep 17, 2002)

Maybeck said:


> http://cgi.ebay.com/80-Raleigh-Reco...ryZ98084QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
> 
> Sorry but that is a 35lb bike.


'Fraid Maybeck is right. By 1980 the RRA odel had lost its pedigree.

Internationals and Teams are 2 models that'll give you the Raleigh experience you're looking for, though the Team models are 753, not 531.

Sorry


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## Dave_Stohler (Jan 22, 2004)

Man, you paid $40 plus shipping for that old boat anchor??? Seriously, dude, you can get a better bike for $20 at your local Salvation Army thrift store.


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## bicyclerepairman (Mar 12, 2003)

*More....*



WalterJ said:


> 'Fraid Maybeck is right. By 1980 the RRA odel had lost its pedigree.
> 
> Internationals and Teams are 2 models that'll give you the Raleigh experience you're looking for, though the Team models are 753, not 531.
> 
> Sorry


Other models to consider are the Professional, the Competition GS, and they made a high-end touring model whose name I can't remember. If you're buying a Reynolds 531 Raleigh, make sure you're getting a Carlton frame. Good luck.


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## WalterJ (Sep 17, 2002)

Dave_Stohler said:


> Man, you paid $40 plus shipping for that old boat anchor??? Seriously, dude, you can get a better bike for $20 at your local Salvation Army thrift store.


Man talk about rubbing it in.

Dude took a flyer on what he hoped was a nice bike. While some people would still defend it as a "nice" bike it ain't what he was after. Happens to all collectors sooner or later.

No need to pile on....


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## wipeout (Jun 6, 2005)

WalterJ said:


> Man talk about rubbing it in.
> 
> Dude took a flyer on what he hoped was a nice bike. While some people would still defend it as a "nice" bike it ain't what he was after. Happens to all collectors sooner or later.
> 
> No need to pile on....


After reading other Dave Stohler posts, it is not that shocking to see him kick a down man.

Jackerson, clean it up and convert it to a fixed gear. Resell it on eBay for twice what you paid.


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## Dave_Stohler (Jan 22, 2004)

WalterJ said:


> Man talk about rubbing it in.
> 
> Dude took a flyer on what he hoped was a nice bike. While some people would still defend it as a "nice" bike it ain't what he was after. Happens to all collectors sooner or later.
> 
> No need to pile on....


"Hoped was a nice bike"? "Happens to collectors all the time"? WTF????

Look at the pic. It has:

Suicide levers

Stem shifters 

A Dork Disk under the freewheel

A protector ring on the chainrings

27" rims

and more! Seriously, you can hope all you want, but anybody who looks at this pic can see it's a 40 lb lead-sled worth little more than the scrap value of the steel and aluminum (of which it has little) that it's made from. The paint ain't even that good!! This ain't a bike that any 'collector' would take-unless you mean a garbage collector, that is!

This is the type of bike you see on city streets everyday being used by people who check dumsters for empty returnable bottles and for making runs to the store to get a 40 oz. because they lost their license after their 3rd DWI.

Seriously, anybody here would've told him that this bike ain't worth squat. Certainly not $70. He's not a newbie, either, so he should know better. "Kick him while he's down"? No, more like "point out his reckless folly". Sorry, I'm not the type to placate somebody when they do something stupid.


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## jakerson (Jun 15, 2004)

Thanks for pointing out my mistake with such clarity. I get your point about the pie plate, the stem shifters, etc. I don't get the whole picking on the dwi homeless people or whatever. Maybe they arent good enough to have a bicycle that would qualify for your stable? Maybe not rich enough? Oh well. Maybe Im not good or rich enough either.

But - I wasnt looking for a collectable. I was looking for a smooth riding steel frame. I was hopeful that it would have been a nice steel frame - a reasonably light steel frame. I paid $70 for the bike. It wasn't a great value. Luckily - I can afford to take the massive hit on my budget. Maybe I will even have enough left to splurge for some of those 40oz things that you recommend so highly.

Life goes on.


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## WalterJ (Sep 17, 2002)

Dave_Stohler said:


> Sorry, I'm not the type to placate somebody when they do something stupid.


I'm not going to get into a pissing contest but your threshold for "stupid" is alot lower than mine. 

Could he have gotten advice to lay off the bike? 

Sure he could've and your right just about everyone here, my self included would've advised caution.

My reference to "happening to all collectors...." was just a general statement based on Antiques Roadshow  more than bicycle collecting in general

But why are your panties all twisted over this? Overpaying for a used bike isn't the end of the world and it didn't cost you a dime.

Besides there's hope. A guy on eBay converts similar quality bikes to fixed gear and routinely gets over a hundred for them.


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