# Raleigh Grand Prix



## emzed

So I just picked up a Raleigh Grand Prix at the Value Village for 30 clams. From checking out that retro raleigh website, I'm guessing the bike is from the mid 70's. Looks to be in fairly good shape and just about ready to ride - just needs some tape on the bars. 

anything I should know about these bikes? how can I accurately date it?


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## Mr. Versatile

Grand Prix were pretty nice bikes. They were an upper mid-range bike, that were pretty light, handled well, and looked good too. Most of the one's I've seen were black. Early to late 70's is about right.


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## Andy M-S

*Gp*



emzed said:


> So I just picked up a Raleigh Grand Prix at the Value Village for 30 clams. From checking out that retro raleigh website, I'm guessing the bike is from the mid 70's. Looks to be in fairly good shape and just about ready to ride - just needs some tape on the bars.
> 
> anything I should know about these bikes? how can I accurately date it?


Stem shifters or DT? Sidepull or centerpull brakes? Cottered cranks? These are some of the items that will help tell you when it was made. 

One of these (two shades of blue, with white, IIRC) was my first decent bike, back in the '70s. Ah, if only I could have it back today...


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## emzed

Andy M-S said:


> Stem shifters or DT? Sidepull or centerpull brakes? Cottered cranks? These are some of the items that will help tell you when it was made.
> 
> One of these (two shades of blue, with white, IIRC) was my first decent bike, back in the '70s. Ah, if only I could have it back today...


It's got DT shifters, centerpull brakes, cottered cranks, a suntour rear DR.

I'm going to clean it up, get some tape on the bars (it's currently got ratty foam that needs to go) and get some photos.
How hard to you think it will be to get some replacement rubber hoods for the brakes?


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## Andy M-S

emzed said:


> It's got DT shifters, centerpull brakes, cottered cranks, a suntour rear DR.
> 
> I'm going to clean it up, get some tape on the bars (it's currently got ratty foam that needs to go) and get some photos.
> How hard to you think it will be to get some replacement rubber hoods for the brakes?


Depends. Does it have Weinmann or DiaCompe brake levers with safety brakes installed? If so, I might actually have some hoods for you (!). Most levers on GPs that I know of never had ruibber hoods, but they were made. Post photos of the brake levers as they now exist and I'll let you know.


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## emzed

Andy M-S said:


> Depends. Does it have Weinmann or DiaCompe brake levers with safety brakes installed? If so, I might actually have some hoods for you (!). Most levers on GPs that I know of never had ruibber hoods, but they were made. Post photos of the brake levers as they now exist and I'll let you know.


It's got the Weinmann brakes. However, if it's not supposed to have hoods, I may just run it traditional style and maybe just get some classic meshback fingerless gloves to cushion the hands.


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## Andy M-S

*hoods*

Most bikes of that period--let me correct that, most mass-market bikes--didn't come with rubber hoods. I don't think I saw a bike with proper hoods during the '70s, not that I was looking much.

However, if you'd like a set of black rubber hoods, I happen to have one set. They have "knockouts" on the sides for the so-called "safety-lever" bushing to pass through. I bought these years and years ago when I was refurbishing an old bike, before I discovered the joy of aero levers. If you want 'em, let me know.


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## emzed

thanks for the offer Andy - but getting them sent to me would probably be more trouble than its worth.


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## CFBlue

Is yours manufactured in Canada? I have a friend in BC who recently picked up a Grand Prix from the annual community “spring clean up day”, when residents can throw out anything, without limits. He said it as marked as being made in Canada. I think I saw that they had a manufacturing facility in Quebec. 

It’s far from perfect, but the price was right, he’s having fun cleaning it up and taking it for the occasional spin around the neighborhood.


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## MDGColorado

I worked at a Raleigh shop near Detrroit in 1974 and 75 and put together a zillion Grand Prixs. I'm sorry, but it was the 2nd lowest bike in Raleigh's line. A run of the mill 10-speed of its day, it had a mild steel frame, steel rims, a non-Brooks leather saddle, 75 psi tires, Simplex derailleurs, and a cottered steel crank. The only alloy parts were stem, bars, and brakes. It did have brake lever hoods, at least in some years. Construction quality varied by factory, with Enid Oklahoma and Holland the highest. The quality bikes started one step up: the Super Course got you straight gauge 531, alloy rims, and I think a Brooks. I will say the Grand Prix, at 29 pounds, was a lot lighter than the Schwinn Continental.


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## datawhacker

*Raleigh Super Grand Prix - blue collar vintage*

I thought this bike was kind of interesting because its in almost new condition. No discernable wear to brake pads, rims, or the chain. Most of the scratches in the finish probably came from banging around in the garage. Its Japanese, so I guess that makes it a Huffy/Raleigh from the 80s or so. I'm responsible for the plastic toe clips, saddle,and seatpost. Someone else installed the foam grips and swapped tires. I wonder how a bike can sit for 25 years without seeing hardly any use.

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## paredown

*well...*

Keeping stuff that seems valuable is easy, even if you're not using it...

What does the frame tubing decal say??


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## datawhacker

The frame tubing is just high tensile steel, but butted, which seems a little odd.

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