..this thing emerges..

[Pneumant]

Hells bells, spot of successful bidding on Eb*y, loads of rummaging through my old bike bits, blagging of yet more old bike bits from friends, purchasing of *some* new bike bits which blows the 'keep it cheap' budget bit , and lots of mackling in sub-zero temperatures in the shed and...................this thing emerges, boy is it flourescent . So what the hell is it? It is a 23" Raleigh 'Pro-Race', 501 butted main tubes and the rest of it is cro-mo and fairly light. Decent build construction with beefy lugs and forged dropouts plus mudguard eyes. Ah mudguard eyes, this is the reason why I have built this up, my LeMond Filmore does not have any on the front forks  and I do not trust things like 'P' clips (I suffered a Chute terrible 15 years ago because of a failed 'p' clip afixed mudguard). I think the Raleigh frame is decent, they just hung some pretty rotten components on it to keep the price down. This one was lightly used with its original reflectors still attached to the wheels & bike (a sure sign of light usage!)  I had to but new wheels, saddle, seatpost, chainring, bar tape and chain to complement what I had and what I could blag. And am I happy?  - you bet! Rides very very nicely, lets me keep on a fixed in the wet winter months, will quite happily bolt into the turbo  and even the bright flourescent-ness is growing on me, all for the price of a set of motorbike tyres

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/qq215/larfandsing/raleighpro.jpg

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/qq215/larfandsing/raleighback.jpg

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/qq215/larfandsing/raleighback2.jpg

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/qq215/larfandsing/raleighoside.jpg

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/qq215/larfandsing/raleighoside2.jpg

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/qq215/larfandsing/raleighnside.jpg

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/qq215/larfandsing/raleighfront.jpg

[Phil]

It's a beauty! I do like to see a bike that's been built for good honest use.  Nice taut chain too

[Fixedwheelnut]

very nice, good enough for audaxing with the right bag 

[mike]

that's wonderful!  Love the colour, & perfect for the winter.

[oncemore]

Extremely tidy bit of kit - nice one.

[Pneumant]

Thanks for all the compliments, yes I am really pleased with the way it has turned out. Was looking for a Carbolite or HLE  Peugeot really but was put off by the funny seat pillar size and possibility of headset strangeness too. Raleighs seem to fetch over-odds on Eb*y - luckily for me the bidding on the Pro-Race was sensible.  Just funny seeing the bike in the daylight after only really seeing under harsh indoor lighting. Quite a suprise as to how bright it is - a good thing I reckon in the winter months, cheers me up Anyone spotted my home made front mudflap yet? One other thought - the hub axles are hollow and the nuts supplied do not have the captive washers, can anyone recommend a good place to get these and the size I should be asking for, I presume a hollow axle is slightly different to a solid axle?

[Chris S]

Speaking as someone who owns four fixies - two that would have anyone falling about pointing and laughing until wet patches appear on them in frankly, rather embarrassing places, and two that are somewhat less laughable - I think that is rather handsome.

Nice Work  .

[Chris N]

A bit 80's dayglo, but a nice looking bike.

[peanut]

very nice 
has made me think about building up my 80's Flo pink  Ribble over xmas .
Looks rite ansome

[Pneumant]

very nice 
has made me think about building up my 80's Flo pink  Ribble over xmas .
Looks rite ansome

I remember those , they did a flo yellow as well.
Almost had a big off today,  was gently descending a hill and saw an Aston Martin - Lagonda coming up the hill. These are quite a rare car, anyway I looked at it passing me then looked up, saw the verge and thought *oh dear*, steered away and then forgot to keep pedaling , thankfully the road was wet and the back wheel locked up quite easily. I carried on chanting the mantra ....keep pedaling, keep pedaling.........................

[Rhys W]

Can I ask what the rear hub is? And the rear dropout spacing?

It's giving me ideas, see. 

[Pneumant]

The rear dropout spacing is 126mm. I got two alloy 3mm spacers from Worlands in Oxford for 50p each to space out from 120 to 126mm. The wheels were ordered from St John Street Cycles , £115 delivered, the hub has a nice long hollow axle and would easily respace to 130mm, no idea what the make is but it looks similiar to the On-One hub.

700c (622) Fixed per pair

Ideas - dangerous things !

[Pneumant]

A bit 80's dayglo, but a nice looking bike.

I reckon 1991,  well assuming Raleigh operated a JIT ordering regime, clues include the unicrown 700c forks and a Selle Royal saddle (in White vinyl  ) dated June 1991

[Rhys W]

The rear dropout spacing is 126mm. I got two alloy 3mm spacers from Worlands in Oxford for 50p each to space out from 120 to 126mm. The wheels were ordered from St John Street Cycles , £115 delivered, the hub has a nice long hollow axle and would easily respace to 130mm

 Thanks - I always thought that a nice fixed hub in a 130mm frame would look sorta wrong, but yours is pretty neat.

I have a Terry Dolan-built 653, currently residing under the stairs, wheel-less. It would be churlish not to...

[border-rider]

 Thanks - I always thought that a nice fixed hub in a 130mm frame would look sorta wrong, but yours is pretty neat.

I've got a couple of 135s and a couple of 130s.  The double-sided ones look OK, but a single sided spaced hub can look a bit odd.

[francisbarton]

She's lovely, a great winter ride, good work!