1974 Raleigh Professional ~ Blue Mink/Silver

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Notes:

Frame & Tubing
'74 Raleigh Professional Mk IV DL-180 ~ 24.5/61cm C-T ~ DB Reynolds 531
Victor Fastback seatcluster ~ Spearpoint Latin Line Lugs

Fork and Headset
Reynolds 531 w/ Integral Sloping Crown - Campagnolo ends ~ Campagnolo Nuovo Record Headset

Handlebars and Stem
Cinelli Giro D' Italia 64-42 ~ Cinelli 1A 140mm ~ Ambrosio Bike Ribbon

Brakes
Campagnolo Nuovo Record Calipers w/Pads & Nuovo Record Levers ~ Campagnolo Hoods

Front Derailleur
Campagnolo Nuovo Record

Rear Derailleur
Campagnolo Nuovo Record ~ Pat 72

Shifters
Campagnolo Super Record DT (Formally Campagnolo Barends)

Gearing/Freewheel
Regina Extra 7 (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)

Crankset and Bottom bracket
177.2 Campagnolo Record Strada 53/42 & Campagnolo Nuovo Record BB

Pedals and Chain
Campagnolo Superleggeri w/Campagnolo Alloy Clips & Alfredo Binda Straps / Sedis

Saddle and Seat Post
Brooks Team Professional & San Marco Concor Supercorsa / Campagnolo Nuovo Record Post - 27.2

Front wheel
Mavic Open 4 CD (36) ~ O.M.A.S. Hub ~ Michelin Pro 2 Race

Rear wheel
Mavic Open 4 CD (36) ~ Mavic 550 RD Hub ~ Michelin Pro 2 Race

Weight
22lbs

_____________________________________________________________________________

I credit this '74 Raleigh Professional, Raleigh's nod to Italian design, for really getting me
back into cycling daily. I try to get 30-35 miles on it every day, moving to 50 per day on
the weekends. In my opinion, this Blue Mink Pro is one of the most beautiful bikes ever
made with its pristine paint/decals and near perfect chrome setoff by the silver/blue mix.
Even the lug work is rather exemplary with the thinned long points looking very refined,
although my version is evidence that the boys in Worksop must have had an extremely
good day (I've seen some Pros with less than stellar details). The fastback seat cluster
and Cinelli crown are highlights with both probably contributing to extra stiffness, the
rear triangle a relatively stiff affair. The fork on the Pro is raked a tad bit more than its
Italian brethren, however.

You sometimes read negatives about Raleigh Pros being harsh; personally, I don't find this
the case at all although it's more rigid and thus could transmit road irregularities compared
to some of this era. Geometry-wise, it's no International, possibly one of the most relaxed
geometry affairs around, decidedly biased towards the touring vein. The Pro is extremely
responsive without being twitchy and gets the power to the pavement due to the extremely
stiff rear triangle. Simply put, it's a joy to ride and it gets many compliments every time
out from people that know. You can stay in the 20s on this beast and smile wide while
nodding to the compact frame clones. We have a plethora of interval timing Triathletes
that ride daily and keeping up with the A-List can be a turn-yourself-inside-out affair. Still,
this vintage Raleigh Pro, in all its Reynolds 531DB glory, can hold its own.

In my opinion, the Campagnolo Nuovo Record is form/function/beauty combined, with it
taking a more industrial beauty over the Super Record that was soon to follow. I never tire
of looking at this bike and I hope that stays this way as it's stored in my living room, much
to my wife's chagrin. I just replaced the Selle San Marco Concor with a period correct
Brooks Team Pro that has now broken in to fit like a glove, even if it's a heavy as hell glove.
What a beautiful saddle that is much like topping on the cake. The near bulletproof and true
Mavic Open 4 CD rims' anodizing has seen better days due to pad wear, but these wheels
are still going strong and the Michelin Pro2 Race are an excellent match (this tire rolls like
a dream - too bad you cant get them in black). I get some gruff from another vintage bike
lover on the rims but this is a DAILY RIDER, not a piece of wall art, although nice enough
to exhibit as such. OK, the rims are ugly as hell and this thing does deserve tub status,
currently the setup on my De Rosa.

I have an '80 Piaggio era Bianchi beater out of Columbus "Aelle R" that feels like inert
matter compared to this bike. The Bianchi currently resides in SS status while a Columbus
Neuron '01 Cinelli Supercorsa is waiting in the wings, wondering when it will ever be built.
Should be interesting comparing the Cinelli to the Raleigh on a number of fronts.
Meanwhile, I've yet to even straddle a carbon fiber anything as there is just something
magical about these vintage, hand-built steel rides that just feels Right.

UPDATE: Lately, this bike shares "every day" status with my '83 De Rosa Professional,
a Columbus SL machine that is perhaps the best rider I have, although this English
beast is really neck and neck, and maybe shouldn't be ultimately compared. It still gets
ridden three to four times a week. I just ditched the Campy barends for Super Record
DT shifters for a cleaner, more original approach. Looking for period correct wheels to
finish this off finally as the bike deserves as much.

More photos: http://i-vol.com/bikes/raleigh_professional.htm

People who friended this bike Hyde, satapana, Cool Steel, latron, Vertigo, GEORGEPALMA, phoenix, Tony Mascarpone, MisterAlbatross, Zephyrus, paramount, Chainwheel, Badjir, trackmarks, amnomad, cyclebob13, nsop, mr.2ter, Kevin, ragnar.jensen, bkbldr, phillyc71, yobustit, Valentijn, stevieg, Klimabean, bionnaki, hollowgram5, arkiemark, sauerkraut, sibkis, tazmeraz, Lord_Athlon, mayksense, www.radpropaganda.org, mastronaut, shibbybeatzz, BLUEMEANIE, Zalan, nexus6, jguerry, electricgeorge, eaglerock, parkerg

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Lovely.. but I like the DT

Submitted by nexus6 on 08/04/2009.

Lovely.. but I like the DT shifter version better.

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You mean...

Submitted by abstrait on 08/08/2009.

So do I. I like the contrast in shot #1 but my favorite setup by far is the original DT shifters as it's cleaner. That's actually the way its been set up for a quite a while, just as seen in shot #2 & 3. I still ride this bike weekly although something new has come in that I'm really looking forward to. Yep, another Italian beast that will be my oldest bike yet.

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Professional MK IV

Submitted by allwaysbybike on 07/09/2009.

My God is your machine clean!
I have the same, bought used in summer of '75. Still rides like a dream and passes more then a few carbon machines. But after 34 years paint could use a refresh. All Campy components still work as new! I've updated to Velocity deep v's because of my weight and the shit roads we have round here.
White rims with white bar tape, like yours, and white cables and a white Selle San Marco saddle. Even with a bit of a scratched up frame she still turns heads,but yours!!!! like new. How long have you had it?
It's the best Italian bike ever to come out of Great Briton and a joy to drive. Always turbine smooth ,agile, quiet and surprisingly comfortable.
Great to see one in mint shape, makes me want to go for a ride right now.

Be well

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Yes, indeed.

Submitted by abstrait on 08/08/2009.

I feel the same way although some of the vintage freaks that live and breathe Italian sort of turn their nose up at these Worksop Raleighs. Thing is, this bike can really hold it's own and I ride it back to back with my De Rosa, losing very little, though it handles a bit differently, with a different rate of fall-in when leaning into the turn. The rear triangle is certainly tighter than all the other Raleighs for sure, with the Team Pro the only other real handler. While my De Rosa might feel a touch more nimble, some of it due to size difference, the Raleigh Pro does not lose much if you are aware of its traits. I get compliments on this every time out - the paint scheme just does something in person...

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False eBay Auction featuring my Raleigh Pro

Submitted by abstrait on 02/26/2009.

Someone wrote to let me know my '74 Raleigh Professional was being featured in an eBay auction
with the lead photo of me standing behind the beast along with the word for word description of the
parts. This bike is NOT FOR SALE and this info was lifted from here without my consent, the seller
making it seem as if it were his bike. Although I notified eBay twice, this auction has been featured
several times, with duplicated notes and word for word description.

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My first big boy bike

Submitted by Sugary_Otis on 01/25/2009.

Its funny, my Raleigh bikes are all older than me, but my first BMX bike was an all chrome (probably American made) Raleigh, even though all I wanted was my parents to spring for a GT or Dyno or anything else that was on the front cover of that months BMX magazine. Mine was lighter than any of my friend's "cool" bikes and none of them knew my parents bought it at Discount Harry's for probably half what their parents spent. Wonder if that has anything to do with my obsession with vintage Raleigh's... Sugary_Otis

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Priceless

Submitted by Sugary_Otis on 01/25/2009.

Raleigh's colors were all over the map. Some were the most beautiful bikes -EVER. This is one. I love the how the front fork had just changed from the former years flat crown. Like you said, this bike seems more Italian that it's Brit brothers. I have a 71 International in Champagne color (insanely beautiful as well) that's way too small for me, its a 51cm. That's the only reason I've stalled on completing it. I'll probably have to just sell it once its done, or maybe I'll only date girls that fit it, so I can justify keeping the bike around. People have tried to convince me to just convert it to a singlespeed since I'm only missing the cranks, wheels and rear derailleur. I say they're nuts, it deserves to be restored in its full glory. I can only hope it comes out this nice. I just finished a period correct Campy/Cinelli rebuild of 75 Raleigh Pro Track and put it up. Love it.

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me

Submitted by mastronaut on 11/29/2008.

like!

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Nice Raleigh

Submitted by Klimabean on 11/24/2008.

So clean you could lick it!

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memories

Submitted by coffeebuyer107 on 09/05/2008.

I was a 14 year old junior racer in 1974 riding a Motobecane in Germany. I came out of a bike store and saw a carbon copy (except for the rims) of your Raleigh Professional just sitting there, brand new at the time. Like your comment from February I was transfixed, just as I am now....beautiful!

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Great Comment

Submitted by abstrait on 09/09/2008.

Love your comment, especially considering we were almost the exact same age, at the exact same time, an ocean apart, when we first saw this bike. I wasnt racing at the time (except the neighborhood fiends), just an admirer of beautiful machines, and I remember seeing the Professional and thinking about the same thing. It might as well been priced out of the Universe, and practically was to me at the time. It took me quite a few years before I found one with the same karma & elan. There is something magical about this combination of silver, blue, and chrome. IT would have been even more magical if I was OVER THERE looking at the beast!

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Awesome!

Submitted by Kevin on 08/04/2008.

Like mine, but infinitely nicer. haha. Very cool.

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Ridiculously hot.

Submitted by mstacle on 06/18/2008.

Ridiculously hot.

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A religiously attractive bike

Submitted by Chainwheel on 05/25/2008.

This is so nice. I agree the older Campag set the norm for components and still work great.

Chainwheel

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North Carolina!

Submitted by savestheday on 02/28/2008.

Hey man, don't know you but your in North Carolina, so...

New forum site for local events, tech talk, FS/WTB and other stuff.

www.ncfixed.com

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Aston Martin?

Submitted by Hyde on 01/10/2008.

Reminds me of a euro sports car from the 70's. Scared me at first but i reallly like the cables coming out of the bar tape.

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heh...

Submitted by abstrait on 02/03/2008.

Thanks for the comment... You know, I dont even think the photos do this bike justice, even. Been storing the beast in my living room and sometimes I find myself just staring at it as if transfixed. Yeah, the Campy barcon shifters are an interesting touch that I grew to like much more with use; they actually work quite nicely. The metal jacket cable exiting the tape is something you even like or not. I happen to like it now as well. The whole bike really DOES remind one of the fine cars of old. I had a blue BMW Bavaria 3.0 that it reminds me of... That car started rusting like a fiend - this thing is immaculate.

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Online:

1974 Raleigh Professional ~ Blue Mink/Silver