Jeremy T’s Mid 70s Raleigh Grand Prix

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Tonight’s OTS is sent to us from Jeremy.  Another fine RGP to add to our collection.

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Found this Raleigh Grand Prix at a local flea market for $39.00. Not a bad deal. Every thing is original except for the cables. It had the original cables but the needed replacing. Originally had white cables but I could only find black locally. Bike is in excellent shape. Guy I got it from said it came from an estate sale and was found hanging on the wall of the garage. You really can tell that it was not kept outside because it had very little rust. Tires are a little dry in the side wall but still have some life. Brakes are Weinmann 750 center pull with the original Weinmann pads which have turned hard as a rock and need replacing. Simplex drive train which is in good shape. Shifts ok but I have gotta learn to adjust these old simplex derailers. I might get some old suntour derailers and shifters off the bay and change these out. I am also planing on getting some inexpensive Weinmann allow wheels for it. Anyway, this old steel beast drives and rides like a dream. Very smooth. Hope you like it.

Thanks Jeremy

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  • Thomas Jonas

    I’ve got one of these!

    Yours is in great shape, I love the simplex derailers but I had to replace all the cables, brakes too!

  • http://oldtenspeedgallery.com/owner-submitted/alex Alex K.

    I say upgrade if you like it. Suntour qualifies as OTS material, butfar more useable. The simplex stuff worked well when new, but the sandy grease mix that ends up lubricating them after they leave the LBS makes them turn into sloppy lexan beasts.

  • Peter

    My wife has a green Raleigh Grand Prix just like this one (mine is a Raleigh International). The derailleurs have been replaced, but the rest is probably original. She bought a new bike that she likes better, so she doesn’t ride hers. I love the bike, but it’s too small for me. If we were to sell it, what should we ask for it?

  • spike

    That looks like a 1973, maybe 1974. The Simplex derailleurs can be OK if you lubricate the cables and replace the plastic levers, that’s where a lot of the “flex” people feel comes from, not the gears themselves.

  • Ian Cooper

    I’m researching my own Raleigh Grand Prix that I picked up over the weekend and am looking to restore, so I’ve been doing a bit of digging on the ‘net.

    According to Sheldon Brown’s site this bike would have to be 1975 or earlier and Weinmann brakes appear to have been dropped in ’77. The Grand Prix only used Simplex rear derailleurs until 1975. In 1974 this bike was equipped with what the catalogue describes as a GT Mk V saddle with a padded quilted top. This would seem to be a good description of your saddle. In previous years the saddle type changed from year to year, so I’d hazard a guess that your bike is a 1974 – or maybe 1975 – model.

  • anthony

    Hi,
    Lovely bike mate.
    I’m restoring (first to functionality, not so much former glory) a Grand Prix that looks almost identical to yours, minus wheels. I’ve been having some difficulty figuring out exactly what wheelset it used to run. By measure the rear dropout spacing of my rig is 116mm, however it seems most Grand Prix’s of the time were running 5-6 speed which usually space 120mm at least?

    I was wondering if you were able to detail your wheelset/hub/rim setup and measure the rear dropout spacing? This may be a long shot but I figure it’s worth a try.

    Regards,
    Anthony