Ryan S’s 1974ish Raleigh Grand Prix

Regular contributor, commenter and all-around Cotter, Ryan S, has provide today’s two-wheeled jewel. This sparkling emerald jem is a 1974ish Raleigh Grand Prix.

Hi Cameron

I picked this GP up, for $25, in July at the same time I picked up the ’75 Peugeot UO-8 I sent you last month. The GP took some twists and turns before I finally got it done. I ran into BB issues (stupid proprietary threading!) and so I cannibalized the fixed up wheels and tires, toe clips and straps and (Raleigh branded) seat binder bolt for the Raleigh Marathon Mixte (OTSG 12/13/2011) I had in the queue.

I also totally destroyed the original Raleigh *%&^!@+ cottered crank trying to remove it and replaced that with a Stronglight cottered crank which came with a 45t inner ring! had to swap that out for a 40t ring, Seattle is no place for a 45×28 low gear! Finally with patience, perseverance, walking away before boiling over, and a few beers, it came together in all its Bronze Green glory and went to a friend of a friend who needed a commuter. I liked the way the white bar tape and housing looked on the Marathon Mixte so much that I had to do it again.

As always thanks for your wonderful site

Ryan

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1619264304 Darrell Yarborough

Ryan, I don’t mean to impune your mechanical abilities at all here, but if you don’t already have an excellent crank cotter press PM me on Facebook and I’ll make a recommendation. They can be a bear. I’ve ruined a few cotters but never the entire crank.
- oldtenspeed
  
  I load them on to my bench vice with an old, smallish 3/8-drive socket to place over the back end of the of pin (to allow for travel), then a liberal application of pressure. Has worked pretty well for me.
- Ryan Surface
  
  Thanks Darrell this cotter experience resulted in my saving up my pennies to buy a cotter specific tool that works wonderfully http://www.bikesmithdesign.com/CotterPress/ its a bit pricey but I will *never* destroy a crank getting a cotter out again 😉
Phil11764

Very nice. Always liked a green frame and white tape/tubing. Very classy looking IMHO.
BeaterRezQ

Ryan S.,
Nice, I am also a fan of how the white throws off the solid hunter green(?) frame. It’s amazing how just a bar wrap/cable housing/seat combo can determine so oftentimes what looks classy and what looks like just another bike. Cotter pins are a bear, I’ve only ruined one upon removal–I say only one like some kind of expert, no….only one because I normally try to avoid bikes with cottered cranks, unless it’s an absolutely mint or a rare piece–usually, I move on.
Nice ride/resto’, right down to the gumwalls
BRQ
- Ryan Surface
  
  Thanks BRQ as I recall the Raleigh catalogs of that era showed white housing which gave me the idea and I think they called this color “Bronze Green” . Now that I have paid for the cotter tool I am actually looking for cottered cranks rather than avoiding them 😉
  - Trailerparkcyclist
    
    “If the only tool you have is a cotter tool you tend to see every problem as a cottered crank.”
    Abraham (Let Me At “Em)Maslow.
    
    You never cease to amaze, Ryan. An Emerald Jewel for the Emerald City. Some friend of a friend got lucky. I want a Raleigh.
    
    tj
    - oldtenspeed
      
      TPC! How could I have missed the most obvious reference in my introduction?! Emerald City! DOH!
      - Trailerparkcyclist
        
        I got yer back, Cap.
      - BeaterRezQ
        
        Cam, don’t feel bad–I skipped right over the reference to ” bronze green” me-self, me bad. Love the comment “Solar panel reflector”, descriptive and not too far off.
        B
    - Ryan Surface
      
      TPC some days your the cotter pin….some days you are the cold rolled press 😉
DOCSPROCKET

HI RYAN DOC HERE
FOT THOSE ALL TO STUBBORN COTTERS I USE A BENZ-O-MATIC BUTANE TORCH LIQUID WRENCH & 1 ICE CUBE,
HEAT THE SURFACE OF CRANK CAUTION YOU CAN BUBBLE THE CHROME & DARKEN IT IF YOU GET IT TOO HOT
AT THAT TIME HIT THE PIN ON BOTH ENDS WITH THE LIQUID RENCH JUST A DROP OR 2 WILL WORK FINE.
AT THIS POINT USE THE ICE CUBE ON THE PIN 1 TO 3 MINUTES OR UNTILL IT’S COLD TO TOUCH THEN REHEAT.
THEN LET STAND 10 TO 30 MINUTES. AT THIS POINT I ROTATE THE CRANK WITH THE THREADED END UP &
USE A MEDIUM CENTER PUNCH & A 1/LB SLEDGE HOLD FIRM & STRIKE DEAD CENTER OF PIN. THIS WILL ENSURE YOU DONT DAMAGE THE THREADS OF THE PIN. THIS WILL WORK 9 OUT OF 10 TIME. IF IT DOES NOT WORK THE FIRST TIME REPETE HOT & COLD & LUBE AGAIN IF BADLY RUSTED LET STAND OVER NIGHT & MOST OF ALL BREATH DEEP IT WILL WORK. THIS PROCEDURE WORKS ON CRANK BOLTS STEMS & BB CUPS
SEEE ATTACHED PHOTO OF TORCH
- BeaterRezQ
  
  Doc, you strike me as a very patient man…..I’m just saying.
  B
  - BeaterRezQ
    
    ….I had the same kind of torch, but it burned in the fire. We won’t go there, STUPID cotter pin!
- Ryan Surface
  
  Wow Doc it almost sounds like a mixed drink the way you describe it. “I would like the Stubborn- Cotter with a beer back please” 😉 Seriously sounds like you don’t mess around. I will now think of you as Doc Sprocket “Vanquisher of recalcitrant Cotters” . Thank you for the compliment on the resto, I was pleased with how it came out.
  - DOCSPROCKET
    
    here is a preview of one to come
    mid 80’s univega viva
    - BeaterRezQ
      
      …you gotta have tons of patience to create such beautiful bikes with such attention to detail. Gorgeous!
      BRQ
DOCSPROCKET

by the way nice restoration

Old Ten Speed Gallery

5 x 2 = Love

Ryan S’s 1974ish Raleigh Grand Prix