Old Raleigh racer - keeper or scrap?

[Steve_W]

Good afternoon PH's two-wheeled collective.

I'll admit I know next to nothing about bikes, but I pulled this Reynolds 501 framed Raleigh Record Sprint racer out of a shed and thought I'd ask about it before throwing it on the scrap pile.

Do folks collect/restore these old racers? A quick Google suggests not really, but I might just be rubbish at searching

It seems like a bitsa to me - Raleigh frame with Italian and Japanese bits on it?

Thanks for any feedback,
Steve

[outnumbered]

I'd say it's scrap really. 501 tubing isn't anything special, and the parts fitted are low end and/or undesirable.

[PH5121]

I'm sure that someone somewhere would restore it or get it in to a usable state.


The retro bike forum has a road bike section, it may be worth having a look there for inspiration,
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/raleigh-record...

[Steve_W]

Thanks for the replies so far.

Retro/RestoMod bikes - never crossed my mind there was such a thing!

MY OH has just reminded me that there's https://www.pankhurstcycles.net/ not that far from us, in Pangbourne. Might swing round there and see if they'd be interested or know someone who'd like it.

[outnumbered]

Steve_W said:

Thanks for the replies so far.

Retro/RestoMod bikes - never crossed my mind there was such a thing!

MY OH has just reminded me that there's https://www.pankhurstcycles.net/ not that far from us, in Pangbourne. Might swing round there and see if they'd be interested or know someone who'd like it.

I think that's too much of a shed even for Rikki . (we are just up the hill in Purley on Thames, he's my local shop)

[qwerty360]

Assuming it is vaguely approaching functional (i.e. no massive rust etc issues (can't see any)) offer it to one of the charities that refurbishes bikes (whether for local usage, refugees, shipping to africa etc).

Halfords certainly used to be involved with one of the schemes.


I doubt it has any value because stripping it for parts/fixing it will cost as much or more than it is worth, but charities are either getting that time donated or part of the charitable process is training people to maintain/fix them and/or the locals time is a lot cheaper.

[OutInTheShed]

I don't think it's worth much.
But if it was me, I'd rather give it away than throw it away.

I'm idly looking for a super cheap bike to go on my turbo trainer, but it's not worth the travel or postage.

A young person could learn some mechanic skills on it.

[sinbaddio]

Sue Ryder Charity takes used bikes. They're then refurbed by prisoners and sold through the charity shops.

[OutInTheShed]

Rack and mudguards might be snapped up?
Wheels if they are true.

If the saddle is in good nick, someone might take it.

Rear hub is 7 speed (?), which marks it down as not compatible even with my clunker pub bike

I think I'd either stick it on facebook for parts or give it to one of the charity places.

[snotrag]

Give it away - it doesnt have much value to you but please dont chuck it in a scrap bin.

Somewhere like TBC near me uo in Leeds - https://thebikescollege.org/

They would fix it up, use some of the bits, and that could make go towards making a great cheap/free bike for someone who needs some transport to get a job, for instance.

[RicksAlfas]

I remember these coming out with a gold groupset!
It was a bit of a looker back in the 80s.

[ArnageWRC]

Go and look on YouTube, and there's some restorers who do a fabulous job with bikes in worse condition than that. Might give you some inspiration.

[Steve_W]

Thanks all for the feedback and suggestions, I think I've found its new home (just along from where I get the cars MOT'd coincidentally):
https://www.readingbicyclekitchen.org/