Respray and restoration of 1988? Raleigh Randonneur

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kabwe
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Joined: 30 Jul 2009, 6:11pm

Respray and restoration of 1988? Raleigh Randonneur

Post by kabwe »

I want to have my Raleigh Randonneur resprayed in its original livery colours and to replace the rear deraillier, chainset, wheels and other parts where needed. Has anyone carried out this project, or a similar one, and can recommend a proven restorer? I am anxious to restore the bicycle as faithfully as possible but appreciate that it may be difficult to obtain some of the parts, for example, the sealed Maillard hubs and the 48-38-28 Shimano Biopace chainset. Advice/help will be much appreciated. I treasure this machine which has given me excellent service and is still in good condition but I want to restore it to its original glory!
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MikewsMITH2
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Re: Respray and restoration of 1988? Raleigh Randonneur

Post by MikewsMITH2 »

This one should be quite easy, being relatively modern. Someone like Argos for the respray. H Lloyd for the transfers. The parts you should find if you haunt cycle jumbles and ebay or ask forum members to look in their sheds! I got pretty much everything for my 1960 Viking Hosteller that way. I have some good used Shim\ano biopace chainwheels, I picked up at a cycle jumble. I'll check the sizes if you are interested, but I expect thay are 42/52. For rims try Miguel on this forum - he has a garden full!
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glueman
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Joined: 16 Mar 2007, 1:22pm

Re: Respray and restoration of 1988? Raleigh Randonneur

Post by glueman »

When Raleigh were still UK manufactured they did this for free. Mine was resprayed, re-badged and transfered when it looked a bit tired - just like new. Superb service. I stripped mine down to the frame but apparently even that wasn't necessary and a new headset was installed.

If it's for riding rather than looking at I wouldn't use that Biopace! I'd try Raleigh first because while I have doubts they offer the same service, they may do and might at least point you to a good paint match and transfers.
Kaitain
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Joined: 17 Jul 2014, 8:29am

Re: Respray and restoration of 1988? Raleigh Randonneur

Post by Kaitain »

Did this restoration go well? Am thinking about getting my 1991 Randonneur back into better shape, including dealing with some areas where the paint has started to flake off the frame and forks. What paint did you end up using? And can you get all the decals from H Lloyd as suggested, or were some unavailable?

Cheers,

K
Jezrant
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Joined: 14 Dec 2007, 8:11pm

Re: Respray and restoration of 1988? Raleigh Randonneur

Post by Jezrant »

Chris Marshall builds, repairs, restores, and paints frames. Former Pennine framebuilder. Vintage frames are a particular speciality. Excellent workmanship and very reasonable prices. He's in Keighley 01535-691073.
Vorpal
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Re: Respray and restoration of 1988? Raleigh Randonneur

Post by Vorpal »

Kaitain wrote:Did this restoration go well? Am thinking about getting my 1991 Randonneur back into better shape, including dealing with some areas where the paint has started to flake off the frame and forks. What paint did you end up using? And can you get all the decals from H Lloyd as suggested, or were some unavailable?

Cheers,

K

The OP hasn't logged in for a few years. It's possible s/he lurks and will see this, but a little unlikely.
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Brian73
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Joined: 11 Aug 2010, 10:32pm

Re: Respray and restoration of 1988? Raleigh Randonneur

Post by Brian73 »

I recently had a frame refinished. I shopped around and got quotes from the local framebuilders.

The quotes for frame and forks in a single colour excluding decals were £80-£130. Decals were another £20-£30.

I went for the cheapest single colour option with 3 decals and re-spaced rear end £120. Had to wait 8 weeks and wasn't overly happy with the result, paint and laquer was not very durable and there were a couple of paint runs on the downtube. Nowhere near as good as the original factory finish.

So the moral is, choose wisely.
Jezrant
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Joined: 14 Dec 2007, 8:11pm

Re: Respray and restoration of 1988? Raleigh Randonneur

Post by Jezrant »

I realise this is an old thread that's been resuscitated by a new member who may never log again like the OP, but this sort of information may still be useful to others. BTW, it's not too hard to match the run-of-the-mill original factory finish of the Raleigh Randonneur. They cranked them out. :roll:
macotheisles
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Joined: 12 Jul 2014, 10:28pm

Re: Respray and restoration of 1988? Raleigh Randonneur

Post by macotheisles »

How many Randonneurs were built then? I always had the impression that they were somewhat rarified and few-ish in number, being individually handbuilt by master craftsmen who had built up their skills over at least 70 years, at the rate of two per month. For no very good reason I imagined no more than 300 Randonneurs at most.

ps: I'm very interested in repainting mine too: original gunmetal grey with white section on the headstock tube.
Jezrant
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Joined: 14 Dec 2007, 8:11pm

Re: Respray and restoration of 1988? Raleigh Randonneur

Post by Jezrant »

I don't know the actual numbers, but don't confuse the limited numbers with time and money spent on building individual frames. They were only produced for a few years for that very niche market of well-heeled touring cyclists. As I said in the other thread you started (these two are curiously starting to merge), it's a very good bike and worth holding onto if you like it. It epitomises the classic English tourer of the period, but it's not like it's a Jack Taylor. :)
Brucey
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Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Respray and restoration of 1988? Raleigh Randonneur

Post by Brucey »

I likewise don't know the numbers but IIRC these frames were built in the 'lightweight unit' in Nottingham, alongside most of the other better quality OTP Raleigh (and eventually Carlton) frames. They made some nice bikes for sure, and having a piece of paper with the builder's mark on it was a nice touch that didn't actually cost Raleigh anything much.... good marketing to say the least.

However the rate of frame production in this unit would certainly have been higher than (say) in the Raleigh Ilkeston SBDU even if the number of randonneur bikes wasn't that high. In the SBDU we know that four or five framebuilders constructed about ten frames a week, with occasional bursts of more intense activity when an entire team's frames would be built in a shorter period.

In the entire period of operation of the SBDU (about 18 years?) in the region of 11 or 12 thousand frames were constructed, all with sequential frame numbers. It'd be interesting to find out if randonneur frames had their own set of pre-allocated frame numbers, or if they just got mixed in with the others out of the lightweight unit.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
trull
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Re: Respray and restoration of 1988? Raleigh Randonneur

Post by trull »

My 1988 machine is in the lbs getting new bearings after a powder coat...still rocks!
audaxer
Posts: 25
Joined: 13 Jan 2009, 3:34pm

Re: Respray and restoration of 1988? Raleigh Randonneur

Post by audaxer »

I've just had a 1968 Flying Scot renovated by Mercian Cycles in Derby. Fantastic job. Racing Green frame/Apple green lug lining and headset.

http://www.merciancycles.co.uk/renovation
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