'78 Carlton Raleigh Super Course

[3-speeder]

I just picked up this bike and I was really happy to acquire it. It's a little rough around the edges but the frame looks solid and straight. From the research I've done it seems that it is a Carlton Worksop built Raleigh from the summer of 1978 . I couldn't find a Carlton catalog from '78 but it seems most of the components are the same as the description in the regular Raleigh Catalog here.

What can anyone tell me about these machines? Do you think the chrome fork is a replacement or did the gold frames come with chrome forks? What about the rims? I will be looking for shifter cables as the rear is missing and I'd like to keep the bar end shifters. Any good sources? Might need brake cables too, they're pretty roached. Any comments or suggestions are welcome. Thank you.

Looks like I may have found a good bike to mount the Brooks B15 on that I saved off my '62 Sports.

Now for some pictures

 

[3-speeder]

more images

 

[juvela]

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congratulations on this excellent find!

outstanding job on the photos

dating places right near the very end for British built Raleigh cycles for the U.S. market

the Raleigh assembly facility in Enid Oklahoma closed in 1978-79

the first Raleigh Of America cycles appear ~1979-80

here is the U.S. market catalogue page for 1978

agree fork must be a replacement

catalogue text states fork made with a
Vagner forged crown with Suntour forged ends rather than the stamped and welded crown and stamped ends of the fork currently worn; OEM fork shown with fully painted finish rather than the full chrome of present fork

you may find a marking on steerer from Tange or other provider of generic replacement forks

wheels also differ greatly from catalogue which states them to be 700c size and built with Weinmann concave rims and Atom hubs rather than Araya 27" rims and Shimano hubs

pedals are not specified in catalogue text but are shown to be of clearly a quill pattern rather than the rat trap pattern Atom model 440 worn by the cycle at present

you will have lots of good fun exploring this new arrival


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[3-speeder]

@juvela what can you tell me about the Suntour ARX mechs? Thanks

 

[juvela]

@juvela what can you tell me about the Suntour ARX mechs? Thanks

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nada

have no experience with them


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[SirMike1983]

Nice bike - that was a mid-level offering in its day with a frame and components well above the base level. The issue with the ARX, as good as it looks, is that it was a derailleur that wanted to be modern and kind of up-scale, but which was produced more as a mass market thing with more steel parts than the sculpted appearance would suggest. They sometimes have cable issues. I think the vX was a better derailleur. The ARX came in at a time when the market was moving from Suntour to Shimano, and it certainly was not enough to save Suntour from that fate. It's not a bad part though and if you can get yours to work reliably, I'd stick with it. On the other hand, if it is giving you grief, I'd be inclined to swap it out for your preferred derailleur type.

 

[3-speeder]

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nada

have no experience with them


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That's okay. I really appreciate the history you shared. I feel this bike is even more special knowing it was made during the end of an era.

 

[3-speeder]

Nice bike - that was a mid-level offering in its day with a frame and components well above the base level. The issue with the ARX, as good as it looks, is that it was a derailleur that wanted to be modern and kind of up-scale, but which was produced more as a mass market thing with more steel parts than the sculpted appearance would suggest. They sometimes have cable issues. I think the vX was a better derailleur. The ARX came in at a time when the market was moving from Suntour to Shimano, and it certainly was not enough to save Suntour from that fate. It's not a bad part though and if you can get yours to work reliably, I'd stick with it. On the other hand, if it is giving you grief, I'd be inclined to swap it out for your preferred derailleur type.

Thank you Sir. I hope to be able to clean up and service this old ARX system and dial it in. Seems I might be able to follow some of your advice from the past. Remember this post from the linked thread? https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/62-raleigh-sports-with-lenton-dual-drive.153071/post-1030281

 

[3-speeder]

Can anyone tell me what the W/O on the rim stands for? Thank you

 

[juvela]

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W/O = wired-on

this is the correct term for thus type of rim/tyre

common modern term is "clincher" which is incorrect

a true clincher rim/tyre is something different and obsolete by generations


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