Best known in the United States as the Raleigh Professional Mark I (1968-70), the Raleigh Ruberg is one of the more obscure Raleigh racing bikes. Yet, it is one of the more significant being the first British designed and built racing bike for a Continental racing team, the first top-end Raleigh racing frame for the U.K. market since the Raleigh Record Ace and initiated Raleigh's prominent role in America's "Bike Boom" of the 1970s.
Sandwiched between the post-war heyday of Raleigh club machines like the Lenton Sports, Clubman and Record Ace and the SBDU division in Ilkeston 1974-86, the 1960s are a less impressive and less documented period in the company's involvement in top end racing machines.
Concurrent with the acquisition of Carlton in 1960, all Reynolds 531 production and specialised racing frame construction was shifted from Nottingham to Worksop and the name Raleigh was purposely allowed to diminish and all but disappear from top end racing bicycles and cycle sport. An era ended in 1961 when the last of the Raleigh Lenton Sports rolled off the assembly line at Nottingham and production of Sturmey-Archer racing and sports hub gears also ended. By 1965, the only Reynolds 531 product in the Raleigh line-up was the Record T.o.B. (Tour of Britain) frameset and actually a rebadged Carlton Grand Prix.
A CONTINENTAL CHAIN OF EVENTS
The 1960s saw the character of British cycle sport and racing machines evolve towards a wholly Continental, especially Italian, orientation both in terms of frame design and components and shift towards more mass start, stage racing events and away from the traditional British time trial. The most famous British cyclist of the period, Tommy Simpson, rode for Peugeot-BP and rode a Peugeot PX-10 and was the first Briton to compete at the top echelons of Continental road sport. British cycle manufacturers actively participated in the domestic cycle sport with Falcon, Viking, Carlton and Holdsworth sponsoring their own teams but had yet to enter the Continental market.
If Britain had barely penetrated European cycling, Germany was still at its periphery especially road cycling. A promising new generation of riders was in the offing, however, and German based teams began to slowly evolve. In addition to Torpedo, one of West Germany’s best known professional cycling team of the immediate post-war era was the Rüberg Team which dates back to 1952. It was sponsored by Rüberg & Renner Kettenwerke, a large chain manufacturer headquartered in Hagen.
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Post-war advertisements and a chain box for Rüberg "Brilliant" chains. The firm was a major manufacturer of chains for cycles, motorcycles and industrial use and was, with Torpedo, one of the pioneering sponsors of cycle sport in post-war West Germany.
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Rüberg's involvement in international cycle sport was largely down to its long-serving manager, Wolfgang Gronen (1916-1995), who was one of the leading figures in German cycling after the war both as a team manager, journalist and leading the German Professional Racer Association. He mentored many of the rising stars in cycling from Germany and the Low Countries. The Rüberg teams numbered among its squad mostly German, Dutch and Belgian riders competing largely on the Continental circuit in the Low Country spring classics, one-day races and criteriums as well as extensive track racing including Six-Day events. It and Torpedo were the best known of the early post-war West German teams and did much to help revive cycle sport in the country after the war.
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Rüberg manager Wolfgang Gronen fostered the careers of many of Germany's top road and track cyclists in the immediate post-war era including Wilfried Peffgen (left) who rode for Germany's national team in the 1967 Tour de France, Werner Potzernheim (centre), Bronze Medal winner in the 1000 m. sprint at the 1952 Helsinki Olympia Games and star of Rüberg's track race team and Hennes Junkermann (right) who won 35 races in 18 seasons road racing from 1953-1973 as well as nine Six-Day track victories.
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Unique among European teams, the then named Rüberg-Caltex team looked to a British marque for its equipment and from 1964-66 was outfitted with Viking Severn Valley racing bikes. Viking, then in financial difficulties, justly regarded its association with Rüberg as a coup and it figured prominently in its advertising at a time when British cycle sport was increasingly influenced by Continental racing and equipment. For 1965, a British rider, Keith Butler, joined the team as well, placing 14th in the Tour of Flanders that year.
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In 1964, Rüberg-Caltex became the first major European cycling team to use British made bicycles, namely the Viking Severn Valley. In the top photo, Rüberg's manager Wolfgang Gronen (left) inspects the initial delivery of framesets at Viking's Wolverhampton factory and below the team poses with their mounts. credit: classicvikingcycles.com website
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Viking's last catalogue before it went into receivership in 1967 featured the Rüberg squad, now riding as Rüberg-Continental, and in their second and final season riding Viking Severn Valley machines. credit: classicvikingcycles.com website
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| Rüberg riders with their Viking Severn Valley machines during the Corona Tour of the South-West, 1966 on which Willifred Peffgen won the 2nd Stage. credit: Paul Whatley. |
When the Wolverhampton firm went into receivership in 1967, the team looked elsewhere. In late 1966, Rüberg-Continental as it was then known entered into an agreement with Raleigh to supplant Viking for the 1967 season. At the time, Raleigh’s standing in professional cycle sport was at low ebb with the Reg Harris era but a memory and any involvement in cycle sport centered on the Carlton marque whose Gerald O’Donovan was the principal designer.
A RACING RALEIGH FOR THE CONTINENT
Although originally designed for the Rüberg team, the new model would also represent a new chapter in Raleigh commercial racing bicycle range, forming the basis for the first Raleigh Professional for the US market as well as a new effort to regain some of the lightweight trade in the UK under the Raleigh name.
This was a milestone bicycle for the British cycle business being, it is believed, the very first actually designed and built from scratch for a Continental team. Indeed, this was the first completely new frame designed by Gerald O' Donovan as a Raleigh rather than a Carlton. As such, it was unlike any previous Carlton/Raleigh racing frame being a decidedly “Continental” style design, suitable for both stage racing and criteriums and constructed on very robust lines.
Rüberg competed mainly in North Belgium (Flanders) racing on the traditional rough pavé in often challenging weather conditions and both man and machine had to be tough and resilient. Indeed, even the Viking Severn Valley frames for Rüberg had been "beefed up" with ⅝" seat stays, straight brake bridges instead of curved and the forks additionally internally braced while heavier gauge 19/22 Reynolds 531 used rather than the 21/24 of stock frames. The new Raleigh would go all of this one better being designed especially for these racing conditions.
Rüberg competed mainly in North Belgium (Flanders) racing on the traditional rough pavé in often challenging weather conditions and both man and machine had to be tough and resilient. Indeed, even the Viking Severn Valley frames for Rüberg had been "beefed up" with ⅝" seat stays, straight brake bridges instead of curved and the forks additionally internally braced while heavier gauge 19/22 Reynolds 531 used rather than the 21/24 of stock frames. The new Raleigh would go all of this one better being designed especially for these racing conditions.
Although designed by O'Donovan to the specifications of Rüberg Manager Wolfgang Gronen, the new Raleigh showed decided Italian influences and was similar to the machines the famed Italian designer builder Faliero Masi had crafted at about the same time for Tommy Simpson and Eddy Merckx then riding for the Peugeot-BP racing team. Masi had been engaged by Raleigh as a consultant during this period and one can surmise he played a certain role in the design and specification of the new Raleigh Ruberg.
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| The Raleigh Ruberg was introduced at the Earl’s Court Cycle Show in November 1966 by Gerald O’Donovan (left) who presented the prototype to the Rüberg Team Manager Wolfgang Gronen (right). The prototype differed from production bikes for the team in its livery, especially the number and arrangement of the German national colours on the tubes, and the lack of chrome. |
PAVÉ-PROOF RUGGEDNESS
The frame was built of all Reynolds 531 with 19/22 gauge double-butted tubing used except, uniquely, for the down tube which employed straight-gauge to make for a stiffer frame. Gone were the “pencil” stays and slender “D” shaped fork blades and ornate lugs and elaborate finish that characterized classic British designs. Instead, the Ruberg featured chunky rear stays with ⅝” near wrapover, round rapid taper chain stays and large profile oval fork blades with Davis fork crowns to provide greater road dampening qualities on the Flemish pavé as well as being extra strong and resilient. With criterium racing in mind, the bottom bracket was just shy of 11" off the ground and the rear triangle was considered "short" for its era to add in responsiveness and cornering. What it lacked in absolute lightness, was more than compensated in rigidity and resilience, ideal for the mud and setts of Flemish roads that would be its lot in the Spring Classics and summer criteriums.
The new machine introduced an entirely fresh and striking livery for the Rüberg Team that matched the jerseys and was designed to be a real stand-out in the peloton. The frame was all-white enamel with the team colours of red-black-mustard yellow (emulating the national colours of the German Federal Republic) in bands on the seat tubes and also carried as striping on the seat stay caps. Even the heavy stove enameled white finish was designed for extra durability for road racing. The head lugs, fork crowns, front fork socks (10-inches) and rear triangle ends (10-inches) were heavily chromed and the entirely machine presented a clean and eye-catching appearance, so desirable in a racing machine. "Ruberg" on the top tube front sides and "Raleigh" on the downtube was in the traditional block letters associated with Raleigh special frame department production even though these were built at Carlton, Worksop. Rüberg even changed its logo on its jerseys and caps to emulate this block lettering.
The new machine introduced an entirely fresh and striking livery for the Rüberg Team that matched the jerseys and was designed to be a real stand-out in the peloton. The frame was all-white enamel with the team colours of red-black-mustard yellow (emulating the national colours of the German Federal Republic) in bands on the seat tubes and also carried as striping on the seat stay caps. Even the heavy stove enameled white finish was designed for extra durability for road racing. The head lugs, fork crowns, front fork socks (10-inches) and rear triangle ends (10-inches) were heavily chromed and the entirely machine presented a clean and eye-catching appearance, so desirable in a racing machine. "Ruberg" on the top tube front sides and "Raleigh" on the downtube was in the traditional block letters associated with Raleigh special frame department production even though these were built at Carlton, Worksop. Rüberg even changed its logo on its jerseys and caps to emulate this block lettering.
Campagnolo components appear to have been used throughout with Weinmann 999 centre-pull brakes and sprint rims (Weinmann being a joint sponsor of the team that year), 3ttt stem and bars.
The Raleigh Ruberg was introduced at the Earl’s Court Cycle Show in November 1966 by Gerald O’ Donovan who presented the prototype to the Rüberg Team Manager Wolfgang Gronen.
RALEIGHS RACING FOR RÜBERG
The introduction of the new Raleighs in time for the 1967 season coincided unfortunately with a serious recession in Germany, severe enough that Rüberg and Torpedo both found it increasingly difficult to justify the cost of sponsoring their teams. As it proved, 1967 would be the last for both teams. And the one and only year in which the new Raleighs were actually used in competitive racing.
That year Rüberg-Continental squad comprised Winfried Gottschalk, Ernst Joehnk, Hans-Peter Kanters, Dieter Kemper, Klaus May, Willy Primo, Ehrenfried Rudolph, Hartmut Scholz, Wolfgang Schulze, Ernst Streng, Piet Van Der Lans and Helmut Wolff. Wolfgang Gronen was again Manager and Wim Poot Asst. Manager.
The 25-year-old Willy Primo, from Ghent, Belgium, obtain the best road racing successes in 1967 with two first place wins: Geraardsbergen (criterium), 31 July won and Zingem (criterium) 21 August and 2nd place in the Gistel road race, all in his native country. Wolfgang Schulze placed second in the Baden-Baden criterium that year and in the Kamp-Lintfort criterium Piet van der Lans and Ernst Strong finished 2nd and 3rd respectively. The team excelled at the National Championship (track) in 1967 with Wolfgang Schulze the overall winner. Negative publicity arose during the World Track Championships that year when Dieter Kemper tested positive for doping and disqualified.
Willy Primo's results (from the Belgian Cycling blog) for the summer 1967 show the typical pattern of mostly one-day criterium events, all of which were in Belgium, which formed a typical Rüberg season.
23-9-1967 Kemzeke (Bel) 5 - Ruberg K
21-9-1967 Gentbrugge (Bel) 6 Crit. Ruberg D
18-9-1967 Sint-Amandsberg (Bel) 9 Crit. Ruberg D
26-8-1967 Haaltert (Bel) 9 - Ruberg K
21-8-1967 Zingem (Bel) 1 Crit. B Ruberg D
31-7-1967 Geraardsbergen (Bel) 1 - Ruberg K
17-7-1967 Zele (Bel) 5 - Ruberg K
13-7-1967 Gistel (Bel) 2 - Ruberg K
It is possible that the Kemzeke (in Oost-Vlaanderen) criterium race (144 km) on 23 September 1967 was the last in which the Rüberg-Continental team competed and, of course, the last use of the Raleigh Ruberg machines in professional racing.
In October after a disappointing season for both teams (and indeed for the West German national team put together for the 1967 Tour de France which was part managed by Wolfgang Gronen and of the 10-man team, only four finished), the Rüberg and Torpedo teams were wound up. Gronen along with his most his riders resigned with a new Batavus team for 1968. It was a low ebb for German cycling with but 31 professional German riders that year compared to 350 Belgians. So strapped for cash, Der Spiegel on 30 October reported that Rüberg had demanded its laid off riders return their bicycles, spare parts and even their jerseys. The team machines did indeed find new owners and today at least three of them have been preserved by collectors.
RALEIGH RUBERG (1968)  |
The star of Rüberg's final season and the first and only using the new Raleigh machines was the 25-year-old Belgian Willy Primo. Here, he poses with his new mount and this rare photo shows many of the component details including the Brooks Professional saddle, Campagnolo seat pin, 3ttt Record stem, Silca pump and Weinmann brakes. credit: Erik Van Herck, www.cycling archives website.
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Another photo of Willy Primo in 1967 on his Raleigh. Note that this is now fitted with bar-con shifters and the saddle appears to be a Cinelli Unicanitor quilted model. credit: Erik Van Herck, www.cycling archives website.
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RALEIGHS RACING FOR RÜBERG
The introduction of the new Raleighs in time for the 1967 season coincided unfortunately with a serious recession in Germany, severe enough that Rüberg and Torpedo both found it increasingly difficult to justify the cost of sponsoring their teams. As it proved, 1967 would be the last for both teams. And the one and only year in which the new Raleighs were actually used in competitive racing.
That year Rüberg-Continental squad comprised Winfried Gottschalk, Ernst Joehnk, Hans-Peter Kanters, Dieter Kemper, Klaus May, Willy Primo, Ehrenfried Rudolph, Hartmut Scholz, Wolfgang Schulze, Ernst Streng, Piet Van Der Lans and Helmut Wolff. Wolfgang Gronen was again Manager and Wim Poot Asst. Manager.
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| Some of the members of the 1967 Rüberg-Continental team, the jerseys with the block lettered "Ruberg" are the 1967 versions which emulated the Raleigh/Ruberg decals on the new machines. Top (left to right): Ernst Streng, Klaus May, Hans-Peter Kanter, Bottom (left to right): Ehrenfried Rudolf, Helmut Wolf, Harmut Scholz. credit: cyclingarchives.com website |
The 25-year-old Willy Primo, from Ghent, Belgium, obtain the best road racing successes in 1967 with two first place wins: Geraardsbergen (criterium), 31 July won and Zingem (criterium) 21 August and 2nd place in the Gistel road race, all in his native country. Wolfgang Schulze placed second in the Baden-Baden criterium that year and in the Kamp-Lintfort criterium Piet van der Lans and Ernst Strong finished 2nd and 3rd respectively. The team excelled at the National Championship (track) in 1967 with Wolfgang Schulze the overall winner. Negative publicity arose during the World Track Championships that year when Dieter Kemper tested positive for doping and disqualified.
Willy Primo's results (from the Belgian Cycling blog) for the summer 1967 show the typical pattern of mostly one-day criterium events, all of which were in Belgium, which formed a typical Rüberg season.
23-9-1967 Kemzeke (Bel) 5 - Ruberg K
21-9-1967 Gentbrugge (Bel) 6 Crit. Ruberg D
18-9-1967 Sint-Amandsberg (Bel) 9 Crit. Ruberg D
26-8-1967 Haaltert (Bel) 9 - Ruberg K
21-8-1967 Zingem (Bel) 1 Crit. B Ruberg D
31-7-1967 Geraardsbergen (Bel) 1 - Ruberg K
17-7-1967 Zele (Bel) 5 - Ruberg K
13-7-1967 Gistel (Bel) 2 - Ruberg K
It is possible that the Kemzeke (in Oost-Vlaanderen) criterium race (144 km) on 23 September 1967 was the last in which the Rüberg-Continental team competed and, of course, the last use of the Raleigh Ruberg machines in professional racing.
In October after a disappointing season for both teams (and indeed for the West German national team put together for the 1967 Tour de France which was part managed by Wolfgang Gronen and of the 10-man team, only four finished), the Rüberg and Torpedo teams were wound up. Gronen along with his most his riders resigned with a new Batavus team for 1968. It was a low ebb for German cycling with but 31 professional German riders that year compared to 350 Belgians. So strapped for cash, Der Spiegel on 30 October reported that Rüberg had demanded its laid off riders return their bicycles, spare parts and even their jerseys. The team machines did indeed find new owners and today at least three of them have been preserved by collectors.
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A rare surviving original Rüberg Team Raleigh machine (serial number Y1535) belonging to "htkal" of www.rennrad-news.de with many of its original components. Note the arrangement of the seat tube bands which was unique to the team bikes as well as the white head tube. credit: www.rennrad-news.de
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Build details from the same machine. credit: www.rennrad-news.de
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More details from the same machine. Note the Campagnolo Record derailleur and this machine also has the earlier 151 bcd Campagnolo Record chainset. www.rennrad-news.de
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From professional peleton to the British youth market was the lot of the Raleigh Ruberg if the 1968 brochure depiction is to be believed. It was more of a "homage" offering and was not made of Reynolds 531, somewhat like the Raleigh Records of the 1970s in the full TI Raleigh Team livery.
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The commercial market version of the Raleigh Ruberg was introduced at the Earl’s Court Cycle Show in November 1967 for the 1968 model year. Made of 2030 tubing and not Reynolds 531, it was really a minor tweaking of the Raleigh Rapide dating from 1965. Assigned model no. 77A, “this exciting sports machine is ridden by the famous German Ruberg Professional cycle racing team, which includes many Olympic and World champions—proof of its ability.” said the brochure copywriters in those pre Trades Description Act days. Costing £29 as a complete machine, it had Ruberg racing livery with 10-inch chromed front fork ends. Frame sizes were 21½", 22½" or 23½". There were braze-ons for “bare wire” rear brake cabling under the top tubes as well as pump pegs. The components included Simplex Prestige 5- or 10-speed detrailleurs, Normandy hubs, Weinmann rims and Weinmann 999 Vanquer brakes, GB metric Norma stem with Brampton ‘bars, Brooks B15 saddle and black mudguards. It was offered only in 1968.
RALEIGH RUBERG CONTINENTAL (frameset) 1968-1970
RALEIGH RUBERG CONTINENTAL (frameset) 1968-1970
The Ruberg could also be had as a full Reynolds 531 frameset, the Raleigh Ruberg Continental. This replaced the Record T.o.B. frameset as Raleigh's top lightweight frameset and was identical to the team frames. It cost £20 19s. 0d. with chromed head lugs, fork crown, 10 inch forks rear and front as on the team machines or £17 10s. 9d. without any chrome. A Brampton Atalet headset was fitted as standard. From surviving examples, it would be indicated that most of them were sold in Germany. This was available through 1970 and indeed most of the surviving example have low digit serial numbers beginning with "E" indicating they were built early that year.
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| Review of the Raleigh Ruberg frameset in Cycling 18 November 1967 |
Cycling of 18 November 1967 featured an extensive review of the Raleigh Ruberg Continental frameset, which had been outfitted for touring purposes:
Firstly, let us be quite plain and say that for those people who regretted the passing of the Raleigh Record Ace, the RRA of great fame, for its superb chromium plating and its rigidity, this frame is a worthy replacement.
This is a frame which has sacrificed nothing in the search for weight-saving, and is therefore a pound or a pound and a half heavier than similar frames.
But it has gained in rigidity what the rider loses in those odd few ounces of weight; it has a remarkable one-piece feeling that I have not experienced for some time.
Mine was a 22 1/2-inch, built completely from Reynolds 531 with 72 degree head, 73 seat, and with a particularly short rear triangle of just over 24 1/2 ins, and 5/8 seat stays.
I have deliberately left out the magic words 'double-butted' because the down tube is in fact plain gauge tubing following Raleigh experiences, which had showed that the heavier down tube contributes greatly to steering steadiness.
The lugs I particularly liked, Brampton, as are the head fitting, and with a sloping shoulder fork crown machined from the solid, with long tines reinforcing the heavy forks, which finish in Campagnolo-pattern Zeus fork-ends.
That's the look of it, no fuss, for the the lugs are as plain and no-nonsense as they could be, but chromed to give the extra glitter to match the sharpness of the forks and stays, themselves well-plated.
I like plated ends, over years of riding I have that good plating stands up to the removal of wheels better than enamel-- it doesn't chip, and the generally-only nature of fork ends keeps it in reasonable condition despite the inevitable scratching. Raleigh plating is famous; this is no exception.
An advantage of this frame, which is not apparent until start riding, is the the rigidity built for racing on the Continent benefits the laden tourist.
Until you have tried turning a low gear up a long climb you do not appreciate how much torque the cyclist puts out, and how this is transmitted by the chain and seat stays; this frame allows one to sit still and turn the pedals with none of the irritating bottom-bracket sway which can spoil some climbs.
The last two trips I've made to the Continent by bicycle were on a Bianchi and a hand-built machine from one of our smaller makers, which I particularly like for its ride in Britain.
The contrast between these and the Raleigh, built on ultra-tight and firm lines, convinced me in racing terms the world's biggest cycle-makers have nothing to learn from either the Continent or the one-man shops, indeed they can do the teaching.
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| A beautiful, all original Ruberg serial no. A4874 814 owned by Rolf Greve-Ruwoldt. |
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| Credit: Rolf Greve-Ruwoldt |
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| Credit: Rolf Greve-Ruwoldt |
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A beautifully restored Raleigh Ruberg Continental frameset, serial no. E1311, belonging to a German collector ("Artie" from www.rennrad-news.de website). The frame is in original condition and fitted out with period correct Campagnolo, Weinmann and GB components. Compare the front fork type and rake with that of the team machine. credit: www.rennrad-news.de
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| Another view of the same machine. credit: www.rennrad-news.de |
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| Frame details of the same machine before it was built up. credit: www.rennrad-news.de |
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| Separated only by four digits, frame no. E1315 is also extant and offered for sale on eBay in 2017 by "knutson22" of the www.rennrad-news.de website. |
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| Frame details of E3515, this example has Campagnolo drop-outs. |
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The single best preserved of all the Rubergs is doubtless this example which isn't a Raleigh or a Ruberg technically, but rather one rebadged as a... Geoffrey Butler... for the long-established London cycle shop and dating from c. 1968 and, remarkably, in mint original unridden condition. credit: Robert Freeman
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Non-drive view of this remarkable survivor which was originally purchased as a frameset from Geoffrey Butler and fitted out, over time, with components all of which, too, are NOS. credit: Robert Freeman
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Build details including the same colours used on the Raleigh Ruberg but lacking the Heron headbadge and with Geoffrey Butler transfers. credit: Robert Freeman
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RALEIGH PROFESSIONAL MARK I (1968-1970)
Designed and built for a team that folded less than a year after it was introduced, not especially popular as a commercial offering to the British market, the Raleigh Ruberg fittingly found its greatest success in the United States as the Raleigh Professional Mark I. Fittingly in that it was flagship of Raleigh in the U.S. market precisely as demand exploded for "10-speed racers" during what came to be known as the American Bike Boom.
The Raleigh Professional, model DL-150, was first introduced in the 1969 model year catalogue and was produced by Carlton, Worksop, from late 1968 into 1970.
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The Raleigh Professional (left) as introduced in the 1969 catalogue and its only appearance in Raleigh literature although it was manufactured from 1968-70. It is sometimes called "The 1969 Pro" or "The White Pro" to distinguish it from the later Mark II-Vs. Sharing the page is the Competition Mark I which was rebranded and improved with Campagnolo components the following year as the International. credit: RetroRaleighs website.
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For Raleigh, the Professional represented an appealing marriage of quality British frame (essentially the Raleigh Ruberg Continental frameset with no chrome) with then coveted Campagnolo components that experienced and neophyte American cyclists alike had to have. Moreover, it was extremely competively priced ($220 in 1969) making it the least expensive full Campagnolo equipped bicycle in the U.S. Market although its design and specification just predated the introduction of Campagnolo Record brakes. To keep the price point as low as possible, the frameset was as "bare bones" as possible with no chrome whatsoever but retaining the distinctive all white finish and Ruberg inspired seat tube bands.Unlike the other versions, the Professional Mark I had the Raleigh anniversary headbadge fitted. Early examples with "C" prefixed serial numbers had top tube brake cable clips, heavier girder style rear brake bridge/cable stop and some also lacked mudguard eyelets which were added after criticisms a frame otherwise suited to long distance touring without them. Later examples have top-tube braze braze-ons for "bare wire" brake cable arrangment. Most frames have Zeus drop-outs (as did the Rubergs) but there are some with Campagnolo rear and no name front.
Contrasting with the Ruberg variant, the Professional was available in an extended range of frame sizes: 20½", 21½", 22½", 23½", 24½" and 25½" and it and the Schwinn Paramount were the best quality lightweights in the United States available in such a large frame size.
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| An early (serial no. C9153) denoting a late 1968 build date Raleigh Professional frameset and components offered on eBay. |
For most prospective purchasers, the biggest feature was the complete Campagnolo Nouvo Record group: deralleurs, chainset (with 172.5 cranks), bottom bracket, pedals, seat pin, hubs and headset. Weinmann Vainquer 999 brakeset and 293 sprint rims were fitted. Most models had a GB Norma metric stem with deep drop Brampton 'bars but there are examples with Weinmann stems.
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| A remarkable near mint and totally original late edition 1970 Mark I Pro (serial no. E4807) as offered on eBay in February 2010 featuring the rare alloy/steel Weinmann stem and Brampton 'bars with pristine decals. Even the 'bar tape is original as are the Milremo plugs. |
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| Frame details from the author's Mark I Pro E8165 (1970): the fork blades have the Reynolds 531 triangle transfer, other examples have a little Heron's Head. Note also the Raleigh anniversary headbadge, the thinner round pattern rear brake cable braze-on stop and the delightfully crude seat stay cap "decoration"! |
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| The Raleigh Professional as reviewed in "Bicycling" magazine March 1969: "The first thing that strikes you about the Professional is its simple, clean lines. These are achieved in part through the use of plain cut lugs of Italian design (a bit rough in finish), and a solid white enamel paint job which an absence of any chrome. The Brampton aluminum handlebars on the model tested were wrapped with black tape, and with the brake and gear cables of the same color, the contrasting result is a sharp, neat appearance." credit: Velo-Pages |
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| The author's 1970 Raleigh Professional Mark I, serial no. E8325. |
Specifications & Components of 1970 Raleigh Professional no. E8325
Frame
Material: Reynolds 531 double butted tubing and forks
Finish (original): white with red-black-gold seat tube band, gold lug lining and seatstay cap red-green-yellow striping. Raleigh 75th anniversary headbadge and seat tube transfer.
Size: seat tube 25.5” (c to t), 62 cm (c to c), 64 cm (c to t), top tube 23” (c to c) 58 cm (c to c)
Chainstay length: 17” (c to c)
Wheelbase: 40.75 inches (c to c)
Angles: 73.5 (head) 71.5 (seat)
BB height: 10.75"
Fork offset: 1 7/8th”
Rear spacing: 120 mm
Bottom bracket: EDA
Lugs: Bocama Professional
Fork Crown: Davis sloping
Dropouts: Zeus Gran Sport forged front and rear with mudguard eyes
Braze-ons: cablestay cable stop, shift clamp stop, top tube cable stops for “bare wire” rear brake cable, fork end mudguard eyes and rear cable stop seatstay bridge.
Frame features: wrap over seat stays and rapid taper round section chainstays with no dimples.
Components
Rear derailleur: Campagnolo Nuovo Record “patent” no date
Front deralleur: Campagnolo Nuovo Record
Seat tube cable guide: Campagnolo bolt-on
Gear levers: Campagnolo clamp-on
Chainset: Campagnolo Record Strada, no date code, 42t x 53t, 172.5 cm cranks
Bottom bracket: Campagnolo Nuovo Record English thread
Headset: Campagnolo Record English thread with stamp
Stem: GB cast alloy, 110 mm
Handlebars: GB unmarked alloy Maes bend, 39 mm, black plastic tape and Velox white plugs
Brakes: Weinmann 999 610 Vainquer centerpull
Brake levers: Weinmann quick release with Weinmann white plastic hoods
Seatpost: Campagolo Record, 27.2 mm
Seat binder bolt: Raleigh nutted bolt
Saddle: Brooks Professional small rivet, 73 date code
Pedals: Campagnolo Record alloy/steel cage with strap loop
Toeclips and straps: Sturmey Archer chromed steel clips and white leather straps
Rims: Weinmann 293 eyeletted 36-hole polished alloy sprints with serrated braking surface
Hubs: Campagnolo Record 36-hole large-flange with Campagnolo quick release skewers
Spokes: 15/18 butted chromed steel
Tyres: Tufo Jet Pro sew-ups
Freewheel: Regina Extra 13-19t, five-speed
Chain: Regina
Accessories: TA chromed steel bottle cage and bottle
Weight: bare frame 5.1 lbs.
fork 2.10 lbs.
complete machine: 23.9 lbs.
The Raleigh Professional was an immediate success, coming into a vast, yet largely untapped market at the very cusp of the Bike Boom in American where cycling was not only suddenly discovered but centered on sports, recreational and racing rather than transport. The "10-speed bike" was the thing to have and whilst most sold were $110 wonders, the depth and breadth of the market garnered substantial sales for quality machines as did the American "gimme the best" attitude. The Raleigh Professional by virtue of its name (rivaling Schwinn as the most recognized brand), Campagnolo components and value for money became an early Bike Boom icon. More enduringly, it introduced a whole generation of teenage riders to their first pro quality racing bike.
Sold through the 1969 model year and into 1970, the Raleigh Professional was supplanted by the Mark II which was introduced as a limited edition (500 plus frames) and was in reality a rebadged version of the Carlton Giro d'Italia. In 1971, the Mark III came out as a standard production model and the Mark I was out of production. Today, a good number of Mark I's have been restored and still ridden and enjoyed. It remains one of the best riding and handling machines of its era.
The Raleigh Ruberg helped open the door, just a crack, for British manufacturers and designers into the Continental market, one that would be triumphantly flung open seven years later in 1974 with the formation of the TI Raleigh Racing Team and the Raleigh SBDU under Gerald O'Donovan and culminating with the first and only Tour de France victory in 1980 ridden and won to victory on a British made machine whose red-yellow-black evoked the old Ruberg colours.
SOURCES & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
SOURCES & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Periodicals
Cycling
Websites
www.rennrad-news.de
www.velo-pages.com
www.cyclingarchives.com
www.classicvikingcycles.com
www.bikeraceinfo.com
www.spiegel.de
Special thanks to Paul Whatley, VC-C Raleigh marque specialist
Special thanks to Paul Whatley, VC-C Raleigh marque specialist
