Getting Started

It's Some Kind of Raleigh Super Course

I do some web surfing and I find a good deal of relevant information. Impressively, Sheldon Brown's site - a site that I have explored from time to time with fascination since about 1998 - has a whole page devoted to the Super Course.

I learn that the Super Course was the least expensive Raleigh to have aluminum wheels; yet, my bicycle has steel wheels. What's up with that? Did a bicycle shop swap out the aluminum wheels for steel?  Putting that detail aside, I think my new bicycle might be from 1969 or 1970 or so.

I find the serial number, 164510, on the left dropout. What might the serial number tell me? Hard to tell. One site seems to indicate that the frame was built in 1972 (Raleigh Serial Numbers & Charts: Dating your Raleigh). But, I think this 1970 Raleigh Catalog (U.S. Market) is the best description of the bike:

SUPER COURSE
Specifications include Reynolds 531 tubing, quick release wide-flange hubs and center-pull brakes, alloy rims. Dunlop tires, Heret Luxe 10-speed gear, fitting with 40/52T chainwheel and 14-28T sprocket, and other high quality components. Gents Model available in 21 ½”, 23 ½”, and 25 ½” frames in choice of Blue, Bronze Green, or Coffee.  Ladies model available in 21 ½” frame in Blue, Bronze Green, or Coffee.  

There's a sticker on the bicycle that reads "Montgomery County, MD BICYCLE LICENSE EXP. DEC 31, 1975," (not shown below) and the Craigslist seller said that he and his wife rode bikes in Bethesda in the early 1970s. Another sticker reads: "the BICYCLE EXCHANGE, 3 BOW STREET, HARVARD SQUARE, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.," perhaps indicating its original retail shop in the U.S.

The Stickers at the Top of the Seat Tube

Referring to the Super Course, Sheldon Brown writes "These are quite nice bikes, often suitable for upgrading to modern parts." This encourages me. Perhaps time spent on this bicycle will be worthwhile.

Wikipedia says that Reynolds 531 is good tubing and I think the Super Course is specifically Reynolds 531CS, for Club Sport Double butted main tubes. But, this is a bit of guess and I don't understand specifically what this might mean. Evidently, lots of Tour de France's have been won on five-three-one.

I soon discover an interesting account of a Super Course, though a 1977 model, at MY "TEN SPEEDS". I also discover Ryan's Rebuilds and a very thorough description of a Super Course, prior to rebuilding. After several close readings, I conclude that Ryan and I likely have the same model of bicycle.

The color is the same. The Brooks saddle is the same. The quick release hubs look the same. The "R" on the seat bolt matches. The Huret rear and front derailleurs match, though my shifters look different. They have plastic outer covers, which are cracked. The steel cotter crank looks the same. Mine, a Nervar, has a 40T (T for tooth) inner ring and and 52T outer ring. The freehub is an Atom, 14 - 28T. I guess riders in the 1970s had strong legs or stayed on the flat. The stem is an AVA stem, and after looking at Sheldon Brown's site I am pretty sure that it is the "death stem." Thank you, Ryan, for the tip. "Death" caught my attention.