1970 Raleigh Professional Mark I

model DL-150, serial no. E8325

Purchased as a frameset on eBay in February 2009 for $627
Back on the road 7 March 2009

The first of Raleigh’s famous Professional series, built at Carlton's Worksop, Nottinghamshire works, which represented a new era of quality racing machines for Raleigh’s North American market. This model was a variation on the Raleigh Ruberg, so named after the German racing team for which Raleigh supplied the machines in 1967-68 which were distinctively painted all white with the German national colours of red, gold and red on the seat tube. This and the Mark 1 were similar to the Carlton Professional frame, but differed in featuring a Cinelli style sloping fork crown. To keep a low price point for the US market, the Mark I lacked the chromed lugs and fork ends of the Raleigh Ruberg. Like the Carlton Pro, it had Zeus drop-outs although there are examples of Mark Is with Campagnolo rear drop-outs and no name front. Priced originally at $220 (1969) the Mark I Professional was the least expensive all-Campagnolo NR fitted machine in the U.S. market at the time. Introduced just before Campagnolo came out with its own brakeset, it was fitted instead with Weinmann Vainquer centerpulls.

The Mark I Professional was among the shortest-lived of all Raleigh racing models being in production only from autumn 1968 through mid 1970.

The Restoration
Good, sound condition frame with original paint requiring some minor touch-ups. While the enamelling is of a high standard, the cap stay "stripes" are anything but and an amusing aspect of this model! Replacement decals were applied. The catalogue specs (such as they were!) were followed or interpreted from photos and a review machine featuring in "Bicycling" in March 1969.

The Ride
What a superb machine! All the more so considering they sold this for $220, a remarkable value indeed and $110 less than the Mark II cost. I much prefer this first all-white scheme for the Professional which is far more "racing bike" looking rather than "cafe bike". Simple, elegant and unadorned, it's a shame it was wasn't adopted as the livery for the TI Raleigh squad. The build quality is, despite what some have said of this model, good throughout on this example. Although the frame and fork (with headset) weighs in at a not especially light 7.3 lbs, the entire machine tips the scale at very respectable 23.9 lbs especially for a 25.5" frame. This is a super ride, somewhat like the PX-10, both comfortable and responsive with confident handling and "good manners". She's a good climber, too, and the stock 172.5 cranks go well with her 10.75" bb height. One of these days I might own a Raleigh that I don't fall in love with after the first ride. This isn't it. Just a delightful machine in every respect that belies its pricepoint and somewhat "bare bones" asthetic quality.

Check out my Yahoo Group on the Raleigh/Carlton Professionals:

sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/raleighprofessional/

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: Cinelli pattern 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.