The Raleigh Record conversion to a single speed is done.
Three years ago I was in Freeport Bicycle Company talking to the manager, Joe Dadez, about a single-speed conversion project and asked Joe if he had anything interesting he wished gone from the basement. Up came a vintage mid 70s Record.
The Record was Raleigh’s entry-level road bike, so there was little need to preserve the entire package. Also, the frame had serious road rash, because this Record had been across the USofA three times.
Moreover, the lemon yellow and black paint scheme did not suit my English bike. It simply had to be British Racing Green.
So we repainted it BRG with a stealth charcoal metallic accent on the head and seat tubes and the fork blades. I had to use a pin to dab the red and black paint into the head badge. This was a shaky business, and the damned green paint proved prone to chipping.
So the steel frame and fork is all that remains. The rest were either: (A) purchased Additions or (B) from Bin parts on hand. I’ll hit only the highlights.
I love the Sram brake levers (A). They feel great beneath my hands just like the Force shift levers on my Madone.
The Biopace 42 tooth chainring (B) was inspired by Sheldon Brown. Sheldon was an exemplary authority on the bicycle, and he was perfectly correct. Biopace is how to drive a single-speed bike. For more on this, check out Sheldon’s Bioplace page at http://sheldonbrown.com/biopace.html
From my first-foot experience, peddling from a standing position on flat peddles is so much easier with Biopace. Your feet don’t pop off the peddles at the top of each stroke.
Now what you can't see in the photos is the magnificent Phil Woods bottom bracket (A) that compliments the Biopace to give the drivetrain its silky smoothness.
Other main components are Nitto handle bars (B) and stem (A) and the Tektro brakes (A). The Mavic MA 40 wheels were purchased used from Joe along with the Shimano 600 headset gimmie which is tight as new. It was remarkable the 600 headset threaded onto the Record's fork tube.
In all, this was an excellent collaboration with Joe who has helped me on a couple other conversions. Thanks, Joe.
