Just got this guy, 1988 Raliegh Technium Tri-Lite, $40. Then gave my friend a 12 pack of beer and we (I mean he) got to work on it yesterday. Let's see what was going on (of course I forgot the BEFORE pictures); - Rear derailure didn't want to shift well, soaked it in WD40, fixed. - Stem was jacked way up high, way past the "max height" line and had slight play in headset, re-packed and tightened, fixed. - Seat post bolt hole was all jacked up, somehow the channel/hole was pinched in the middle so I had 2 adjustments for the saddle, sliding forward or nose to the sky, friend put it in his mill, fixed. - Tires were old and dry rotted, friend gave me 2 slightly used tires, fixed. - Pedals were jacked, lots of PB blaster and a 4ft cheater bar fixed that, replaced with 105s. - Slight play in BB (idk how, but the BB had dead bugs and other nasty stuff in it), re-packed and tightened, still a little play and bearings are pitted, will replace. - Bar tape was unraveling backwards, half-ass re-wrapped it, will replace. - Hoods are tearing, hope I can replace them without buying need levers, not sure which ones will work. - Rear derailure hanger was bent, friend put the hanger in a vice and straightened it out, fixed. - Going to replace brake and derailure cables. - Going to get a new saddle too. - Had no bottle cage bolts, took bolts off old stem face-plate, will be buying 1 white and 1 yellow cage.
Frame:
57cm (TT), Alcoa 6061 main tubes, chromoly stays, all English threading, 1’ steerer tube, 126mm spacing for 6 or 7 speed, downtube shifter bosses
Fork/Headset:
Chromoly unicrown fork
Crankset/Bottom Bracket:
Sakae SX (JIS, 117mm, 22x1mm (Standard)
Pedals:
Shimano 105
Drivetrain/Cog/Chainring/Chain:
52/40, 26/22/19/17/15/13
Derailleurs/Shifters:
Suntour X-5000
Saddle/Seatpost:
Sugino SP-H (26.8)
Brakes:
Dia-Compe X-5000
Front Wheel/Hub/Tire:
Vittoria Open Corsa CX, 23c
Rear Wheel/Hub/Tire:
Vittoria Zaffiro Pro, 23c
Added by jaredr1988. Last updated almost 8 years ago.
As of almost 8 years ago, jaredr1988 has indicated that they no longer own this bike.
9 Comments
Great bikes,way ahead of their time. Looks to be in great shape too,tough to find. Enjoy
Posted over 9 years ago
Thanks! Any other info on them? I thought I read something on them about being entry level, but if I have a hidden gem, even better :)
Posted over 9 years ago
These bikes were originally built for Raliegh by Aero-Comp Corp in Kent WA. Cold worked Aluminum tubes,glued and screwed to steel lugs yielded light weight,strength and low labor build. They suppied Olympic bikes(some labeled Huffy if you can believe it). There was a range from 400 series up to Olympic class mostly based on components as the frames were built about the same. Your bike was at the higher end with the 105 pieces. Sheldon Brown(RIP) had a great history on his old site.
Posted over 9 years ago
I put the pedals on, the rest are suntour x-5000, are the suntour parts considered 105? I am still new to this biking stuff, pardon my ignorance.
Posted over 9 years ago
I always thought so. I have lots of Suntour stuff in "The Box". Not quite 105 weightwise. There were also small differences in the grades of the tubes. They even used this Tech for MTBs!
Posted over 9 years ago
So I know who to contact for some spare parts ;) In the last pic there is a little nib on the seat stay, do you know what that is?
Posted over 9 years ago
That's the chain hanger(for getting the chain up and out of the way during wheel changes,flats). Sign of upscale frame.
Posted over 9 years ago
Photos
TODDRCASPELL says:
Sweet ride. I had the same. We hit a car. It knocked the frame out of alignment. Looking down the wheels were about an inch off each others plane. Funny thing was it still rode strait as ever an was even a good nohander. It never broke even though it was severely dented. Eventually though the thought of and looking at miss alignment it bothered me enuf an I sold it. I think thick wall skinny tubes are a much better ride than thin wall fat tube aluminum.
Posted about 8 years ago