| I picked out this old relic mixed in with a bunch of forgettable 80s road bikes. These Raleigh’s were very popular Club racing bikes back in the 50s and early 60s. This particular model is the Lenton Gran Prix. They were introduced in 1958. The frames were made with Renyolds 531 tubing, one the finest available in its day. I find the most interesting thing about this bike to be the rear Benelux derailer. In this case its branded as a Simplex but its the same thing. These derailers have piston mechanism that make them look totally different from anything else. This particular bike’s front derailer isn't original or else that would have been quite an interesting artifact too. The shape of the handlebars are quite weird by today’s standards. |
