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Raleigh Decal Guide: 1960-1982
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This guide is for U.S.-market bikes, unless indicated.
For a complete list of all Raleigh Sports decal variants from 1945 through 1982, see our Raleigh Sports Visual Identification page.
As there has been much confusion over Raleigh decal schemes, I devised this relatively chart to explain the majority of differences between Raleigh's various decal transfers throughout the 1960-1982 period. Please bear in mind decals alone cannot date a bike. You can close in on the proper era, but rarely can you pin-point a specific year without examining our serial chart, or one of our other Raleigh resources.
This list remains a work in progress. Some decals are not shown at this time, and some information may need further clarification. Please read carefully, and always double check with frame details and hub dates, if available.
| 1973+ Team Professional and Team Record replicas |
 
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1966-1972, upright-bar (excludes some models)
Most 1966 upright-bar models are given new, chunky, serifed downtube lettering. Unlike previous years, most models now feature their respective model name on the downtube, as listed below (list may be incomplete):
Sports Models excluded from the new decal set included DL-1/Tourist - which used the earlier "Raleigh" block letters of 1960 until 1972 - and the first-generation Sprite 5-speeds (both derailer and Sturmey S5 models) until 1969. The pre-'69 Sprites used a stylized "5 SPEED" logo on the downtube - as shown at right - and "Sprite" lettering on the top tube. Raleigh Twenty models also featured their own "Twenty" lettering, along with the LTD-3 and LTD-SC. RSW's, though not shown, imitated the Twenty font. Additionally, the Raleigh Chopper, Fireball, and Rodeo models utilized completely different decal sets stylized to each respective model. Most models used the chainguard decal shown at top left, though the Sprite used the variant shown below, which was lifted from earlier road models such as the Grand Sport. This lettering was later used as a downtube logo on the Raleigh Sprite.
1971/2 Superbe decal image courtesy "wahoonc" - Bikeforums.net
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Downtube decals (model names): Sports decal
Top tube decals:
Chainguard decals:
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1969-1972, road frames only
Road/drop-bar frames wore completely different decal kits than the rest of the Raleigh lineup. All used an understated cursive script font on the downtube, with exception to the Record, which utilized the same decal format from the early 1960's road frames. The cursive "Raleigh" lettering is the most definite method of seperating all 1972 and earlier models from 1973 examples. This downtube lettering was used only on the following models:
Professional (1969 + Mk II, Mk III, and 1972 Mk. IV only) Said cursive lettering carried over to the top tube model name decals on the Competition, Grand Sports, and Professional models; a completely different font with a line through the back of the text is used on the Sprite, Record, Grand Prix, and Super Course. The Internationals use yet a different red decal; rectangular in shape and curved at the ends. The spear-type lettering was also utilized for the downtube font on the Record.
1969 Professional top tube decal image courtesy Peter Kohler
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Downtube decal: 1969-1972 downtube decal, standardized throughout the models listed at left
Model names:
Fork blades:
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1973-1982, upright bar; 1973-1976 road
1973 saw the introduction of a new, lined, italicized downtube logo (based on the earlier corporate logo that debuted in 1962) which was immidiately standardized amongst virtually every single model of the Raleigh lineup; from the child's Mountie up to the the Team Professionals and replicas. Certain exceptions include novelty models such as the Raleigh Chopper, though and as far as my memory serves me, the Chopper and its variants are the only examples to stray from the norm. Two color variants exist of this downtube decal, as shown at right. The alternate white set was used on the Super Tourer, International and Professional until 1976, while the 1977 Professional Mk. V reverted to the gold set. All other models utilize the gold transfers. Top tube names received facelifts as well, though fonts varied depending on the model. Road frames from the Super Course up to the Professional (and the upright-bar, 531 Super Tourer) utilized variants of the previous cursive font from the 1972 models. The Grand Prix, Record, Sprite, and a few others received unique fonts, while the chainguard (or chaincase) equipped models were fitted with the new Raleigh logo combined with the model name to the logo's right. The 1973 Raleigh Record Ace is an exception to this rule; it's "RRA" top tube logo was created in the same font as the new Raleigh logo. The "Made in England" decal on the top tube remained the same from previous years until 1978, upon when it was turned into a decal (from an ink transfer) and the circular TI logo was added to its left. The following models in the lineup were given Rampar "R" transfers as secondary decals:
Sports Carlton-made road frames were not fitted with the Rampar transfers; instead, they received Carlton seattube logos (in various forms) and 531 decals where applicable.
Super Tourer (brown) decal image courtesy "m6hm" - Flickr
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Downtube decals: 1973+ downtube decal, gold/black
Top tube model names (w/o chainguard)
Chainguard model names:
Rampar decals:
"Made in England" top tube decal:
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1977-1980, road models
The 1977 decal set for some road models added a revised downtube logo proclaiming "Made by RALEIGH of England." This was not fitted to all models; upright-bar examples continued to utilize the gold set from 1973, and - to my knowledge - the Professional Mk.V also used the earlier gold set. By 1980, a new country-of-origin seattube decal was introduced on the seattube of the Super Course, as shown at right. The Carlton logo recieved a slight re-vamp for both models as shown.
Gold Super Course decal images courtesy "sauze" - Bikeforums.net
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Downtube decals: Super Course downtube decal (white on red)
Top tube decal, Record Ace:
Top tube decal variants, Super Course:
Top tube decal variants, Competition G.S.:
Carlton seat-tube decal
Location-of-manufacture decal
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1981-1982, Super Course + Competition
Blank
Super Course decal images courtesy "michael k" - Bikeforums.net
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Downtube decals: Super Course downtube decal (on gold frames)
Top tube model names
Seat tube:
Seat stay cap
Location-of-manufacture decal |
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1973-1982+/- Team / Team Record
Blah blah about the Team Pro here- The Team Record came in two unusual forms - some are essentially Record-labeled 531 frames on par with the Team Professional itself; these were never shown in any catalog - and the others are bottom-end Record frames with virtually the same decals. What's more, various 531 Team Professionals were produced for the U.K. at the Super Course level, with cheap dropouts and only 3 main tubes 531. Use the tubing decal as your guide to spot a gas-pipe Record (20-30 or any form of high-ten = bottom-end Record), and the frame quality and fittings (not to mention an Ilkston SDBU serial) to distinguish a true Team Professional from some of the cheaper oddballs. Keep this in mind: Even Capella-lugged Super Course frames (stamped DO's) have been seen with factory Team Professional paint jobs. If you see these decals, expect anything, if it doesn't carry an SDBU serial. I advise you to visit the TI Raleigh Team Professional group on Yahoo! Groups for better information on any of these variants. The members there are better schooled on the SDBU and replica frames than I.
"Team Raleigh," Record, and seattube decal images courtesy "redneckwes" - Bikeforums.net
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Downtube decals: Team Professionals + some of the mid-range Team replicas, IF on the downtube.
Top tube model name
Seat tube
Location-of-manufacture decal, some SDBUs only |
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