A SPECIAL 753 TI RALEIGH

Those who know me, know I have a

very soft spot for one of  Raleigh's greatest products,

the classic team Raleigh's.

I regard these bikes as the last hurrah of the

mainstream British bike industry.

Sort of a bike version of Triumph/Norton motorbikes

before that industry went sideways in the late seventies

early eighties. 

I have a very nice SB 531 Team Raleigh

which I will shoot one day for the blog.

But what I have here to show you now,
 is something really special.

This is Vern Hanaray's 1976

753 Team Raleigh.

 Only saddle, seat post and stem are original equipment.

Vern (right) in action on the Raleigh during the 1976 Dulux six Day Race, 

he won King of the Mountains in this edition.

 Vern's '76 Dulux KOM jersey

I have heard that Vern was given this bike

by his employers at Morrison Industries

in Hastings.

Morrisons where one of New Zealand's main domestic

bike manufacturers at the time, though they

didn't make what you would call a

high end bike, if you know what I mean.

Morrison's made rebadged Raleigh's

under their own name, so had the right contacts

to get this frame ordered from Raleigh's new

SBDU factory

made with Reynolds brand new 753 tube set.

I am pretty sure that any one but team riders would 

have been pretty hard pressed to secure themselves a 

753 built frame in 1976.

  Remains of the 753 decal

 One of my favorite parts of this frame, are these most unusual

lugs, I have never seen these on any other Team bike.

The brazing is of course immaculate 

 Vern in action again on the Raleigh, during the 1976

Tour of Britain(Known as the Milk Race), 

where he was picked out for his very aggressive

riding. This is really something, when you consider that this was

when the Russians and the Poles where dominating amateur racing

with their well known aggressive team style.

Vern, with '76 Milk Race winner Bill Nickson (left), and 

Joe Waugh, leading.

Vern Haneray is a local cycle racing great,

with two Dulux wins and three King of the Mountains 

just for starters.

Although he comes with a mixed reputation

off the bike, there can be no denying his 

awesome ability's on the road.

Check out the B/B, Vern's initials and the build date.
Also the remains of the contrast yellow on the
cut outs, which again I haven't seen on other original
Team Raleigh's.

Just right from any angle

Vern, hitting the line hard.
One of the great New Zealand roadmen for sure.