Measurements for future visitors:
Bike: Raleigh Super Record
The BB Cups Threading is 24TPI
The BB Shell is 68mm Wide
The Spindle that was installed in my Raleigh is marked 3T. I've no way of knowing if it was original or not, though I suspect it was based on the chainline.
The "3" means it's for a 68mm bottom bracket, and the "T" means the dimensions are 32-52-39, or 123mm overall, with the right side 7mm longer than the left.
See Sheldon Brown's chart for more measurements.
Spindle Bearings: Spindle Bearings are 1/4"
Headset Bearings: Headset Bearings are 5/32"
Steerer Tube: 1"
Steerer Tube Thread: 24TPI
Steerer Tube/Fork is marked Tange OL Made in Japan.
(Apologies for the crappy iPhone pictures, it's all I have.)
I can't imagine the life this bike lived before I bought it, but to say it was neglected is being kind. The grease in the headset had completely broken down. All that was left was a black looking wax, and there wasn't much of that left either.
While I was cleaning and inspecting things, I found the Stem Wedge inside the steerer tube. I tried to tap it out with a long screwdriver, but it wouldn't budge. I sprayed some WD-40 into the top and bottom of the tube and set it aside for about a half hour. Then sprayed it out and set it aside again for another half hour. Then I tried again to tap it out with the screw driver. The wedge fell right out. I suspect it was just rust and dirt holding in place.
I went over the headset races with a ball point pen, and they're not in very good condition.
I'm not sure what I'll do. I could rebuild this headset, and probably get a few more years of service out of it, or replacing it with a Vintage/NOS Shimano 105/Ultegra/Dura Ace Headset would be a good idea. Also, Velo-Orange.com offers a headset that I really like. The Grand Cru Rinko Headset-JIS.
The idea is that it can be easily taken apart to park the bike into a bag for transport. One of those would make it a fair bit easier for me to dis-assemble the bike to take on vacation, and while they're expensive, a NOS headset would probably be just as expensive. I'll have to think about it.
Alright, that's enough for one night.
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