I’ve not got much to write in this post as the pictures will hopefully say everything. This Raleigh Banana has been an awesome bike to build, a real blast from the past. I took it to the studio today to capture it looking its best…
It is a mixture of Dura-Ace 7402 (8 Speed), 7401 & 7400. Here is a brief spec…
- 1988 SBDU Reynolds 753R Frame and Forks
- Dura-Ace 7402/7401/7400 8 Speed
- Cinelli Criterium Handlebars
- Cinelli XA Stem
- Ambrosio Handlebar Tape
- Selle Italia Turbo Saddle
- Vittoria Corsa Tyres
- Stainless DT Double Butted Spokes
- Campagnolo Omega Strada Hardox Rims
I couldn’t be happier to have this bike in my collection. The Banana was a bike from my childhood!
Interesting bike. I have SB8617, which would also have been built in Nottingham in 1988. The frame details look identical to your Banana, but it is painted in the white Raleigh USA color scheme, with red, white and blue accents and an aluminum fork in matching paint. The frame does not have a tubing decal, but does have 753 incorporated into the top tube graphic, which I have seen on a couple contemporary frames. My understanding is that the frames were built in Nottingham and shipped in primer to the US where they were painted. It has the small-diameter seat stays with oversized caps. On this bike they are slightly larger at the dropout end, making me think they may have been purposefully inverted. The component group is the 6400 “Tricolor” Shimano 600 7-speed. I would say that the detailing of the frame is very good, though not quite to the standard kept in the Ilkeston shop.
How much did the Raleigh Banana retail for back in the 80’s?