Raleigh SBDU.

Hi Everyone,

Another old photo from back in the late 70's / early 80’s… This is a Raleigh Track bike that belonged to my mate Tony. I cannot quite remember why I had it at my home, it may well have been there for me to tinker around with it as I was quite good at getting track bikes to run well.

The story of this bike is good. Tony won a bronze or silver in the schoolboy national track championships held in Leicester. He contacted Raleigh who had a department called the Special Bike Development Unit (SBDU) which was headed up by a chap called Gerald O’Donovan and asked if they would give him a free frame. He has a rather nice letter back saying they only give frames to winners of the championship.

The following year Tony won the championship and contacted Gerald to remind him of his response the previous year. True to his word, this frame was made for Tony. I remember driving to Nottingham, the home of Raleigh, to pick it up with Tony.

Tony’s friendship with Gerald remained for many years and Raleigh supplied him with frames for the World and Commonwealth championships. When I was at Tony’s home earlier this year, he showed me his last Raleigh which he had restored.


Stay happy, strong, and healthy.

POG,,