My first derailleured machine was a Raleigh Super Course with a B-15. I bought it in 1969 with paper route money. It was 129 dollars and I still have both the bike and that saddle.
They are like shoes, uncomfortable until you break them in. If you regularly use Brook's Proof hide, cover it in wet weather, and keep it tensioned right, there is no saddle in the world that hold a candle to it for comfort and duribility.
Like many things in our culture, people don't maintain their brooks and the chap and degrade. I have saddles from 1974 that have been heavily used and hardly look it. If someone has the patience to ovehaul free bearings in the four main bearing components of a bike, maintaining a Books saddle is something one does without much though to it.
I am a journeyman bicycle mechanic and keep my machines in preventive care mode. I rarely ever suffer neglect wear on my equipment. I had an expensive mountain bike stolen some years ago, and it took me almost two years, but I got it back. I spent more then it was worth to do so, but it was MY bicycle.
It's a long story, but one outcome was the current crop of sleaseballs stealing
If you looked at my collection you would see right off the bat that my taste in bicycles is extremely conservative. I am just as at home and happy on my Austro-Daimler Superleicht with a Campy Super Record Groppo, friction shifting from the downtube, 7 cog cluster and all as the above mentioned Bridgestone, that bike was also the last machine I raced on.
Sounds like you have a nice machine, I had an Alan Carbino for a while, but I saw someone do a 6 Million Dollar Man Show grade disintergration at high sprint...man, that was ugly. I sold it to a woman who weighs much less then me to keep it and me alive.
This was unusual because usually I am far too attached to any bike to sell it.
Your bike is newer and stronger then the Carbino, so don't lose sleep over it. I have an Aluminum Allez with a carbon forkset that is newer with Shimano 105 stuff, and I would swap it for a simular sized model like yours in a minute.
It pays to watch garage sales, Goodwill, and other outlets of second hand stuff, because I have found astounding bikes and equipment at a very cheap price.
Most people don't know a Raleigh Record from a Raleigh Competition, Professional, or an International. If it is grungy, it goes for cheap, and I have the patience to overhaul, clean and refit fine old machines.
It is a fun hunt and hobby I am really into. And when I find a Campy equipped Flying Dutcheman with dirt and a lousy repaint job for 25 dollars, it pays off too.
Keep your eyes open, good stuff for cheap is out there if you've the eye and patience to look for it.
