Cyclechat Vintage Bike Review List.

[Mad Doug Biker]

Inspired by this:

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/is-there-a-list.111488/#post-2045867

why don't you tell us about the best bikes out there and the worst? With the amount of frame builders and models over the years, tell us about them, have you come across an underrated gem or a complete stinker which should be avoided?

In short, why can't we make a list, a sort of database, so that anyone can come and look up a bike and see what people have said instead of always asking questions about what they are like? With all the expertise on this site, I'm sure a lot could be gleaned from the CC membership to make it worthwhile! in fact, it surprises me that such a thing doesn't already exist!

I have just bought a 1996 Peugeot Performance 3000, and it seems like a good bike, but I have only just got it so can't really comment on it with any great expertise just yet, so who will go first? What bike is it? What is it like? And why is it good or bad?

Thanks.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Ok, don't then.

 

[Teuchter]

I think one of the difficulties in doing something like this is that everyone has different priorities, expectations and standards when it comes to judging a bike. Someone may say that such and such a vintage road bike is great, really light, comfortable for miles, brakes and shifts gear perfectly when all they've ridden beforehand has been a supermarket mountain bike. Someone else riding exactly the same bike but coming from an expensive modern road bike may think it was a dog.

A lot of the experience is also down to individual fit, differing components and given a lot of these bikes are pretty old, how well it's been maintained and/or restored.

I see what you're aiming at and it's a nice idea in theory, I just think the most you could gain from it would be someone's own view on a bike which most likely would have no reflection on your own experience if you were to try another bike even of the same model.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Thanks for that.

 

[Drago]

Here's a classic review.

The Raleigh Chopper.

Looks über cool. Dreadful to ride, violently unstable at speeds over 6MPH to the extent that it once spat me off and Broke my arm.

Gear lever is so smart... Until you fall off and smack your space hoppers on it.

Conclusion - looks great when posing outside the chippy, but it's safer to push it there.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

1996 Raleigh Ogre Max Mountain Bike

Pros: Built like a tank and certainly up to any punishment you throw at it - you are more likely to injure yourself before you break it! The gears helped with its bulk too.

Cons: Because it is built like a tank (it has oversized tubing) it also weighs a ton and takes a good bit of effort and fitness to get it to any decent speed and keep it there. Also it possesses no suspension, so the ride is understandably rough over certain surfaces, but then, the same could be said of almost every other non susser in the history of the Universe!

Conclusion: If you want something bombproof which you can use and abuse as a winter bike etc, and speed isn't your utmost priority, then this is the bike for you. Just don't except a smooth ride over rough terrain.
If however you want something more svelte and less agricultural, then you will have to look elsewhere.

 

[Teuchter]

Ok, I'll play since the theme is "classic" Raleighs...

1981 Raleigh Grifter XL
Forget your impractical Raleigh Choppers, THIS was the bike to have. Just listen to what Raleigh themselves have to say about it.

All the rugged style and exciting looks of the Grifter plus useful built in rear carrier and studded Redline tyres. A great looking bike with its satin chrome handlebars on a black double clamp stem and a sporty red handlebar cushion pad. There's also a new narrow, padded and quilted saddle and super 'Laser Light' graphics on the frame.

(not my photo)

I had one of these for four years and in that time thanks to the "studded Redline tyres" and "useful built in rear carrier" was able to use it on several overland touring expeditions where it carried me safely across the sands of the Sahara, the Himalayan foothills and raced successfully against Imperial Speeder Bikes on the forest moon of Endor*. The bike's only real handicap for these trips was its inability to mount either a front pannier rack or rear facing laser turret.

With its zero maintenance 3 speed (blue, yellow or red) twist shift Sturmey Archer hub gears it was faster than any of those poxy new single speed BMX things that everyone else was riding and the handlebar padding came in very handy when you tried to do the same jump as said BMXs and realised mid-flight that Grifters are far too well built and solid (read bloody heavy) for that carry on and so don't fly through the air nearly as well, even with ET's "go home" assistance.

Without a doubt the comfiest, fastest, most versatile and most reassuringly solid bike I'd ever owned up to that time. Wish I'd never got rid of it

* disclaimer: in my 9 year old mind

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

The Raleigh Marauder, my Sister had one. She fell off it and got a scar on her arm.

Best bike I never owned!

 

[sidevalve]

Teuchter is pretty much right, it's really a matter of opinions. I like steel frames others don't, one person may like "touring" [old skool] frame geometry another hate it. Also the old rosy tints come into play on older bikes. It's a nice idea but a big big minefield.

 

[RaRa]

The Raleigh Budgie - In shiny Purple with silver mudguards.

Lethal to learn to ride on, always pulled to the left (although that may have been because my mum reversed over it after I left it in the driveway). Goes over any surface you throw it at, can't ever remember having a puncture, held together with a few bits of electrical tape after being run over and then rode into a pond in an Evil Kinevil attempt that went awry.

Still the best bike I ever owned and it probably always will be.

 

[tyred]

It's too subjective. A lot depends on expectations but it is unfair to compare a vintage roadster to a lightweight dedicated race bike as what they are designed to do is very different.

TBH, I own a lot of bikes, from old to very old, heavy and light, cheap and expensive (in their time) and have ridden a lot of other bikes belonging to other people, old and new, cheap and expensive and the conclusion I have come to is that any bike of reasonable quality, adjusted to suit the rider and with properly adjusted bearings, brakes, etc and correctly chosen gear ratios (don't underestimate the importance of this, many bikes have gearing which is too high for an amateur imo) will give every satisfaction to the rider.

I simply enjoy riding bikes and will happily ride anything at all so long as I find it comfortable.

 

[Drago]

Raleigh Wayfarer

A tough, dependable utility bike. Quite light and quick for a bike of its type, but you will gave no friends - "proper" town bike riders will sneer at the young upstart, and trendy Chopper riders will laugh at the old man.

Handy tip - if, like me, you wear the tyre out through repeated skidding, do not under any circumstances remove the entire whel and replace it with one from a Grifter. Sure, you'll still have 3 gears and your chums will marvel at your engineering prowess, but your cranks will hit the floor with each pedal stroke, the rear brake will be ineffective, and you'll look like a bit of a berk.

 

[Teuchter]

The Raleigh Budgie - In shiny Purple with silver mudguards.

My first bike was a Raleigh Budgie, though mine was in a nice 70s metallic orange (this must have been about 1977). Still remember the terror of my Dad "teaching" me to ride it without stabilisers... the technique involved pushing me as fast as he could run, letting go and yelling at me to pedal. I have no idea how that experience (and the inevitable bruises) didn't put me off bikes for life.

Graduated from that onto a Raleigh Strika before finally getting the Grifter. Everyone rode Raleighs in those days.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

The Raleigh Aztec:

Resplendent in custard yellow and vomit green, bought second hand by me Dad, this was my first 'proper' bike and did the job, carrying me many many miles as a kid, even in those awful luminous yellow skintight lycra cycling shorts I had when I was about 9, although having said that, at least I was kind of colour coordinated!

I loved that bike to bits, but it eventually rusted up without me really realising, so the poor thing seized and my Dad threw it out much to my protest when I was about 13. I was getting too big for it anyway no doubt.

Conclusion: A great kid size mountain bike, but prone to debilitating rust! (My fault, I know, even if I didn't realise).

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

The Raleigh Lizard:

Very green.