Illaveago
Guru
- Location
- Chippenham,Wiltshire.
It is amazing how different a bike can feel after fitting a decent a set of alloy wheels .
Show us your Raleigh?!?
- Thread starter *Dusty*
- Start date
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raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
I think the frame 'geometry' plays a more important role, 30 odd years ago when I only had 1 bike (Carlton Clubman) I found I had a puncture one morning and cos I was running a touch late I borrowed my ex's Peugeot to get to work. It was horrible, twitchy and seemed slow despite it being a 531 frame. I don't think it was down to it being a different wheelbase either as I now own a Reynolds 653 'TT' bike that is really short but rides lovely and is very 'stable',
A lot of people have said "Cor that's short' as it really is noticeably different to most bikes to the eye.
Oh and BTW the 'extender' on the handlebars is for a lamp set as I tended to ride it in the dark (after work) and it is a very 'fast' bike and I like to see where I'm going at the speed I was capable of doing on it.
Also I have no idea who made it as it had no decals/badges on it when I got the frame and it doesn't have a frame number or anything anywhere.
A lot of people have said "Cor that's short' as it really is noticeably different to most bikes to the eye.
Oh and BTW the 'extender' on the handlebars is for a lamp set as I tended to ride it in the dark (after work) and it is a very 'fast' bike and I like to see where I'm going at the speed I was capable of doing on it.
Also I have no idea who made it as it had no decals/badges on it when I got the frame and it doesn't have a frame number or anything anywhere.
- Location
- London
Have always passed on "high tensile" frames when scouting for old bikes raleighnut but I respect/value your opinion.
Is there no practical difference at all between the materials? What sort of tubing/metal would you turn your nose up at?
- Location
- London
Nice bike. Odd that something made out of Reynolds 653 has no maker marks?
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
I'm not keen on my Aluminium framed bike and I wouldn't give tuppence for anything made of carbon.
As for different steel alloys the main difference is the stronger steel tubing can be drawn thinner and still have the same strength although some tubing can have problems with heat.
- Location
- London
I'm not keen on my Aluminium framed bike and I wouldn't give tuppence for anything made of carbon.
Can't argue with you on that.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
It probably had decals on when new, it is certainly built to a very high standard of craftsmanship, little details like the guide tube brazed into the top tube for the brake cable, the drain holes in the bottom bracket and the 'set in' seatstays.
Nice lugs too.
EDIT - plus a very nice rear brake bridge.
brucers
Guru
- Location
- Scunthorpe
Raleigh Alu Max II, 1995. Never come across the anodized brakes before, remind me of the surface of china cups!
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Illaveago
Guru
- Location
- Chippenham,Wiltshire.
This is my latest Raleigh . It is a Granada with Reynolds 531 butted tubes . I borrowed some wheels off another bike so that I could give it a test ride . It rides really well despite being heavier than my other bikes .
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
Very nice.
Illaveago
Guru
- Location
- Chippenham,Wiltshire.
I'm a sucker for pretty colours .Very nice.
Illaveago
Guru
- Location
- Chippenham,Wiltshire.
I thought I would put my Granada 531 up against my Criterium 501 .
biggs682
Itching to get back on my bike's
- Location
- Northamptonshire
little and large
wheresthetorch
Dreaming of Celeste
- Location
- West Sussex
My restored Raleigh Equipe, looking glamorous in the evening sun.
SkipdiverJohn
Deplorable Brexiteer
- Location
- London
I do like a proper Raleigh, since I've ridden them from an early age. "Proper" to me means a Nottingham-built one, especially if it has a brazed Reynolds frame, so when this '91 model 501 Highlander came up at a too good to refuse price I had to indulge......
Initially thought it was a 23" with a "nutcracker" crossbar on account of the tall head tube, but it turned out to be a 21" sloper! Somewhat well-used and neglected, it needed some TLC to make it useable. I've been doing a lot of miles on this lately, my Pioneer hasn't even been out for over 3 weeks. The knobblys make it fairly hard work and pretty slow, so two hours/18 miles riding is like doing 25+ miles on the Pioneer, but it's fun on gravel and dirt and the frame has got good standover clearance. Very long reach though, long TT frame combined with a long stem. Saving grace is the tall HT means you can set the bars high enough to make the riding position fairly upright. BB has too much play, so a stripdown and regrease is next on the list to do. Not too enamoured with the 90s multi-colour livery, and the chainstay is rusty, so it really needs painting but I'm going to use as-is until I wear out the old tyres it came on, then take it apart completely and paint it a traditional single colour.
Initially thought it was a 23" with a "nutcracker" crossbar on account of the tall head tube, but it turned out to be a 21" sloper! Somewhat well-used and neglected, it needed some TLC to make it useable. I've been doing a lot of miles on this lately, my Pioneer hasn't even been out for over 3 weeks. The knobblys make it fairly hard work and pretty slow, so two hours/18 miles riding is like doing 25+ miles on the Pioneer, but it's fun on gravel and dirt and the frame has got good standover clearance. Very long reach though, long TT frame combined with a long stem. Saving grace is the tall HT means you can set the bars high enough to make the riding position fairly upright. BB has too much play, so a stripdown and regrease is next on the list to do. Not too enamoured with the 90s multi-colour livery, and the chainstay is rusty, so it really needs painting but I'm going to use as-is until I wear out the old tyres it came on, then take it apart completely and paint it a traditional single colour.
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