Anybody knows something about Canadian Raleigh bikes?

[bodrobert]

Hello,

I've seen in a local ad a very pretty Raleigh mountain bike frameset. It's headbadge says "The Raleigh", and it is lugged steel and supposed to be built in Canada from 4130 Cr-Mo tubes, as a sticker says.
Below is a picture about it. It has hidden rear brake cable and wishbone stay at rear.
Anybody knows something about this bike? How was it equipped at the days?

Thanks in advance,

Robert

 

[dirttorpedo]

Don't know a huge amount about them. I recall checking them out the Raleigh Canada products and being very impressed with their build. The frames were decent cromo made in Taiwan with features inspired by a number of boutique brands from the time. I told my boss to buy the metalic blue one for his daughter back in 89 because it came with a full LX build on it which was pretty rare back then for a mass market bike.

My guess would be Shimano Deore DX grouppo as Raleigh Canada has a reputation for naming the bikes after the groupset. A quick google search shows that this frame looks suprisingly similar to the late 80's US Raleigh Technum Chill. That bike may be a good inspiration for a build kit for this frame.

 

[drcarlos]

A quick google search shows that this frame looks suprisingly similar to the late 80's US Raleigh Technum Chill. That bike may be a good inspiration for a build kit for this frame.

Without even looking at Google that to me screams Technium to me. the Chill was Deore II and then Deore DX in 1990 so it probably exactly the same bike. Do the magnet test but I suspect only the rear stays are 4130 and the main tubes are Easton E9 aluminium as the Raleigh USA technium range were all bonded composite frames (Alu main triangle of varying quality with cromo rear triangles).

Carl.

 

[aguycalled80]

A quick google search shows that this frame looks suprisingly similar to the late 80's US Raleigh Technum Chill. That bike may be a good inspiration for a build kit for this frame.

Without even looking at Google that to me screams Technium to me. the Chill was Deore II and then Deore DX in 1990 so it probably exactly the same bike. Do the magnet test but I suspect only the rear stays are 4130 and the main tubes are Easton E9 aluminium as the Raleigh USA technium range were all bonded composite frames (Alu main triangle of varying quality with cromo rear triangles).

Carl.

I would be absolutely stunned if this bike has any aluminum in it. The Raleigh Canada frames had lugged construction just like Raleigh USA, but would never have been made from Easton tubes. This bike was probably at the top of the range for Raleigh - but that's not saying much.

Their bread and butter was $300 bikes for recreational use. I don't think they ever sold a bike with parts better than LX.

Sorry if I'm being a downer, but I expect this would have been a low end bike when it was new, and I wouldn't put any money into it.

 

[grogee]

Re:

I never knew Raleigh Canada existed! At first sight this looks just like a Raleigh Technium USA but look closer and it's subtly different. The wishbone stay to seat tube joint is lower. I wonder if any of the rear end parts are common though (rear triangle of techniums were cro-mo).

Even the graphics are the same as 89-ish Techniums!

 

[drcarlos]

A quick google search shows that this frame looks suprisingly similar to the late 80's US Raleigh Technum Chill. That bike may be a good inspiration for a build kit for this frame.

Without even looking at Google that to me screams Technium to me. the Chill was Deore II and then Deore DX in 1990 so it probably exactly the same bike. Do the magnet test but I suspect only the rear stays are 4130 and the main tubes are Easton E9 aluminium as the Raleigh USA technium range were all bonded composite frames (Alu main triangle of varying quality with cromo rear triangles).

Carl.

I would be absolutely stunned if this bike has any aluminum in it. The Raleigh Canada frames had lugged construction just like Raleigh USA, but would never have been made from Easton tubes. This bike was probably at the top of the range for Raleigh - but that's not saying much.

Their bread and butter was $300 bikes for recreational use. I don't think they ever sold a bike with parts better than LX.

Sorry if I'm being a downer, but I expect this would have been a low end bike when it was new, and I wouldn't put any money into it.

Now I'm home and can zoom into the PIC this looks a lot more average and not at all like a technium. The graphics and wishbone looked technium from a distance but looking closely the frame looks lugged and brazed rather than alloy lugs with bonded tubes.

Carl

 

[aguycalled80]

Re: Re:

I never knew Raleigh Canada existed! At first sight this looks just like a Raleigh Technium USA but look closer and it's subtly different. The wishbone stay to seat tube joint is lower. I wonder if any of the rear end parts are common though (rear triangle of techniums were cro-mo).

Even the graphics are the same as 89-ish Techniums!

It's the great eye-opener for all Canadian mountain bikers - discovering that not all Raleighs are crap bikes.

 

[bodrobert]

One of the stickers has the following text: Guaranteed built with 4130 Cromoly frame and fork.
The other sticker is: Made in Canada.

 

[dirttorpedo]

Re:

Raleigh Canada did make a lot of entry level bikes and I would agree that their product line probably topped out at mid-range. I bought a Rocky Mountain Fusion around 89 and Raleigh was making a bike that was very competitive with that product at a very nice price. If you are willing to invest the time restoring a Rocky Fusion, Kona Lavadome or something equivalent I don't see why you wouldn't give that frameset some loving as well.