Cool Wall - Raleigh

[mechagouki]

Raleigh are a little like MG Rover I think.

Notorious for using peoples nostalgia to sell overpriced, poorly made crap you mean?

 

[cchris2lou]

I am a bit surprised at the results so far .

 

[john]

Which has precisely what to do with being "cool"?

For someone who claims to have an understanding of cool you don't actually have a clue do you? :xmas-cool:

Come on, John - it's nothing to do with history or heritage.

Perhaps a myriad of other factors, but not what they were doing 20, 30, 40 etc... years ago. History and heritage are precisely that, but nothing, that's right, nothing whatsoever to do with something being "cool".

Now something being retro ;-) that's a different matter ;-) But then, not all retro is cool.

And to be fair, I've not nailed my colours to the mast one way or t'other on the brand of Raleigh.

Get a grip, since this is a site about old bicycles I would imagine most people use criteria like history and heritage to judge whether something is cool or not.

As for what history and heritage are who on Earth are you to define what it is in this or any other context? Or should I bin my OED and replace it with a NED.

 

[Neil]

Raleigh are a little like MG Rover I think.

Whenever I think of Rover, I just think K-series and head gasket failure...

It's like a recurring nightmare, in flashback ;-)

 

[john]

Raleigh are a little like MG Rover I think.

Notorious for using peoples nostalgia to sell overpriced, poorly made crap you mean?

Owned by the Chinese?

 

[Neil]

Get a grip, since this is a site about old bicycles I would imagine most people use criteria like history and heritage to judge whether something is cool or not.

Personally, I use a certain era as criteria for bikes I like and appreciate.

What I don't do is confuse or conflate that era as being necessarily cool. Nobody outside of us enthusiasts would get that - which is precisely, NOT cool.

Surely the concept of us using "cool" is exactly the same as others, like TG, using cool, and it isn't necessarily just what a group of enthusiasts would thing of as cool - which is why cars like the M3 and the M5 are uncool.

As for what history and heritage are who on Earth are you to define what it is in this or any other context?

Just as important as any other take on the subject, that's what.

'cept I'm not confusing "cool" with "what I like".

Or should I bin my OED and replace it with a NED.

Whatever lights your candle ;-)

 

[Elev12k]

I have some sympathy for them because they are not the typical overrated brand (hence why most apparently check uncool)

They made a lot of stuff, but some very fine highlights are for example Kneet's TI in the 1st post and the Dyna-Tech with c-R in team finishing I recall from a catalogue. The (US) Technium I bought for a girl a couple moths ago was also a fun bike and great value for money >>

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41144121@N03/

I say Cool.

 

[MikeD]

Some Raleigh USAs were still produced in Nottingham even prior to the Derby group buyout.Further I seem to recall Raleigh UK distributing Techniums in the early 90s. Whilst they are certainly seperate I would perhaps argue the relationship is somewhat closer than GT and whoever, esp given the commonality of Derby.

"Distributing" is exactly that - a manufacturer/distributor relationship. Raleighs US and UK are no closer than Raleigh and Diamondback ;-)

Aaaaaanyway. I think that one's pretty much kicked to death. I shall move on.

To me, the general lack of coolness of Raleigh is what makes the Baker-era team bikes far more cool than they would otherwise be. Does that make sense?

 

[john]

Get a grip, since this is a site about old bicycles I would imagine most people use criteria like history and heritage to judge whether something is cool or not.

Personally, I use a certain era as criteria for bikes I like and appreciate.

What I don't do is confuse or conflate that era as being necessarily cool. Nobody outside of us enthusiasts would get that - which is precisely, NOT cool.

Surely the concept of us using "cool" is exactly the same as others, like TG, using cool, and it isn't necessarily just what a group of enthusiasts would thing of as cool - which is why cars like the M3 and the M5 are uncool.

As for what history and heritage are who on Earth are you to define what it is in this or any other context?

Just as important as any other take on the subject, that's what.

'cept I'm not confusing "cool" with "what I like".

Or should I bin my OED and replace it with a NED.

Whatever lights your candle ;-)

I'd beg to differ, I think you are really quite confused on various issues

 

[Neil]

I'd beg to differ, I think you are really quite confused on various issues

Good for you! ;-)