Not just about restore, refurb or repurpose but also a revision of reputation!
There are a few threads on here that mention this model. There‘s some nostalgia for ‘my first bike’ and some degree of disgust, especially about the handling - ‘like riding a barge’.
So when I recently got the chance to buy one, I was a bit nervous. Maybe it’s a bad idea. Maybe I’ll just be disappointed, and resell it quickly.
Some background: I LIKE 531 - I have several, a nice Viking racer, a couple of Raleigh Special Product cyclocross frames, a Moulton AM and a Dawes Cougar which I’ve had for a few years and use as a general purpose load carrier - things like 2 panniers, each with a 20kg bag of Postcrete. Nice stable ride.
I have no illusions about Cougars or Rangers being “Mountain Bikes” which is what they were sold as - at the equivalent of more than £1,000!
My Cougar is essentially a Dawes Galaxy with fat tyres - capable and comfortable.
I expected the Ranger to be similar, perhaps more sluggish and maybe quirkily unwieldy.
I bought it. Mostly original, apart from the wheels.
For those unaware of the Ranger and Cougar line, the basic facts are that they were produced between 1984 and 1988. The ‘84 & ‘85 Rangers were “Burnt Cherry” (a form of maroon) followed by the shade of red that I have (and prefer). The Cougars (‘87 & ‘88’ were dark blue, with (‘must have‘, at the time) ‘go faster stripes’ mmm…
The important extra fact (and presumably one reason why some people don’t like Rangers - frame also used for the Countryman, which had a two tone colour scheme and lower spec) is that Rangers have very slack angles and looong wheelbases.
My Cougar is 42”. My Ranger is 45”!!!
Cougars have LOTS of clearance for big tyres and mudguards. Rangers have about twice as much room.
So, deciding on 650B was simple. Fortunately I had some wheels, built last year for a project which didn’t happen. Plus a pair of Continental Ride Tour 584x54 - not MTB tyres, but, appropriately, in that ‘new’ category “gravel”…
Put it all together and RIDE.
I wasn’t disappointed. I’m NOT disappointed.
Nice 531 frame, free rolling wheels (Ultegra and XT - I use what I have) with fat tyres without noisy knobbly bits. Fast, (almost) flash, comfortable.
Maybe it’s the bigger wheels, maybe 40 year on tyre technology - certainly the round profile makes changing direction by leaning, not steering, simple.
JUST FUN
Only (so far) done a 10 mile offroad ride with some steep and stony bits and a tarmac ‘race’ to catch a train - arrived 15 mins early.
Put bike on next to a modern VanMoof. Had very similar angles, but a much shorter wheelbase.
One mystery.
WHY would anyone (not the guy I bought it from) replace the nice 531 ATB decal??
I have a replacement on order from Lloyd’s
https://h-lloyd-cycles.myshopify.com/products/reynolds-531-bb82-89
There are a few threads on here that mention this model. There‘s some nostalgia for ‘my first bike’ and some degree of disgust, especially about the handling - ‘like riding a barge’.
So when I recently got the chance to buy one, I was a bit nervous. Maybe it’s a bad idea. Maybe I’ll just be disappointed, and resell it quickly.
Some background: I LIKE 531 - I have several, a nice Viking racer, a couple of Raleigh Special Product cyclocross frames, a Moulton AM and a Dawes Cougar which I’ve had for a few years and use as a general purpose load carrier - things like 2 panniers, each with a 20kg bag of Postcrete. Nice stable ride.
I have no illusions about Cougars or Rangers being “Mountain Bikes” which is what they were sold as - at the equivalent of more than £1,000!
My Cougar is essentially a Dawes Galaxy with fat tyres - capable and comfortable.
I expected the Ranger to be similar, perhaps more sluggish and maybe quirkily unwieldy.
I bought it. Mostly original, apart from the wheels.
For those unaware of the Ranger and Cougar line, the basic facts are that they were produced between 1984 and 1988. The ‘84 & ‘85 Rangers were “Burnt Cherry” (a form of maroon) followed by the shade of red that I have (and prefer). The Cougars (‘87 & ‘88’ were dark blue, with (‘must have‘, at the time) ‘go faster stripes’ mmm…
The important extra fact (and presumably one reason why some people don’t like Rangers - frame also used for the Countryman, which had a two tone colour scheme and lower spec) is that Rangers have very slack angles and looong wheelbases.
My Cougar is 42”. My Ranger is 45”!!!
Cougars have LOTS of clearance for big tyres and mudguards. Rangers have about twice as much room.
So, deciding on 650B was simple. Fortunately I had some wheels, built last year for a project which didn’t happen. Plus a pair of Continental Ride Tour 584x54 - not MTB tyres, but, appropriately, in that ‘new’ category “gravel”…
Put it all together and RIDE.
I wasn’t disappointed. I’m NOT disappointed.
Nice 531 frame, free rolling wheels (Ultegra and XT - I use what I have) with fat tyres without noisy knobbly bits. Fast, (almost) flash, comfortable.
Maybe it’s the bigger wheels, maybe 40 year on tyre technology - certainly the round profile makes changing direction by leaning, not steering, simple.
JUST FUN
Only (so far) done a 10 mile offroad ride with some steep and stony bits and a tarmac ‘race’ to catch a train - arrived 15 mins early.
Put bike on next to a modern VanMoof. Had very similar angles, but a much shorter wheelbase.
One mystery.
WHY would anyone (not the guy I bought it from) replace the nice 531 ATB decal??
I have a replacement on order from Lloyd’s
https://h-lloyd-cycles.myshopify.com/products/reynolds-531-bb82-89
