Everyone has their Raleigh era, which one were you?

[Stick Legs]

First off road raleigh was a Dyna-Tech Quantum.

Raleight era must have been Maverick for me, always remember wanting a Record Sprint or a Pirsuit road bike. Also lusted after the Centenery in gold plate in Ralph Colman cycles window. MMM, 1989 105, MMM

 

[knobby]

My Raleigh era is right now. I've owned my M-Trax Ti1000 since 95 (that's the one with just the two main tubes in ti....in fact, come to think of it, the frame's the only original part that survives (many didn't apparently??) It came with a registration card which included a mugshot and signature of the Raleigh employee who assembled your bike. Always thought that was a nice touch.

 

[Yetiman]

I've had quite a few in my time. My first raleigh was a non descript touring style bike with flat bars in 1979 or so. I then got a 10 speed racing bike in 1981, can't remember the model but there's a photo of me in my pyjamas on Christmas morning looking very pleased. I changed that bike 3 or 4 years later for a Raleigh Pulsar with oval aero tubes then in 1985 a Raleigh Maverick 15 speed MTB joined the Pulsar in the garage. I started to get into road racing a bit more so the Pulsar was swapped for a Record Sprint which I'd lusted after since first setting eyes on one. I think the next Raleigh I owned was a Raleigh Summit MTB bought in 1991/92 as a stop gap after I broke my Giant Coldrock frame. Believe it or not the Summit was an excellent bike with one of the first sets of Rock Shox forks. Can't be many around though as I haven't seen one since.

 

[B3]

For me it's Chopper, grifter, then a bomber!

 

[Alison]

I've just remembered I did have a Raleigh!!! It was a Raleigh Winner, but I cannot place what age I was when I got it, I know I bought it second hand in my teens as a run around.

What is, BTW, the general feeling towards Raleigh as a serious bike manufacturer, at any time in their life. My husband would not touch one with a ten-foot barge pole, me? Well I think most large bike manufacturers produce the good the bad and the downright ugly. I won't buy one because my better half would not take it seriously but I'm sure a lot of folks on here have given them a positive airing.

What would you say to convince him to buy one if you had to?

 

[knobby]

Raleigh's have never really had the cache that other manufacturers seem to acquire. This is probably due to the size of the company and a stack 'em high sell 'em cheap mentality. They did try to address this lack of appeal when they set up the Special Products division, but it was too little too late. My bike was built during this period and it is a great riding frame. I think if people had put aside their prejudice and tried before they bought, some of them might have plumped for a Raleigh of this period. As far as I'm aware they only produce low end stuff now, which does nothing for the general rep of the their previous wares...even the good stuff.

 

[thrustyjust]

Iwas a lucky soul with a new Boxer.I was envious of my mate who got a Grifter at the same time,so must have been Christmas.He had gears and I had my first singlespeed in a way.Rode it and rode it.Bent the forks,mudguards broke off,seat got a bit eaten,but not like some.Reflector fell off,rear tyre was bald.But had so much fun on it.Then endured a 'bike found in a stream' which was also a Raleigh.My Uncle rebuilt it.Mum worked in a pump manufacturer,so was painted sewage pump blue.I repainted it gold,but should have stayed in the stream for eternity.The I had an Arena GTX with an alloy chainset and different colour blue paint to the standard Arena.Have a piccie somewhere and what comical geometry it has too.Rode it to school and most days at play.Then moved away from Raleigh with a second hand Puch Mistral A.Was my first 700c rimmed bike and was ridden loads.Then the car and birds took over and didn't sit on a bike for 6 yrs.

 

[knobby]

It's a tricky one this, how do you convince someone to put aside their preconceived notions about a particular bike? Some bikes just look right, the frame geometry complies to what we've been told by the bike media is the optimum...Raleigh never did...they never got it quite right. Their top tube didn't quite slope enough....that's about it. If it were possible to do a pepsi style blindfold challenge I reckon Raleigh might emerge the winner!

 

[BoyBurning]

Mine was a white mustang. First generation. Interestingly enough I've just had my dad bring it back from his house in France where he's been using it the last 15 or so years as his bread-and-cheese-from-the-market-fetching-bike. Looking forward to seeing it again after all this time. All original I think including the big chrome rear mech protector thing...!

 

[Stick Legs]

Raleigh's have never really had the cache that other manufacturers seem to acquire. This is probably due to the size of the company and a stack 'em high sell 'em cheap mentality. They did try to address this lack of appeal when they set up the Special Products division, but it was too little too late. My bike was built during this period and it is a great riding frame. I think if people had put aside their prejudice and tried before they bought, some of them might have plumped for a Raleigh of this period. As far as I'm aware they only produce low end stuff now, which does nothing for the general rep of the their previous wares...even the good stuff.

Any top of the line Raleigh has always had a special 'kudos' in the bike world. Be it a Titanium Dyna Tech or a Team 'TI' Raleigh from the '70's. Never forget that the great Laurent Fignon rode a Raleigh.