Raleigh Activator I / II appreciation thread

[Auld Bimbler]

Medmal,

Same with the front forks on mine.

I'm not sure if they're actually "seized" though? I think its more likely that they never actually went up and down in the first place lol. Dunno?

 

[Medmal]

Photo as promised. All pretty much original I think, mudguards aside.

 

[Auld Bimbler]

Wow!!!

That looks braw!

And it has normal rear forks unlike the wishbone contraption mine has.

That's an absolute steal, nice one!

 

[luke54268]

just bought me a acki 1, 30 bubble, content m8

 

[duck]

Hello! My girlfriend just got an Activator as her first bike in recent years - for about £50 second hand from facebook, wanted something cheap and cheerful and not a target for bike theft. IShe'd had it about 2 weeks when we discovered yesterday someone kicked the back wheel in and bent it when it was locked up outside. I've tried bending it back into shape but it's still wonky, but I guess a replacement wheel shouldn't cost too much for this bike? But I don't really know what I'm looking for - can anyone tell me what specifically I'd need to look for to replace the back wheel please? I don't know if the cassette is a separate piece but that seems fine, it's only the rim of the wheel that's damaged.

 

[was8v]

Hello! My girlfriend just got an Activator as her first bike in recent years - for about £50 second hand from facebook, wanted something cheap and cheerful and not a target for bike theft. IShe'd had it about 2 weeks when we discovered yesterday someone kicked the back wheel in and bent it when it was locked up outside. I've tried bending it back into shape but it's still wonky, but I guess a replacement wheel shouldn't cost too much for this bike? But I don't really know what I'm looking for - can anyone tell me what specifically I'd need to look for to replace the back wheel please? I don't know if the cassette is a separate piece but that seems fine, it's only the rim of the wheel that's damaged.

If you love her just go and weigh it in a buy her something reasonable

 

[was8v]

This is mine, another culturally important bike.

Which kid in 1992 didn't look wistfully at those forks and think they can't be that bad can they?

 

[The History Man]

There’s a crack in that slab.

 

[was8v]

There’s a crack in that slab.

It's the weight of the activator, these things have their own gravity.

 

[greencat]

The activator was important in its own way. I remember looking at them and thinking - well, if Raleigh can make an affordable front suspension bike then why can't others do the same? IIRC it was less than the price of the very few suspension fork options out there for an entire bike. I even briefly considered buying one to cannibalise the forks for a proper mountain bike - until I saw and tried one in real life.