Bikes age

[ray2602]

Hi All,
I'm planning to do the JOGLE (unsupported & camping) either this May or May 2016 and have bought a second hand bike in readiness, I am interested to know the age of the bike and other peoples view of the bike.

The bike is a Raleigh Pioneer Jaguar 21, lightweight Cromoly 4130 Main frame tubes, made in England, conforms to BS 6102/1, weighs 30lbs, 445 mm chainstay, 175 mm crank, 36 spoke 700C wheels, 21 gears, twist grip gear changers, adjustable stem and rear rack, the bike is in superb condition and everything works well with no play in any of the bearings, i have ordered a butterfly handlebar and new gear shifters.

Ray.

 

[raleighnut]

Good basis for a tourer there, change the tyres to 28 or 32 Marathons (or M+) and maybe fit a new chain.(you don't know how long that one has been on)
As for age I'd go for the Noughties but a CrMo frame is decent quality and should ride nicely. Good Luck and

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Hi and from a fellow Pioneer Jaguar owner.

Pictures would help but from the description yours will be a similar age or more likely slightly younger than mine (made '97, bought new by me in spring '98). The cro-moly frame and "made in England" label suggests it's from that late '90s/early 2000s era and as mine came as an 18 speed I'm thinking that yours will be a slightly later version if it was 21 speed from new.

It isn't the lightest or flashest bike out there but is sturdy, nice to ride and eminently suitable for upgrading (link to the thread about my upgrades). It's taken me on quite a few adventurous rides now including several 100 milers.

I'd second the suggestion of some decent tyres (Schwalbe Marathon are good) and let us know how you get on with it.

 

[ray2602]

Thanks for the replies, here are a couple of pictures, although the tyres are brand new I had planned to swap with Marathon plus, I will be changing the chain, I have temporarily removed the rack as i think the bike looks better without it.
At first i was going to buy a new touring bike, but I wanted one with a steel frame, and they seem to cost upwards of £500, going down thesecond hand route is costing me just over £100, thats including the price of the new parts that I will be fitting.

Ray.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Doesn't look in bad condition. From those photos I'd say it's mostly original (not sure about the saddle but that's academic as you'll want something better for touring anyway) and I'm pretty certain it is a couple of years or so later than mine.

I forgot to mention the most obvious method to check the age which is to look at the frame number. Bikes from this era seem to use a different sequence from earlier Raleighs and you'll probably find it starts with two letters, two numbers then a single letter. Those first two numbers are, I believe, the year it was made.

 

[ray2602]

Thanks for the information Phil, I have just checked and its 97, just measured the chain and its worn, seeing as i am changing the chain i have decided to also fit a new freewheel.

Ray