How has Raleigh touched your cycling life?

[Cycleops]

The thing that bugs me and im not sure if its the headset or just the angle of the fork/bars, but the handlebars turn a little too easily, so if you go over a ridge its really easy to twist the handlebars as the wheel cant move.[/quote]

The headset is easy to check. Does it rattle? Hold the front brake and push back and forth, is there any play? The head angle on MTBs is more relaxed than on road bikes so that accounts for some vagueness.

 

[fossyant]

Loads of Raleighs. Budgie then a Chopper and finally a 1986 Road Ace 531c with Shimano 600 - very nice bike for a 16 year old (bought it myself).

 

[Bontyboy]

My first bike was a 2nd hand Raleigh shopper, I desperately craved a chopper or a grifter but my folks did not have the disposable to fund such frippery, & I was too lazy to go down chimneys to buy it myself!!!!!!!
If I were to save only 1 of my bikes from a burning bike shed it would be my Raleigh RSP 550!!!!!!! I just love it, it barely resembles the bike that left Raleigh special products shed all those years ago, but at its beating heart remains that titanium frame, now wearing some lovely singular gryphon 29r rigid forks, transmission 32:20 ss, quite big I know, but we got some pretty big hills up here & a favoured race of mine is the strathpuffer & that ratio seems to work quite well on that course.
So it's a well loved, home botched rigid SS 69r, or 96'r. Long may it rule & thank you Raleigh!!!!!!!!

 

[Hicky]

My older bro had a grifter I had a similar but smaller bike(no idea what it was but had a huge saddle) from then on I had emmelle bmx, diamondback bmx...dearly wanted a mongoose or a raleigh burner with mag wheels!
Then onto an emmelle mtb which I loved and took me everywhere as an early teen...from then a few bso's, had a Carrera mtb(nicked out of the garden) up till now when I have a sirrius and a surly.....I don't know how I've managed to stay away from raleighs!

 

[Twilkes]

I worked there as a tech, 1978 - 1984.

I hardly worked there as a student in 2007, although we did get free printing. Was quite poetic to see the demise of the bike - it was a month before the saddle went (quick release, no less), and maybe a week or two later for the front wheel, and then a quick tumble into 'who left that frame there?'

"So sad...... so sad....... such a sad, sad, situation......"

 

[EltonFrog]

About twenty five years ago, on one of my many attempts to back into cycling, I rather impulsively ( because I had a new credit card) went into a bike shop in Hersham, Surrey and bought a brand New Raliegh road bike. Now, I remember purchasing the bike quite well, I also remember the colour of the bike, British Racing Green, I remember it was a road bike with drop handlebars and I remember it cost £315.00, which i thought at the time was a huge amount of money; but that's it.

I can't remember the the model, I can't remember ever riding it, cant remember how long I had it, and don't remember what I did with it. It's almost like a dreamt it. Most odd.

 

[Arjimlad]

I think I was 9 or so, when my Dad took me into Halfords, so it would have been 1981. We looked at, and I sat on, a Raleigh Bomber and a Raleigh Chopper. I couldn't make my mind up - head said Bomber, heart said Chopper.

Later as I lay in bed reading, Dad popped his head round my door. My mind was made up - the Chopper was the bike for me. On Christmas day it was duly unveiled.

It was a bit old-fashioned even then but still a classic ride.

My friends had BMXs - Raleigh Burners or Diamondbacks - but still thought the Chopper was cool in a retro sort of way, kind of like the Status Quo I was getting into. I could certainly go a lot faster than any BMX rider.

I rode everywhere on it. Up to the shopping precinct, to school, and off to friends' houses close by or miles away. I did my cycling proficiency on that bike.

Getting caught out in the dark, and riding home on the busy road whilst feebly holding a little penlight up in the air is one of my clearest memories. I never considered riding on the pavement because that was for kids. It had a huge rear reflector and was really comfortable to ride.

It was later sold to some friends of the family and I don't know what became of it after that. Wish I'd somehow hung onto it now..

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Had the Tommahawk as a kid and was jealous of my Bro's brand new grifter whilst I was on a 2nd hand Puch shopper thing.

 

[ShooglyDougie]

My best loved bike from my childhood was a raleigh mustang, it was handed down to me by my cousin. It was orange and had 5 or 6 gears, at ten years old I thought it was the best thing on two wheels.

 

[HovR]

so if you go over a ridge its really easy to twist the handlebars as the wheel cant move.

By this, do you mean that if there is any resistance stopping the front wheel from moving, then the handlebars can turn independently of the front wheel? If this is the case, then all you have to do is tighten up the bolt on the top of the stem nice and tight.

 

[wisdom]

Touched the crown jewels when i was a lot younger.
It was the first bike i had with good brakes.Landed on the crossbar on several occasions at first.

 

[Boris Bajic]

About twenty five years ago, on one of my many attempts to back into cycling, I rather impulsively ( because I had a new credit card) went into a bike shop in Hersham, Surrey and bought a brand New Raliegh road bike. Now, I remember purchasing the bike quite well, I also remember the colour of the bike, British Racing Green, I remember it was a road bike with drop handlebars and I remember it cost £315.00, which i thought at the time was a huge amount of money; but that's it.

I can't remember the the model, I can't remember ever riding it, cant remember how long I had it, and don't remember what I did with it. It's almost like a dreamt it. Most odd.

That was Brown's, just under the railway bridge - and I claim my fifty pounds.

I don't deserve it, but I claim it nonetheless.

 

[MrJamie]

By this, do you mean that if there is any resistance stopping the front wheel from moving, then the handlebars can turn independently of the front wheel? If this is the case, then all you have to do is tighten up the bolt on the top of the stem nice and tight.

Thanks, ill give that a go - Its been a while but I think i was mainly tightening the big nut where the stem meets the frame/headset. It still takes a fair bit of effort, but a big guy hanging off wide bars doesnt seem to help with the leverage side of things

Also remembered, my friends had Raleigh Mantis and Lizard i think it was and I think my sister has a ~20 year old raleigh girls MTB which was hardly used and still works fine about once a year.

 

[HovR]

Thanks, ill give that a go - Its been a while but I think i was mainly tightening the big nut where the stem meets the frame/headset. It still takes a fair bit of effort, but a big guy hanging off wide bars doesnt seem to help with the leverage side of things

Yeah, sounds like a stem issue to me rather than a headset issue. Could be wrong though! When tightening up the bolt on top of the stem, hold the front wheel between your legs so you can put plenty of force in to tightening the bolt without the wheel turning.

 

[EltonFrog]

That was Brown's, just under the railway bridge - and I claim my fifty pounds.

I don't deserve it, but I claim it nonetheless.

Correct, but no £50, but here's a shiney sixpence for trouble you young scallywag. Is Browns still there?

Now, what was the bike?