I just won a crap bike!

[Beardie]

Doesn't look remotely 'crap' to me at all. If you want a crap bike, spend £41 on a new bike instead of secondhand. that way, you'll get somethng known as a BSO or 'bicycle-shaped object'. This will look fairly good to start with, but will turn out to be surprisingly heavy, with components which wear out remarkably quickly. It won't be worth upgrading, since what is the point of buying a £30 rear rack for a £41 bike?

On one level, it's quite amusing that someone has gone out intending to buy trash and has inadvertently bought something worthwhile. On the other hand, it is sad that good quality bikes which could keep going indefinitely go to the tip to be replaced with BSOs.

 

[Cathryn]

I think it looks rather lovely. Lots of character.

 

[jonny jeez]

A lock would be a false economy...these would be a far better deterrent to thieves, and would suit the old girl just fine.

I actually quite like the look of the bike, perhaps I'm getting old...maybe this is how it starts, some day soon I will find myslef looking at bikes like these (and Volvo's) and thinking..."Hmmmmmmm" to myself

 

[XmisterIS]

A lock would be a false economy...these would be a far better deterrent to thieves, and would suit the old girl just fine.

I actually quite like the look of the bike, perhaps I'm getting old...maybe this is how it starts, some day soon I will find myslef looking at bikes like these (and Volvo's) and thinking..."Hmmmmmmm" to myself

Lol! I would never get a pair of those unless I owned a Harley! And then I'd only get them in leather - with a leather biker jacket that says, "Born to be Wild - Harley Davidson", on the back

 

[Sun Superlight]

Looks a good enough bike to me.
I use a similar Sturmey Archer geared 3 speed to go to work on, do the shopping on and leave for long periods outside the local library etc.
Its now covered over 2600 miles with very little cleaning other than the chain.
No big worries when I leave it in places that I would not be happy to leave my other bikes either.
Mine cost £25 plus a new chain and a 22 tooth sturmey archer sprocket from SJS.
Still use a lock though.

 

[Arch]

I think it looks rather lovely. Lots of character.

Hear, hear, not crap at all.

I think it looks like a fine old workhorse. I think I'd rather have it than a £1000's worth of carbon, TBH....

 

[threebikesmcginty]

perhaps I'm getting old...maybe this is how it starts, some day soon I will find myslef looking at bikes like these (and Volvo's) and thinking..."Hmmmmmmm" to myself

 

[lady_rider]

I think it looks great! I've just had my grandfather's bike restored and it looks really similar. Problem is I cannot for the life of me remember what it is, other than the fact that it's a Raleigh (my mother now has it).

 

[Happiness Stan]

Could have done a lot worse

 

[GrahamNR17]

Very nice indeed! Don't be fooled though, old roadsters are fetching much more than their worth on fleabay these days, so I wouldn't go banking on it not getting nicked.

Anyway, for the record, it's Raleigh-built but either for another firm or one of their other in-house brands (Triumph etc). The low-down rear-facing mudguard eyelets are a dead giveaway. So don't break anything, 26tpi bits are become really scarce.

Nice bike for the money, I'm dead jealous

 

[tyred]

I think it's a nice bike.

And it will outlast probably anything on the market today.

 

[swee'pea99]

My missus has the girly version of that - an old Raleigh sit up 'n beg - and tho' it weighs a ton, I'm always surprised when I borrow it for a quick nip down the shops by just what a nice smooth reassuringly solid-yet-neverthless-lively ride it is.

 

[swee'pea99]

My missus has the girly version of that - an old Raleigh sit up 'n beg - and tho' it weighs a ton, I'm always surprised when I borrow it for a quick nip down the shops by just what a nice smooth reassuringly solid-yet-neverthless-lively ride it is.

 

[Twenty Inch]

That's not a crap bike at all - a rather wonderful roadster. Well done.

On the down side, you're going to look odd at the gym in plus-fours, knee socks, sensible brogues, a Norfolk jacket and a flat cap. Gentlemen may loosen but not remove their ties when working out.

...and lashings of ginger beer.

 

[Twenty Inch]

That's not a crap bike at all - a rather wonderful roadster. Well done.

On the down side, you're going to look odd at the gym in plus-fours, knee socks, sensible brogues, a Norfolk jacket and a flat cap. Gentlemen may loosen but not remove their ties when working out.

...and lashings of ginger beer.