my Raleigh Criterium

[beatmeoutame]

bought this just recently, im enjoying it, I like the fact its red and raleigh.

http://i876.photobuc...esdk/bike/1.jpg

http://i876.photobuc...esdk/bike/2.jpg

http://i876.photobuc...esdk/bike/3.jpg

 

[Spokesmann]

bought this just recently, im enjoying it, I like the fact its red and raleigh.

http://i876.photobuc...esdk/bike/1.jpg

http://i876.photobuc...esdk/bike/2.jpg

http://i876.photobuc...esdk/bike/3.jpg

No old machine, some nice gum walled tyres and new bar tape will make it look beautiful!

 

[beatmeoutame]

No old machine, some nice gum walled tyres and new bar tape will make it look beautiful!

yea bar tape is next..im thinking red

 

[Spokesmann]

yea bar tape is next..im thinking red

Red cotton? Im no fan of this cork and padded rubbish.

 

[beatmeoutame]

I havnt really shopped around yet like

 

[e-rider]

I had one of these as my first ever racing bike back in 1988 at the age of 11.

It looks like it has most of the original components as I remember them very well.

Saddle has been changed though.

I used to love mine so much but I have to say that I wouldn't want it back today compared to modern road bikes - a nice retro bike to enjoy though.

 

[Alembicbassman]

Used to have a metallic blue one in the 90s made with Reynolds 501 tubes, made a great commuter.

Traded it in for a brand new GT Outpost in 1999 D'oh !!!

 

[beatmeoutame]

I had one of these as my first ever racing bike back in 1988 at the age of 11.

It looks like it has most of the original components as I remember them very well.

Saddle has been changed though.

I used to love mine so much but I have to say that I wouldn't want it back today compared to modern road bikes - a nice retro bike to enjoy though.

Im interested to know how it compares to a modern road bike, as this is the first road bike I have owned.

 

[Alembicbassman]

This is my current Raleigh and it's a lot faster that my other road bikes 1984 Triumph Tempest and 1990 Raleigh Criterium.

Shimano 105, 20 Speed, Carbon forks, seatstays and chainstays, alloy frame.

 

[Spokesmann]

This is my current Raleigh and it's a lot faster that my other road bikes 1984 Triumph Tempest and 1990 Raleigh Criterium.

Shimano 105, 20 Speed, Carbon forks, seatstays and chainstays, alloy frame.

Technically much better than the old offerings, but these new bike with sloping top tubes, thick cumbersome tubing etc just dont have the elegance and cache of the older 80s and pre 80s bikes. Just me, Im a bit of a retro freak.

Bet it rides well though!

 

[beatmeoutame]

This is my current Raleigh and it's a lot faster that my other road bikes 1984 Triumph Tempest and 1990 Raleigh Criterium.

Shimano 105, 20 Speed, Carbon forks, seatstays and chainstays, alloy frame.

That does look nice. I particularly like the wheels! and 20 gears!? you cant possibly use all of them? I suppose the alloy frame and carbon forks make it lighter, therfore faster. A nice bike alembic

 

[Alembicbassman]

A 12-25 tooth cassette running 8 cogs has the same high and low gears as a 12-25 tooth cassette running 10 cogs. You just get a smoother transition as the divisions are smaller.

Some roadies have a triple chainring to give 30 gears in total. Mine has 2 chainrings 34 teeth and 50 teeth.

Some people think there's too few spokes on this wheelset, bit I'm 85 kg and haven't had any problems.

 

[Dunbar]

The 'diamond' bike-frame is a one-off piece of design genius; a 'freak' that can be fiddled with but never really improved upon. (Except maybe in the materials used to make it.) Yet manufacturers continue to try.



That's my two pennyworth

John

 

[bauldbairn]

This is my current Raleigh and it's a lot faster that my other road bikes 1984 Triumph Tempest and 1990 Raleigh Criterium.

Shimano 105, 20 Speed, Carbon forks, seatstays and chainstays, alloy frame.

Very Nice Bike indeed!

 

[e-rider]

Im interested to know how it compares to a modern road bike, as this is the first road bike I have owned.

It would be like comparing a 1988 Ford Escort to a 2010 Porsche 911