New Project. Raleigh Scorpio.

[raleighnut]

Took it for a test ride today, mini report here.

Its too big for me so it needs to find a new home.

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That saddle looks a long way back on the rails, would moving it forward help. There is also the brake lever positioning as you're never gonna reach the 'hoods' comfortably that riding style only came in when 'the pro's' started riding too small frames.

I’ll sell it for what it owes me probably, less than £50.

I'd have had it in a hearbeat but I'm not riding 2 wheelers as much these days and Maz tells me I've too many bikes
It could have kept my 531c Road Ace company.

 

[EltonFrog]

That saddle looks a long way back on the rails, would moving it forward help. There is also the brake lever positioning as you're never gonna reach the 'hoods' comfortably that riding style only came in when 'the pro's' started riding too small frames.



I'd have had it in a hearbeat but I'm not riding 2 wheelers as much these days and Maz tells me I've too many bikes
It could have kept my 531c Road Ace company.

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You’re right the saddle is too far back, I didn’t know that until I rode it today, I’ll give it a tweak tomorrow and have another ride, I also need to tweak the front mech a bit.

never mind what Maz says!

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

That saddle looks a long way back on the rails, would moving it forward help. There is also the brake lever positioning as you're never gonna reach the 'hoods' comfortably that riding style only came in when 'the pro's' started riding too small frames.

I agree about the saddle fore-aft, but I have the bars and brakes in a similar position on my 23 1/2" Raleigh Royal and I find it reduces the reach slightly and results in a more upright riding position. The 100mm stem it came with was replaced by an 80mm one which also made a noticeable difference. @CarlP might also benefit from a shorter stem, as that one is quite long, especially considering the 25" frame will have a long top tube as well.

 

[FrankCrank]

............would wearing platform shoes help, you know those spangly ones from the 70's............

 

[midlife]

BITD we bolted wooden blocks to the pedals!

 

[EltonFrog]

............would wearing platform shoes help, you know those spangly ones from the 70's............

BITD we bolted wooden blocks to the pedals!

I can reach the pedals ok and the stand over height is ok, it’s just very long.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I can reach the pedals ok and the stand over height is ok, it’s just very long.

Saddle & stem then. Saddle = free, stem cheap or free if you've got the bits laying around. The only bummer is you've done your bar tape. When I started riding my Royal, I wasn't entirely happy with the 100mm stem, so I didn't do the bar tape until I had made up my mind whether to live with it or swap it for a 80mm one. It doesn't sound very much difference, but in reality it was enough to be worth doing, especially as I do not like riding with my body leaning forward too far over the front wheel. The steering also feels bit "quicker" now with the shorter stem.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I can reach the pedals ok and the stand over height is ok, it’s just very long.

I had that problem with my 26" wheeled conversion so I dread to think how long that beast is.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I had that problem with my 26" wheeled conversion so I dread to think how long that beast is.

I'd imagine the TT length is probably about 23 1/2" on a 25" road frame.
My large sized 501 framed Raleigh MTB from 1991 has a TT with 591mm (or 23 1/4" in proper money), centres. It's a bit longer than I would prefer, and to make matters worse the headset is 1 1/8" not 1", so I can't mix & match from my donor bike spares pile. Getting the bars as high as possible reduces the reach slightly, but the longer term solution for me is to cut the stem shorter and weld it back together!

 

[EltonFrog]

I took it for another ride today after moving the saddle forward and adjusting the front mech. The saddle made a lot of difference but it’s still too long. Still need to fiddle with mech, not sure what I’m doing wrong with it.

 

[Gunk]

I took it for another ride today after moving the saddle forward and adjusting the front mech. The saddle made a lot of difference but it’s still too long. Still need to fiddle with mech, not sure what I’m doing wrong with it.

The groupset is the same as my Raleigh Banana. Shimano TY20 12 speed, you can buy a new old stock front mech off eBay for about £15. I changed both on mine, shifts perfectly now.

 

[EltonFrog]

Sold the Scorpio this evening.

 

[Gunk]

Sold the Scorpio this evening.

Time for another! I was supposed to sell the Banana but I just can’t bring myself to part with it. 🥰

 

[EltonFrog]

Time for another! I was supposed to sell the Banana but I just can’t bring myself to part with it. 🥰

Yup, I wouldn’t have sold if it wasn’t too big for me.

I have another quirky little bike in the shed ready for some fun, but I’ll wait for the weather to get a bit warmer.

 

[Astore]

Bit of a "holy thread resurrection!" moment, but I have a 1995 Scorpio that I've owned from new.
Just looking at the photos of yours in its original colours, it looks almost the same, although I think in the intervening couple of years some cost-cutting must have gone on, as the forks on yours are far nicer, and the brakes appear to be genuine Weinmann, where on mine they were far-eastern knock-offs; now replaced with Weinmann Type 500s. The chainset also got a serious downgrade by the look of things; mine was an awful steel Thun Silverton, now replaced with an eBay bargain find Stronglight Impact.
Once I have proceeded beyond newbie status, I'll post some photos.