Newbie - old bike advice

[Kalico]

First, just to say that I've only just found this site and how fantastic it looks. Thanks to all involved. I'm looking forward to more.

When I was younger I was really 'into' bikes. That was the 1970's and 1980's. Now I still ride and have lots of old bikes in the garage. I see the latest machines and they look like something from the future. Kind of like a mechanic trained on Morris Minors and VW Beetles might feel looking at a modern car engine bay. Where to start!

Anyway, I've seen an old Raleigh Pioneer with 18-23 tubing. Fairly good nick and I could probably fix the brakes and have a rideable bike.

My question is whether an old bike like that is any good, or worth bothering with? It's £5, which to an old fart like me seems ludicrously cheap.

Thanks.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Hi and @Kalico

If it's in good condition then those earlier Raleigh Pioneers are decent bikes that ride well. For a fiver I wouldn't think twice about buying (which would probably get me into trouble at home).

 

[wisdom]

As rickshawphil said.They were good bikes,for a fiver it's a shame not to buy it.
They were basic simple bikes that will go on forever.replace the cables sort out the brakes bit of grease in the hubs lube the chain and away you go

 

[midlife]

Welcome is it @raleighnut on here that has a Pioneer and thinks its great....

 

[Andy in Germany]

Hello and Welcome...

The age of a bike isn't necessarily an issue: I ride several elderly and refurbished bikes, and regularly do moderately adventurous tours on my 1995ish Raleigh, and I'm currently making a tourer out of another 90's MTB. I've got a very elderly Dutch bike with iffy brakes and a pedal that clicks, but it was a good bike for riding genteelly to the tram stop and back, and during the day its primary purpose in life was looking old and tatty enough not to get stolen.

A lot depends on what you want the bike to do. What are your plans? I'd probably do the same as @Rickshaw Phil and buy it, then look at what needed to be done. I'd get into trouble for this, but it would be worth it.

 

[raleighnut]

Welcome is it @raleighnut on here that has a Pioneer and thinks its great....

Nah, That's @SkipdiverJohn with a Pioneer, I'd have one but I've got a Ridgeback with Tange CrMo tubing.

BTW welcome @Kalico the Pioneer is a good bike.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Welcome is it @raleighnut on here that has a Pioneer and thinks its great....

I have one and think it's great. Mines a Pioneer Jaguar and it's a few years newer than the one mentioned (4130 cro-moly frame rather than Raleigh's own 18-23):

No lightweight but it takes me on some great adventures.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I have one and think it's great. Mines a Pioneer Jaguar and it's a few years newer than the one listed:
View attachment 451540
No lightweight but it takes me on some great adventures.

Severe case of bike envy coming on...

 

[midlife]

First, just to say that I've only just found this site and how fantastic it looks. Thanks to all involved. I'm looking forward to more.

When I was younger I was really 'into' bikes. That was the 1970's and 1980's. Now I still ride and have lots of old bikes in the garage. I see the latest machines and they look like something from the future. Kind of like a mechanic trained on Morris Minors and VW Beetles might feel looking at a modern car engine bay. Where to start!

Anyway, I've seen an old Raleigh Pioneer with 18-23 tubing. Fairly good nick and I could probably fix the brakes and have a rideable bike.

My question is whether an old bike like that is any good, or worth bothering with? It's £5, which to an old fart like me seems ludicrously cheap.

Thanks.

Just out of curiosity what bikes have you got? I'm a child of the 70's

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Forget about the modern stuff and stick to the vintage steel bikes. You know it makes sense!

Anyway, I've seen an old Raleigh Pioneer with 18-23 tubing. Fairly good nick and I could probably fix the brakes and have a rideable bike. My question is whether an old bike like that is any good, or worth bothering with? It's £5, which to an old fart like me seems ludicrously cheap.Thanks.

Raleigh Pioneers, the real ones that were made in Nottingham anyway, are excellent bikes. They are cheap because they are out of fashion, not because they aren't any good. They have comfortable geometry and ride nicely and were well made and built to last. The cheaper spec ones used plain gauge 18-23 Hi-Tensile frames, the most expensive versions used double-butted Reynolds 501 - which saves a little bit of weight. Some of the base models also had steel wheels, the higher spec ones were alloy, again saving bit of weight and better braking in the wet. For a Fiver, its a no-brainer; mine cost me £10!

If it's in good condition then those earlier Raleigh Pioneers are decent bikes that ride well. For a fiver I wouldn't think twice about buying (which would probably get me into trouble at home).

Nah, That's @SkipdiverJohn with a Pioneer, I'd have one but I've got a Ridgeback with Tange CrMo tubing. the Pioneer is a good bike.

"Best" one in Reynolds 501:-

"Pub Hack" in 18-23 Hi-tensile:-

P.S. Posting and editing anything is a pain in the A*** this afternoon, internet has been shite all day!

 

[Salar]

Welcome,

I tried to give my Pioneer away a few months ago (too many bikes).

Nobody wanted it, I'll probably keep it now with my other old steel mtbs etc and give it a new lease of life.

As @SkipdiverJohn and others, there's a few of us on here, me included who like these old solid bikes.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Welcome,

I tried to give my Pioneer away a few months ago (too many bikes).
View attachment 451563


Nobody wanted it, I'll probably keep it now with my other old steel mtbs etc and give it a new lease of life.

As @SkipdiverJohn and others, there's a few of us on here, me included who like these old solid bikes.

D*mn, where was I when you were doing that?

 

[EltonFrog]

Welcome,

I tried to give my Pioneer away a few months ago (too many bikes).
View attachment 451563


Nobody wanted it, I'll probably keep it now with my other old steel mtbs etc and give it a new lease of life.

As @SkipdiverJohn and others, there's a few of us on here, me included who like these old solid bikes.

I would’ve had it but it’s too small.

 

[biggs682]

My question is whether an old bike like that is any good, or worth bothering with? It's £5, which to an old fart like me seems ludicrously cheap.

Thanks.

@Kalico welcome

And as other's have already said at £5 go and have a look and if poss try it out and i would say as long as it doesn't need more than £40 spending on it then you should have yourself another fine machine .

 

[snorri]

Anyway, I've seen an old Raleigh Pioneer with 18-23 tubing.
My question is whether an old bike like that is any good, or worth bothering with?

I don't like to think of the Raleigh Pioneer Jaguar that I bought new in 1996 as "old", and it is certainly worth more than £5 to me.