Raleigh Pioneer Classic

[Adamh2009]

So I've just bought my 4th Raleigh (I also have a Cameo, Courier and a Chiltern Lady). I cannot find much information on the Pioneer, especially the Pioneer Classic. Can anyone share any information or old brochures about this bike for me please? I believe its missing both mud guards and a luggage rack.

Many thanks

Edit: Sorry for the duplicate pictures, I cannot seem to delete them.

 

[Cycleops]

I think @SkipdiverJohn might have some additional info on these. Don’t think they ever came with a rack,
excellent basic bikes.

 

[Gunk]

what are your plans for it?

 

[Adamh2009]

what are your plans for it?

Service it, new tyres and chain and use it.

 

[Gunk]

Service it, new tyres and chain and use it.

sounds like a plan!

 

[DCLane]

I've seen that on eBay near me, . They never came with mudguards or a rack. There are rack mounts though, although only one rear mount.

Models varied, men's and women's, in 10/15/12/18/21 speed with different frame types. I've got a Pioneer Trail which is the top-end 21 speed one. Cost me £20 originally, although I've changed the crankset, saddle, tyres, derailleurs, shifters and now wheels in the past 4 years. This is mine:

 

[Adamh2009]

I've seen that on eBay near me, . They never came with mudguards or a rack.

This is mine:

View attachment 531053

Or were the mud guards and rack an option at the time? As I've seen quite a few out there with them.

 

[DCLane]

Or were the mud guards and rack an option at the time? As I've seen quite a few out there with them.

No. Most people fitted them though.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

The OP's one is very early, and probably dates to 1990, having caliper brakes. Some of the Pioneers had mudguards, some didn't. Like @DCLane I also own a Pioneer Trail, but mine is an earlier lugged & brazed frame, and these did not come with guards fitted as they were supplied with MTB pattern flat bars and were marketed at the gravel track rider. However the Pioneers with the upswept riser style flat bars were aimed more at the town bike/commuter market and many of these were fitted with guards from new.
Another factor was pricing; Raleigh were competing against cheap imports at the time the Pioneer came out. One way to make your product more competitive on price is to sell it bare bones spec then persuade the customer to pay extra for accessories like mudguards and racks. This bumped up the final value of the sale but kept the headline price down in the catalogues. Most Pioneer customers would not want a muddy skunk stripe up their back every time it rained on a commute or shopping ride, which is why most Pioneers will be found fitted with mudguards and quite often racks too..

 

[Cycleops]

Nice one on Gumtree for a hundred sovs if anyone is interested;
https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/...p_ios&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ios_social

 

[raleighnut]

I've seen that on eBay near me, . They never came with mudguards or a rack. There are rack mounts though, although only one rear mount.

Models varied, men's and women's, in 10/15/12/18/21 speed with different frame types. I've got a Pioneer Trail which is the top-end 21 speed one. Cost me £20 originally, although I've changed the crankset, saddle, tyres, derailleurs, shifters and now wheels in the past 4 years. This is mine:

View attachment 531053

My Ridgeback Adventure got a similar treatment and very similar mudguards,