So I have my eye on a vintage bike...

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hoppym27

Well-Known Member
I really do fancy a vintage bike for the first time. I was a teenager in the eighties so I want to stay with that era. What I really, really want is a Raleigh Team Banana (cos I always wanted one as a kid), but any Raleigh racer from that era would suit.

Question is, Im getting confused by the 'old skool' frame sizes....I am 6ft1 and I 'think' I need a 22-23" frame but I am not sure?

Any advice I would be grateful for!...any other advice too as this is my first foray into the world of vintage bikes.....Im not looking for a minter but Im not looking for a full resto job either..just something in the middle
 

biggs682

Touch it up and ride it
Location
Northamptonshire
I reckon 22" as a minimum size wise .

I always have a few for sale but no bananas I am afraid .

If you want any details shout .

Warning these old retro bikes get addictive
 

biggs682

Touch it up and ride it
Location
Northamptonshire
Any advice I would be grateful for!...any other advice too as this is my first foray into the world of vintage bikes.....Im not looking for a minter but Im not looking for a full resto job either..just something in the middle

Re condition i would go for one with as tidy paintwork as poss and with as much original specification parts as poss , make it rideable as cheaply as poss , then ride and see what you think if you do like it then you can fine tune it and look for a tidier example if need be
 

DCLane

Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
@hoppym27 - HappyDays Cycles in Sowerby Bridge have a Raleigh Banana in stock which is about a 23", so would fit you. Not sure how much they'd want but it's in their 'to be restored' storage unit. It's in their 'to be restored' unit and I was down there looking at two other bikes but know it was there on Saturday. Speak to Mick Collins there.
 

mikeymustard

Veteran
Warning these old retro bikes get addictive
This is true!
Whereabouts are you and how far are you prepared to travel?
Prices tend to reflect both the condition and the quality, with a premium for certain colour schemes (like the banana). Just to make things a little more confusing, the banana comes in two "flavours" an 18-23 steel frame with fairly mediocre running gear, and a rarer reynolds-framed one (there's actually a 3rd - an almost mythical SBDU-built reynolds 853 team bike, but you're extremely unlikely to come across one). There's nothing wrong with the "cheaper" one, though some would argue the better components and lighter frame make for a livelier ride, just be aware of the value differential
 

GuyBoden

Guru
Location
Warrington
I really do fancy a vintage bike for the first time. I was a teenager in the eighties so I want to stay with that era. What I really, really want is a Raleigh Team Banana (cos I always wanted one as a kid), but any Raleigh racer from that era would suit.

Question is, Im getting confused by the 'old skool' frame sizes....I am 6ft1 and I 'think' I need a 22-23" frame but I am not sure?

Any advice I would be grateful for!...any other advice too as this is my first foray into the world of vintage bikes.....Im not looking for a minter but Im not looking for a full resto job either..just something in the middle

I'm just under 6ft 1inch and the bikes size I prefer range from 24inch to 25inch. I have no problem riding my Carlton, which is 25 1/2 inch and I can stand over it, without problems. I probably have long legs.
 
OP
OP
hoppym27

hoppym27

Well-Known Member
Im in Manchester...willing to travel a couple of hours in any direction for the right find
 

GuyBoden

Guru
Location
Warrington
I think this one is good, £75, Normanton, West Yorkshire. Recently renovated.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/raleigh-banana-road-bike-large-frame./1299225373

$_86.jpg
 
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