lyncch00

I spent 3 months reading this forum and then purchased an entry level hybrid. Schwinn voyageur 7 "steel" (just 8 gears). Liked it a lot. It was stolen 3 months later, so I get to do it again. I'm going to spend more this time but I'd like to keep it under $1,000. I'm not the type to buy multiple bikes or upgrade next year. I just visited a Raleigh shop and was very impressed with their hybrids. I was wondering why I haven't seen Raleigh mentioned in this forum. Anybody have experience with Raleigh? Thanks, I found this forum to be a GREAT help.

Charlie

Panthers007

I think this is the first time that the venerable name 'Raleigh' has been brought up. If memory serves.

I see no reason to have to "upgrade" every year. If a bicycle is running the way it's supposed to, 'upgrading' is up to he owner of the machine. Not some flashy fashion statement to "keep up with the Joneses." So the focus is on maintaining the bike with proper care and consideration. Truing the wheels, checking, and replacing, cables and housing periodically, lubrication, and so forth.

If you would do the roadwork and find a link to the Raleigh(s) you are talking about from the Raleigh website - than we can discuss the pending purchase of a new steed for you. And thanks for tossing out the Raleigh name here. I think it's overdue - in fact I was thinking about this just last night!

no1mad 

I like the look of some of the Raleigh's. There is only shop in town that carries them, and he is in a rather poor location for me. Here's a link to the Raleigh site. I kinda like the looks of the Detour Deluxe myself.

anaheim flash

my wife has the xs raleigh detour, and it has been perfect for over a year now....lube a little here and there, and that's it. not even a flat (i hope i do not jinx her now), the rims are true, the brakes are great and non-squealing....i mean hell, there has literally been nothing to do or fix on it....unlike my own, which has a bum BB, untrue rims, needed new cables, needs a rebuild of the headset, all after just under 4 months of use. i am hoping to just make it to tax time, then i think i might get a raleigh cadent, maybe even the detour deluxe if i can afford it (and replace the damn headlight with a B&M, but that is a whole nuther thread)

in short, my wifes "cheap" hybrid has been a damn fine daily driver (we are car free, so it isn't like it is just ridden an hour on weekends....this thing has had 50 pounds in groceries and such in the panniers)

irclean

+1 on the Detour Deluxe. I also like the Superbe Roadster but I especially like the Alley Way. That bike is just art on wheels. Both the Superbe and the Alley Way are above your price range but I've heard good things about both bikes. Check out this review with great pics of the Alley Way here.

Sirrus Rider

If I had cash I'd be sorely tempted to pick up either the Detour Deluxe or the Superbe. I love my Specialized Sirrus; however, Specialized has always come from a "Racing/Sports" mentality and their bikes are equipped in this philosophy.

On the other hand the Raleighs are equipped as commuters with Dynohubs, lights, and racks.v

lyncch00

Thanks for all the positive input. Those are truly beautiful bikes. I guess I really can't go wrong. Time to save some cash and see just how much I'm willing to part with. I was also looking at the specialized crosstrail and the Jamison allegro2 and allegro2x. I need to make my mind up between the more rugged hybrids that can handle a dirt path and something a little more commuter like. The raleighs were sweet.

Panthers007

I'm not sure what your favorite Raleigh hybrid is. Can you tell us? But they look like they are very good bikes, and with regular maintenance, and they should stand up fine for many years. Components are good - and I like their frame geometry. And the fenders are a plus if you live in a rainy place.

The shop should give you a good warranty - including a free tune-up or two - and will stand by the machine. That's very important. Cables tend to stretch and gears/brakes go out of adjustment - this being normal - so the free tune-up is invaluable. Unless you're a bike-mechanic yourself, developing a working relationship with the shop is the best way to fly.

Please keep us informed. We're here to share info and help each other out.

lyncch00

I like the detour deluxe https://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/hybrid/detour-deluxe/ and the superb roadster https://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/hybr...erbe-roadster/. The price of the roadster may be out of my league. The alleyway https://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/hybrid/alley-way/ is an awesome piece of art but it runs $1,440. I love internal gearing but have apprehensions. I think the internal gearing is enough to get the job done and maintenance is a breeze. One of the local bike shops put me off on it because its more difficult to change a tire. The kid in me says get a crosstrail so if I see a dirt path I can hit it, yahoo! The 52 yr old out of shape man in me says you're always going to be on the streets. Get a rugged street hybrid with fenders that is able to put on a little speed. When I hit the bike shop I feel like a kid in a candy store. Raleigh had some other nice hybrids like the misceo https://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/hybrid/misceo-2/ . I need t and internal gears would be nice. Hopefully its not too slow. I will ride what I can and go with what feels best. Unfortunately my raleigh shop has a limited selection. One last thought. What do you think on the Trek Soho https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/urban/soho/soho/ ? 8 internal gears, carbon fiber belt , and fenders. Its just above my limit (so much for limits) and 300 less than the Raleigh alleyway.

lyncch00

Anaheim Flash,
Would it be crude of me to ask which bike you've had for 4 months thats giving you all these issues?

anaheim flash

a schwinn...NOT a cool vintage one, but an off the rack tourist. not a bad bike, but i would have to guess it is not made as a daily driver.

Panthers007

I figured he wasn't talking about a Raleigh, lyncch00, but some other brand. I like that Raleigh you're thinking of. But admit I've only used/worked-on the 3-speed internal-gear hubs. On Hybrids I use derailleur-type drive-trains.

anaheim flash

yeah, to clarify my rambling post

my wife has a raleigh detour, not expensive as LBS bikes go, and it has just been a phenom, ZERO problems, not even a flat in over a year, and she rides often.

it is my schwinn that is a P.O.S.

sknhgy 

My Raleigh Passage is several years old now and I love it. It's a quality piece of machinery. I cannot understand why they aren't more popular. Mine is the sweetest shifting bike I've ever ridden. It's a smooth, fairly light, and solid ride. Its taken me the full length of the Katy Trail for the past two years. Cost $400.
I upgraded to a Brooks saddle and added fenders and a rack. I weigh 200 lbs and have powerful legs. I was regularly riding some very rough gravel/rock/dirt roads and I got to tweaking my rear spokes. One of my rear spokes broke so I upgraded to a hand-built rear wheel. Since this is my tourer I want utter reliability.

lyncch00

The more I look at Raleigh the more I like them. Check out this hybrid (misceo) https://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/hybrid/misceo-2/ The frame kinda reminds me of the specialized crosstrail. Very nice bike.

Sixty Fiver

To me Raleigh means bicycle and it is so nice to see them re-claiming their place as a manufacturer of high quality, attractively designed bicycles.

They really dropped pout of the mainstream for a while and there are no dealers here that carry any of their new bikes which is a pity but perhaps some enterprising Canuck might change that.

Their offerings in the past couple of years have been exceptional although I might disagree with some of their naming of their newly released bicycles... to me a Superbe was and is a classic English roadster and not the modern hybrid that carries the same name.

Despite that, the new Superbe is a beautiful bike and not a run of the mill hybrid.

It may be worth it to consider that a belt drive with an internal hub will save you money in the long run due to a much reduced need for maintainence... the belt drive has an indeterminate operational life and an Alfine hub should see an initial service after it's first 1000 km and after that should have a yearly service if you happen to log a lot of miles.

The new Shimano internal hubs have much better seals than their predecessors and as such should enjoy a very long service life although I do not expect them to match the 50,000 miles you can get from the venerable SA 3 speed hub and even that hub can be be completely rebuilt.

With the belt drive there is no greasy pant leg syndrome either and they are very pleasant to use whether you like to off road or just stick to the streets.

The Soho with the belt drive and Alfine is an excellent buy and one might even be able to get a dealer to come down a little on the price or you may find a 2009 and get a really good deal... it too has the Alfine and Gates drive.

I have seen the Soho up close and it is a really slick looking ride.

Chipcom also waxes poetically about how much he loves his new Superbe.

Sixty Fiver

Another suggestion would be to look at the Breezer Uptown 8 which gets very high ratings as a commuter and is priced around the $1000.00 mark... my girlfriend loves her Breezer and it really is a nice, and I might even say exceptional bike to ride that comes fully equipped with a full chaincase, excellent lights, and an 8 speed IGH and chain drive.

This is a more upright rising bike and is much closer to the classic roadster than the modern hybrid but if you can check one out you may be well pleased... I really enjoyed riding the girls bike and if I was to get one I'd seriously consider the step through frame for ease of entry / exit.

The increase in availability of off the peg fully equipped commuters and their increase in sales is great for consumers.

The Uptown... unique among commuter bikes as it has a full chain case.


https://www.ecovelo.info/2009/09/20/r...ezer-uptown-8/

Panthers007

Raleighs were wonderful, functional, world-class machines. But they fell badly. In the last few years - they have been pulling themselves up from the pit. It IS really good to hear they are back - and by many accounts - deservedly so.

My many Raleigh's only pissed me off for one reason: Fenders and whole-chain encasement's. They would rattle, get bent, add weight, etc. But just my trusty screwdriver and adjustable-wrench fixed this easily.

The last one was stolen from my garage around 3:00am from my garage. He was driving a Porshe Tagra and I saw him pitch it in the 1/2 back-seat. I was looking for the ammo to my rifle. My damn Dad had hidden it. If he hadn't - I'd have taken him down real fast!

Raleigh's We're Great! Hope They Are Again!

SouthernGirl

I'm a real newb, but I had to respond to this. When checking out bikes my LBS has a BEAUTIFUL Soho, kind of grayish blue color. It's $900 ish. I rode it just for kicks knowing I wouldn't be getting it. I absolutely fell in love. So quiet. Smooth and a really beautiful bike. The guy at the LBS said the belt really should outlast a chain by far. I mean, cars have belts and look what they go through. Also, he said that just as someone who works on bikes and knows what components are in them, he highly recommends them if it's the type of bike someone is looking for. His words "It's an awesome bike". Just a little FYI

anaheim flash

i was looking at the soho, but the drum brake thing kinda ruined it for me, if only because i have no idea even what that is or how they feel//work. (no hijacking, no need for discussions, just my observations)
again, if i can afford it, a superbe set up like chipcoms would be the one for me. barring that, the detour deluxe.

irclean

The Soho may be a fine bicycle, but the Alley Way is a class above IMHO; Reynolds 520 frame, full Alfine group including dynamo, disc brakes, Brooks saddle, and looks that kill. $300 is not chump change but I think the Raleigh is worth the extra money. It's so sexy though that I'd be afraid to let it out of my sight.

I believe the Soho has the Nexus drivetrain; the Nexus IGH integrates with Shimano's Nexave roller brake system. If Trek upgrades the bike in subsequent years to Alfine they would likely use discs. I've also read that the Soho's closed sprocket lacks the ice/snow/slush/muck shedding abilities that the Alley Way's open sprocket provides. That may not be a deciding factor in the OP's neighborhood but it's a deal breaker in my neck of the woods. That being said it may be corrected with a simple sprocket swap. And no, I would not be afraid to subject the Alley Way to the slop.

Panthers007

It really boils down to the "Kick-In-The-Ass" factor. Will you kick yourself if you don't? If 'YES!" - Go get it!. That's the best gauge there is for buying a bike.

Doohickie

Ask chipcom how he likes his Raleigh.

Bat22

I ordered a Superbe after I saw Chips' bike. He posted just as I was thinking disc brakes.
Ordered and paid for, the bike is at the lbs. I didn't test ride it in the slop until I get a coat
of wax on it. Even with the disc brakes, IGH and dyno hub the Superbe has a nice easy
heft to it when I lifted it up. Maybe I'll get a chance to pick it up this week.

brucesc

I ride a 2007 Raleigh Route 1. It's worked great for me. I'm approaching 4,000 miles. On occasion I meet others who have a Route 1 or 24. They all love their Ralieghs. My wife has a Raleigh Mojave 5 mtn bike.