robsilverii

I just got a Raleigh Technium Prestige for a pretty good deal. I was wondering if anyone has any experience of turning this bike into a single speed. Comments/suggestions welcome. Here are some pics. Sorry they are so small.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robsilv...7605934448239/

SuperVillain

Is it aluminum? If so, clean it up and sell it. Those things have a way of snapping into pieces.

stevo

or ride it hard for twenty years like I did.

SuperVillain

You must be lucky or light, based on the amount of aluminum Technium failures I've seen both online and in person.

stevo

The only one i've seen is the dude on FGG who drilled through his frame. I've heard of bonding issues at the lugs, but never seen it or experienced it.

I'm 160. Ridden many miles on pavement and off.

After many years of good use its now my grocery-getter. Had two gallons of milk, six drumsticks, a box of dish detergent, and two bottles of wine in the front basket just last night. Based upon my experiecne, I wouldnt be afraid of the bike. The technium (at least mine) is a pretty heavy bike; since the tubes are not oversized they're pretty darned thick.

time bandit

references or you're just jealous of the OP. get a life. i never heard of one failing any more than any other alum. bike, and when i got mine i researched the **** out of it online and talked to lots of shop guys who've rode them. i rode mine hard for a long time as well, and recieved it pretty beat. was one of my fave frames. good find, op.

robsilverii

Thanks for all the opinions. Sorry to throw a wrench into things but there are two other bikes I am considering. A Canadian Miele and a Schwinn LeTour. Let me know what you guys think. Again, I will be converting it to a single speed freewheel to commute around at school.

Here is a link to the Miele:
https://nashville.craigslist.org/bik/739760553.html

Here is a link to the Schwinn
https://atlanta.craigslist.org/bik/740211851.html

Thanks again.

time bandit

i didnt even click the links
go w/ the raliegh. maybe the miele, NOT the le tour.

SuperVillain

Not jealous, just saying it's something to consider. I know a guy who snapped one of his chainstays from normal riding, and Ive seen a couple busted ones come through the local thriftstore, which get stripped for parts. I'm sure it's a fine bicycle for most people who own them, but instances of them breaking seem to come up quite a bit in my experience. Sorry if I offended any proud Technium owners. I will seek to be more diplomatic in the future.

stevo

another thing to consider is that the stays are actually steel, and steel doesnt usually snap ......unless they changed a model to have alum stays, which im not aware of...