MSA

Hello all,

Have been reading the forum for a while, finally signed up after getting my new bike today.

So just got my Raleigh back alley delivered to the local store (350$). I have not seen any reviews so i figured i'd jump in and say something.

First of all I have used bikesdirect.com before and I do like their stuff, and the value is hard to beat. I looked at their selection of single speeds online and I am sure the components etc are better and the bikes are lighter.

But man is the back alley a good looking bike, the black and red looks A LOT better in person than in pictures. I mountain bike most of the time and have a steel road bike, so i figured I get something for the rather flat town that I live in for bar and short distance runs, and the this bike is a ton of fun. Being a mountain biker I really do feel more comfortable with a flat bar, and the stock bar that comes on this thing is wide enough and does a decent job of absorbing the road imperfections. I do ride the bike ss not fixie, but I will be trying that out soon just for kicks, doubt I would actually become a convert but we'll see. Pedals that come with the bike are plastic and rather suck but I have replacements waiting and for the price of the bike, no complaints. Wheels do flex a lot (I'm 200 lb) and do feel a bit heavy. Cranks also flex, and will be my fist upgrade.

Also I'm 6ft, with longer legs than average for my height (according to my bike shop fitting guy) and the 57cm frame works great.

Summary: sorry for the poor review without any concrete info(may or may not be buzzed at the moment), but my overall opinion is that after beating the crap out of the bike for a day, I could not be happier. And the bike looks MUCH BETTER THAN THE PICS. The bike is an absolute blast to rip around town. And for only 350$ you won't feel as bad about leaving it chained up outside in the rain all those times. Are the bikes direct ss bikes better? Maybe on paper, maybe in real life as well. I am happy i got to ride around before committing to the purchase, and the overall package and geometry works for me. Also heads up, my lbs told me the frame between the back alley and rush hour is exactly the same, I now realize one is cromoly and the back alley is hi ten steel. And the bike just looks great, all the black and red touches that are not shown on the raleigh website make it look great!

Considering turning this thing into a coast braker.... Thoughts?
Ill provide updates in here as time goes on, but so far soooo good.

AristoNYC

Glad you enjoy the bike.
I'm surprised the wheels "flex". I weigh roughly 200 pounds and haven't experienced any flex issues with my wheels, that or I just don't notice.

Its always said that you will eventually replace the parts your body touches from a stock bike - saddle, pedals, handlebars (well, not replace but find what works best for you).

As for the bikesdirect comments, they are fine but you did the right thing. Its good to ride the bike around and set everything up with the LBS. Most of us here that praise BD know what size bikes we need, know what components we will replace and we find the value in some of their items.

bbattle

Check the air pressure in your tires.

Also, pluck the spokes on the wheels to see if any are loose. They should all sound the same, and feel equally tight.

It's not a bad idea to take them to the bike shop and have them checked for trueness and while they are at it, make sure the spokes are destressed and evenly tensioned. Machine built wheels often need a little attention when new.

Coaster brakes are fun but they don't stop you as fast and you can wear them out quickly if you are hard on them. If you get one, keep the front brake, too.

It's doubtful your cranks are flexing; you may feel some flex on your pedals. Or, you may need to put more air in your tires.

closdubois

Post some real pics of your bike. Are the tires 700x28c on it? I had a 2011 Back Alley and I really liked it as well. Looks like they've slightly changed the geometry of the bike, and the marketing makes it more appealing as an almost beater-bike to ride to and from the bars (which is how I used mine back in the day anyway!)

Just my opinion - flip it to fixed gear for that smooth zen-like riding where you become one with the road and all that ****, but once you're over that, flip it back to SS. Riding around through town traffic and switching from streets to sidewalks to gravel along the same route just feels safer / more manageable with single speed. Also, yep, the more you ride it, the more you'll see what parts you'd like to upgrade.
Have fun!

steve-in-kville 

This. I rode my Kilo TT hard since March as a commuter with standard drops. To weeks ago I switched to bullhorns. What a huge difference in climbing! Wished I had tried those bars sooner.

closdubois

speak of the devil - i said i HAD a raleigh because it was stolen 2 years ago. it had been found over a year ago and was at our police department evidence room. well, yesterday I finally got it back from them. It's pretty beat up but i can't wait to get it cleaned up and ready to ride!

T13

Cute dog.

Wspsux

Wow woa woa. Seat angle!

closdubois

Mine? Yea i just got it back. Need to adjust everything. Took a test ride today. Still a smooth bike!

Wspsux

Awesome looking bike. Tell me your opinions on the imperial brooks once you've got the level right, I've always been interested.

closdubois

So I've been riding around for a couple of months now, and I still have to say, the Brooks is king in my book. Mine is the Imperial B-17 narrow, which means it gives you a bit more leg movement than the standard. The standard B-17 is amazing on a bike where you're riding more upright; the narrow allows you to bend forward somewhat and still be comfortable. I wouldn't recommend the seat for any racing style position, but that's just my experience with it.

Anyway, the seat is freaking smooth! I know it's cliched but, you almost feel like there's nothing there--that is, once you adjust yourself correctly, which can be difficult when you first get the seat. Usually I ride as far back on the saddle as I safely can. That's where the Imperial's cutout really shines, relieving you from any unwanted pressures on your funzone.

Cons I guess could include the weight of the seat, but like I said, I wouldn't be using it for anything where extra speed and super light weight were my concern. The saddle can be slippery when I'm wearing certain clothes, like basketball shorts or slacks, but it's perfectly fine with jeans or any 'normal' shorts. It will also depend on the angle of the seat, of course. I adjusted mine so that the nose is just a tick above horizontal and that's my perfect position. I have road drops on it now, but I'm considering shortening the stem a bit and getting risers with these PDW Whiskey Grips that I bought on the cheap. I'll have a slightly more upright position which will pretty much make the saddle feel like a marshmallow

Sorry for the thread hijack, OP.