My old Raleigh Moutain Bike.
Discussion
Hi Guys,
I have a bike similar to this that I've been given by my bike mad younger brother. Where he got it from I have no idea as its that old I'd have remembered him having it when we were kids lol.
Anyway. I now have this and have in the past couple of months racked up about 500 miles or so on it. Having not ridden a bike since I was about 13 I'm pretty impressed with myself. I've been doing 30 mile round trips to work and back along a canal path and am starting to get the bug.
Now my questions are this. This is clearly an old heavy bike I'm thinking at least early to mid 90's and was probably never anything amazing at the time. It has however lasted through the years and has had some harsh treatment from my brother and then me even if it was a safe queen prior to my brother getting his hands on it.
I was thinking of buying a cyclocross bike of sorts in the next couple of months to replace this bike but then I had an idea. As this frame has clearly lasted all this time and I'm not looking to shave a second off each journey I take. Is it possible/worthwhile to keep the frame and upgrade, gears, chain, wheels etc to newer parts? Are these things standard size or have times moved on?
And apart from having a lighter bike what other benefits would I get from buying something newer?
I'll upload some pics of mine tonight when I get in.
Edited by Miguel Alvarez on Thursday 14th July 14:16
sadly that frame is not worth using as a base for upgrading to be honest, the reality is a silk purse and a sows ear and all that. to put it bluntly, there is better quality steel at the bottom of the manchester ship canal....
keep it as it is if it makes you smile, there is nothing like having a good clunker in the shed for hacking about on, something that you can leave unlocked outside a chip shop is well worth keeping especially if it has some sentimental value!
keep it as it is if it makes you smile, there is nothing like having a good clunker in the shed for hacking about on, something that you can leave unlocked outside a chip shop is well worth keeping especially if it has some sentimental value!
I've kind of already talked myself out of the idea anyway as I costed up (back of an envelope maths) what it would cost to replace everything bar the frame and I'd be better off buying a new bike albeit I could do it in stages.
That aside. What would be bad about this frame that I woudln't want to pursue the idea?
That aside. What would be bad about this frame that I woudln't want to pursue the idea?
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