Here's my 90's Raleigh MTB - Restore or Renew?

[DJMC]

Bought in the 90's, not ridden since 2005. From crank to top of seat tube 21.5". 26" wheels.
I'm 6'1 & 15st and was fairly fit before lockdown.

Looking at a Hybrid as an alternative BUT... if this suited me back then why change? What's happened in 15-30 years to entice me to a newer bike? Could afford £500 new but would probably (carefully) buy used for better value, say £250.

I've stripped bikes before so servicing shouldn't be an issue but there will most likely be a cost involved in cables, brake pads, tyres, etc.

So, should I stay "Retro" or go modern? It's for recreational riding, mainly on cycle paths and not road use.


My wife's is in the shed too. Raleigh Vixen - ridden 100 yards in its life! She doesn't want another though. What should I do with it, sell as is or get it back to a ridable state, then sell?




Thanks for any advice/suggestions.

[Mikebentley]

Clean them up and move them on. Put money towards new bike. Only one to store then.

[DJMC]

Is a Whistle Patwin 1383D likely to be better?

Starter bike I know, but a tad more modern. Under £100 local to me.

[Malo]

Looks in fairly good order, so just clean lube and use. However check tyres for deteriation, and renew inner tubes.

[Type R Tom]

Put a few quid into that bike, see how you get on and if you like it, do a few rides. If you do then get a better one, if not nothing lost.

Half of eBay is full of people who got bikes on the cycle-to-work scheme, didn't use them, and now selling on.

[DJMC]

Found myself looking at the Voodoo range but haven't found a good comparison chart with all the different models and specs. Can anyone direct me to such a thing, if it exists?

I'll clean up the old bikes anyhow, but I think I'd feel I was missing out if I didn't have something more lightweight. modern, and with hydraulic brakes (just got hung up on this feature, not sure why!).

[Ynox]

DJMC said:

Found myself looking at the Voodoo range but haven't found a good comparison chart with all the different models and specs. Can anyone direct me to such a thing, if it exists?

I'll clean up the old bikes anyhow, but I think I'd feel I was missing out if I didn't have something more lightweight. modern, and with hydraulic brakes (just got hung up on this feature, not sure why!).

Decent hydraulic disks will be a million times better than those old straddle wire cantilevers!

I'd personally consider tidying this bike up as a pub bike, but for any serious cycling I'd be looking for a new one. Modern geometry is very different to this old Raleigh and most bikes would be significantly lighter (it looks like this is an old school hi tensile steel frame, and I had a similar one in the 90s albeit without gripshift which weighed a ton). If you wanted to fix it up then I'd be doing tyres, tubes, brake cables, gear cables, outer cables, straddle wires, brake pads and grips. If you found a cheap-ish deal on some tyres then you might get change from £60-70, although it might be a little more.

[mcelliott]

Dump it then buy something shiny and new.

[DailyHack]

Perfect "single speed gravel bike conversion" then stick some retro gumwall tyres on it...probably be worth more then!

[Gompo]

I think get it running at the minimum cost and see how it feels, I wouldn't say it was worth updating as it was a low spec bike back in the day (perhaps £150 and at the bottom of Raliegh's roster). So ride as is or try to move it on for £40 and invest elsewhere unless you're particularly nostalgic about it.

[Chainsaw Rebuild]

There is a youtube channel called old shovel where he restores bikes. I think you could have some fun with it.

Myself I would add some suspension forks which will come with a disc brake bracket, get some wider and higher bars, put a V brake on the back, modern tyres and perhaps paint it.

[DJMC]

Well yesterday I set it up, washed it down, pumped up the 30 year old tyres/tubes and off I went round the garden.
Plan to clean up the gears and re-lube today so I'm not using any residual crap as a grinding paste, plus lube cables, before I take it up the lane for a longer run.

Cost = zero. But I'll have to see if the tyres are still inflated today! No cracks or perishing.

I still don't like the twists grips, never did. They are so imprecise. Probably the major reason I'd want to switch to a 1x system, Bizango or MHT 8.6 maybe.

Just wondering if I could convert the old bike to a 1 x 10 or similar but I'd have to find a very slim rear cassette. Where would I start? I'm guessing by measuring the width of the rear fork gap.

Then I could have a better single shifter, maybe some better brakes.

Or... am I throwing money away for nostalgia's sake?

[Cabinet Enforcer]

DJMC said:

Well yesterday I set it up, washed it down, pumped up the 30 year old tyres/tubes and off I went round the garden.
Plan to clean up the gears and re-lube today so I'm not using any residual crap as a grinding paste, plus lube cables, before I take it up the lane for a longer run.

Cost = zero. But I'll have to see if the tyres are still inflated today! No cracks or perishing.

I still don't like the twists grips, never did. They are so imprecise. Probably the major reason I'd want to switch to a 1x system, Bizango or MHT 8.6 maybe.

Just wondering if I could convert the old bike to a 1 x 10 or similar but I'd have to find a very slim rear cassette. Where would I start? I'm guessing by measuring the width of the rear fork gap.

Then I could have a better single shifter, maybe some better brakes.

Or... am I throwing money away for nostalgia's sake?

It probably has 130mm spacing at the rear, and theres a fair chance it's running a freewheel rather than a freehub, you would probably need a new wheel, bend the frame, or modify a hub to 130mm spacing, and figure out how to mount a rear mech as there is no integrated hanger. If you really want to, it could be done.

To give you some context, I'll suggest a motoring equivalent. You are asking if a set of Porsche carbon disc brakes would be a good match for the Trabant that you just dragged out of a lake.

It's fine for what it is, suitable for a gentle tootle in the park or a short jaunt to the pub, do not in any circumstances spend any money on it.

[gazza285]

Cabinet Enforcer said:

...do not in any circumstances spend any money on it.

This bicycle has no redeeming features, it was a cheap nail when new, and it will remain a cheap nail no matter how much money you spend on it.

[lllnorrislll]

It's a 30 year old bike and the service items you are going to need include tyres, tubes, break blocks and cable with possibly cassette, chain and bottom bracket. Because you don't want to be far from home when something goes and you end up pushing back.

It's also a bottom end, heavy steel bike and no amount of fettling is going to change that. You have already stated that you hate the shifters.

There is still a demand for 'lockdown' bikes but this appears to be starting to wain. Now you have cleaned it, sell it while you can to someone else, who will use it twice before putting it in there shed and use the money towards a better bike.

[Gazzab]

Don’t bother doing up that old bike as it will be a waste of money. Clean it and sell on eBay.
Buy a new bike that meets your requirements. £500 is too low a budget, probably. Look at go outdoors, decathlon etc at that price point?

[Julietbravo]

DJMC said:

Just wondering if I could convert the old bike to a 1 x 10 or similar but I'd have to find a very slim rear cassette. Where would I start? I'm guessing by measuring the width of the rear fork gap.

Or a single speed...just take the mechs off, shorten the chain so it fits around the most likely gearing and then ride it as a single speed. When my lad buckled the back wheel of his singlespeed mtb-pub-bike I dropped an old 26" wheel with a 7 speed cassette in. The wheels are dished to make room for the rear cassette and steel frames have a little flex so you will be ok.

I have lost count of the number of bikes that I have fixed up for friends and neighbours, and loads of them have been used a couple of times and then gone back into the back of the shed. I would spend as little as possible and see if you stick it for long enough before you spend too much. Even 2 tyres, inner tubes, cables and brake blocks will cost you about 60 quid. A 1x10 set up will cost more than a second hand bike.

[Barchettaman]

I wouldn’t put a huge amount of money into that but you could rationally do a budget/ghetto refurbishment on it - most of which you’ve done already.

Tyres £18
Brake blocks £8?

Remove, flush with WD-40 and replace cables and housing £0

Lube the chain

Wash it

Learn to tolerate the gripshifts or get some cheapy friction thumb shifters.

I definitely wouldn’t cock about converting it to a 1x10 drivetrain.




Could be a decent bashabout pub bike (not that the pubs are open but you see what I mean)

Edited by Barchettaman on Monday 1st March 15:18

Edited by Barchettaman on Monday 1st March 15:19

[Barchettaman]

Another thought.

Your wife’s bike has basically zero value.

If it has nicer shifters and/or wheels, can you swap the parts over to yours?

Maybe that’d cut your potential parts cost down. Then flog what’s left over for a few quid on Scumtree.

[InitialDave]

The bike is worth basically nothing.

I say do the absolute bare minimum to make it function, ride it for a week or two, and if you still think "yes, I'd like to keep riding", buy a newer one.