My bike rocks!! It'll live forever I tells 'ee!
Discussion
I've had my bike for 18 years now. It's a Raliegh Mirage ATB, which I saved up for when I was still at school. It's still going strong, and I'm well impressed. I charge around on it at all sorts of speeds, and various terrains, and it doesn't let me down. Difficult to know how many miles I've done on it, but bearing in mind that I've spent long periods of my adult profeesional life abroad, sans bike, I reckon an average of maybe 15 miles a week could be about right, so nearly 14k? It's still on the original tyres as well, which I'm quite sure it probably shouldn't be? All that's wrong with it is a slight problem with one of the gear selector levers, which is an inconvenience and nothing more, and I've had to replace the saddle for the sake of a comfy bum.
I do admire my friends' shiny new modern-looking bikes with all the bits like disc-brakes and suspension, but I refuse to spend money on anew bike when I've got one that works. Great bike!!!!
I do admire my friends' shiny new modern-looking bikes with all the bits like disc-brakes and suspension, but I refuse to spend money on anew bike when I've got one that works. Great bike!!!!
This post deserves pictures.
Good on ya for sticking with your steed. Much greater respect for that than for any loaded estate agent pulling a shiny £3k bike out of a sportline A4 at a trail centre ... Bet you have great fun blasting past the shiny-shiny crew on your Raleigh
.... still think about a pair of tyres though
Good on ya for sticking with your steed. Much greater respect for that than for any loaded estate agent pulling a shiny £3k bike out of a sportline A4 at a trail centre ... Bet you have great fun blasting past the shiny-shiny crew on your Raleigh
.... still think about a pair of tyres though
andy400 said:
Nick_F said:
18 years on the same tyres? You're perhaps on borrowed time there.
This is a concern, but I inspect them regularly and they just seem, well, ok. 
I wish I could get a set of tyres to last 18 years!!!
Seriously though, as much as the older bikes did have better quality cheap stuff back then, 18 years on the same set is borrowed time for sure.
Still, good to see that you're getting your monies worth - green thinking at its best!
Edited by neil_bolton on Wednesday 16th July 09:03
I used to have one of those! White with Exige Trail non indexed gears components and a Reynolds 501 frame. I had mine for years also and it was not treated well in the days before I knew how to maintain a bike.
iirc the orignal tyres were rubbish! They had a ridge in the centre and were rock solid, no grip whatsoever!
iirc the orignal tyres were rubbish! They had a ridge in the centre and were rock solid, no grip whatsoever!
lingus75 said:
I used to have one of those! White with Exige Trail non indexed gears components and a Reynolds 501 frame. I had mine for years also and it was not treated well in the days before I knew how to maintain a bike.
iirc the orignal tyres were rubbish! They had a ridge in the centre and were rock solid, no grip whatsoever!
Mine's purple with indexed gears, also with a 501 frame. Perhaps it's a later version? (I think it's called 'Mirage', I'm away from home right now so can't check, but you've got me wondering..... Jesus, 18 years with the same bike and I'm not sure what it's called iirc the orignal tyres were rubbish! They had a ridge in the centre and were rock solid, no grip whatsoever!
)Will have to post a picture when I get back home.
boxster9 said:
talking of old bikes...I still have my Raleigh 'Mustang' now coming up to 18 years..Reynolds 501 frame as well I think. The gears are ocasionally a problem with the S.I.S system, but still going strong.
I remember the mustang! It was in the Raleigh catalogue that I pored over for ages before I decided on my Mirage.Is there any kind of 'retro' site for bikes of yesteryear? There seems to be retro sites for everything else!!
I got my first mountain bike back in around 85-86 Raligh mustang. I had 2 in the space of 2 months and they broke so i waited till the next xmas and got a muddy fox courier and i had the yellow wheel disc on the back (it was cool at the time HONEST) And a mate had a raligh maveric i think it was. What laughs we had on them as we were still at school. I eventually broke my muddy fox jumping of walls. The bottom of the frame cracked where the steerer goes. Back in the good ole days.
I expected the story to pan out similar to the broom on Only Fools and Horses....
I've just got my Cannondale back on the road. I had to get some bushes made to fit a new rear air shock. It's 9 years old now and i've just realised it's time to change the chain rings, and the chain pitch is much larger than the pitch of the chain rings and sprockets on the rear cassette. I would suggest you check the condition of yours too. New ones will make your bike a lot quieter and easier to pedal.
I've still got the original (checked only once a month after I bought it) fatty head shox on the front, all though it's not as smooth as it use to be!
I've just got my Cannondale back on the road. I had to get some bushes made to fit a new rear air shock. It's 9 years old now and i've just realised it's time to change the chain rings, and the chain pitch is much larger than the pitch of the chain rings and sprockets on the rear cassette. I would suggest you check the condition of yours too. New ones will make your bike a lot quieter and easier to pedal.
I've still got the original (checked only once a month after I bought it) fatty head shox on the front, all though it's not as smooth as it use to be!
M400 NBL said:
I expected the story to pan out similar to the broom on Only Fools and Horses....
Only replaced the wheels, the frame and the saddle, guv'nor! In reality: Only the saddle is new, the rest is original '89 Mirage!
ETA The water bottle is new as well, I lost the bottle that came with the bike.....
Edited by andy400 on Friday 25th July 09:25
andy400 said:
Well, here it is!! Complete with gaffer tape on the front fork to hold the speedo sensor in place!
I've got one of those and I still ride it!! It's done me proud over the years. Got mine second hand about 18/19 years ago, cost me £100 back then ( Quite a lot in those days!) I did ditch the bright green bottle holder and the 'triangular' saddle bag has fallen apart. I'm also on the original tyres and I have never had a puncture! The tyres are looking on their last legs, the tyre walls are falling apart. Got admit it's now my second bike, I have a Spec Epic as my regular ride, I do use it when I need to leave a bike somewhere as no one wants to nick it!!I'll get some pics posted later.
Edited by cjs on Friday 25th July 12:37
cjs said:
I've got one of those and I still ride it!! It's done me proud over the years. Got mine second hand about 18/19 years ago, cost me £100 back then
Clearly these bad boys were build to last!!!I got mine brand spankers in (I think) '89, the figure I have in my head is about £250, but it was a long time ago so
Looks as though your derailleur will be maxed out if you go onto a bigger cog on the rear cassette.
I'm only jealous. I used to have a Raliegh Yukon. The chain rings are bigger than the little 44T one I have on my Cannondale....but that will change some time soon along with front and rear deraileurs and rear cassette
I'm only jealous. I used to have a Raliegh Yukon. The chain rings are bigger than the little 44T one I have on my Cannondale....but that will change some time soon along with front and rear deraileurs and rear cassette
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