Raleigh USA Bicycle Company C500

Price Paid:  $600.00 at Kelly's Bikes

Favorite Ride:
around LA

Bike Setup:
WTB Comfort V saddle, WTB mtb grips, aftermarket seatpost; all else stock.

Summary:
Very nice bike for first year of Chinese manufacture. Excellent frame; cheap but very good brakes; lousy seatpost that broke spring within a few months; ugly seat and weird grips were replaced with WTB units; all Shimano Deore and LX drivetrain; WTB tires wore down in the center quickly but are still on the bike and work fine, except they are very hard to get on and off rims when fixing flats, which occur often; great front fork. I have used this bike for over three years with almost no problems except for the thin paint scratching. I still get complements on this sharp looking ride and in appearance it has held up very well.

Strengths:
Light, quick, easy to ride, comfortable, durable

Weaknesses:
trashy stock components, thin paint, too many flats!

Similar Products Used:
none

Price Paid:  $650.00 at LBS

Favorite Ride:
C & O caanal towpath

Bike Setup:
Swapped wheels for open pro/105 set and swapped brakes for LX from some no-name.

Summary:
This is a second bike that I ride everywhere a road bike shouldn't go. It is perfect for path and trail riding and has been very trouble free. I ride it every weekend on flat dirt.

Strengths:
Easy riding and handles all 250 lbs of me without a whimper.

Weaknesses:
Bottom bracket was a no-name which I replaced with XT