Raleigh USA Bicycle Company Team

Price Paid:  $600.00 at Frame Only at GVH Bi

Favorite Ride:
Rolling Hills of New Hampshire

Bike Setup:
Full Ultegra, Ritchey Bar and Stem, Selle Italia Max Flite, Dura Ace pedals, Michelin Pro Tires.

Summary:
This bike is absolutely fantastic. I have ridden many high-end bikes and this one handles with the best of them. The frame material, geometry and styling make this a terrific deal. I realize the new Raleigh name has fallen out of favor in the last couple of years, but this bike is not like the lower end models. It's frame is competitive with much pricier and higher end European framesets. I've seen it at high end shops in Boston selling for close to $4,000.

Strengths:
Gorgeous Columbus Airplane tubing, with specatular smooth welds. The Taiwanese manufacturers have become excellent welders and carbon fabricators. Carve fork and rear end add great handling. Corners like a dream at high speed and descends with tremendous stability. It winds up to speed quickly and has almost no flex. The aluminum does not transfer shock and I found it much more forgiving than my steel bikes. Finally, you can't talk about this bike and not mention the paint job. It has the allure of the Raleigh Team from the late 70s early 80s when the team was a powerhouse. Gotta love it!

Weaknesses:
Head badge needs better glue!! It is peeling up on the edges. Not a good statement for such a great bike. How could the manufacturer allow this? Chainstay guard is cheap! Peel it up right away! No other problems at this point.

Similar Products Used:
1988 Raleigh Team - Reynolds 531, Basso, Miyata Team - Tange Champion

Price Paid:  $3500.00 at Scotts Cycles, Hermi

Favorite Ride:
Lots of hills and lots of tight corners

Summary:
First of all I loved they way the bike looked and I have no problem with the "low end" name of Raleigh. The bike is plenty light and fairly stiff at the BB. It corners very well and is quick to change direction. I love the Euros wheels and I have never had a problem with them staying true despite pot-holes, gravel, and hitting rocks and a road-kill cat. I was much faster on the road this year (bike or fitness?) and never regret getting the bike at all. It just works great.

Strengths:
Light weight, Record works just perfect, Light fast wheels, beautiful bike, great handling, no problems. A note about Record: after 8,000 miles and several sets of tires the rings and chain are still looking great.

Weaknesses:
As I read in a review above I occasionally hear a click in the rear hub, It has never released or anything strange but I also only weigh 155 and have no sprint. The paint scratched easily from a top tube rack (but so did my fisher Mtn bike) The SLR saddle took some getting used to and I may get a new style for this year. I had a huge chunk of skin missing from my arse after a stage race and I never had that problem with a Flite.

Price Paid:  $3000.00 at Bicycles Etc.

Favorite Ride:
Crosby Loop

Bike Setup:
Mostly Stock, stem flipped, Polar S720i electrocis package, Shimano M959 pedals, Selle Italia Pro-Link Trans-Am saddle.

Summary:
First real group ride I had I wound up sliding on the pavement from 27 mph because my freewheel released during a sprint. Raleigh had the bike shop call Campy about the faiilure, Campy wouldn't do anything untill the freewheel was torn down and a weak spring/defective paul set was found. I'm told that they mailed new parts, but it's been over a week and while I'm riding the bike, I can't really ride it hard because the freewheel pops every once in a while and I don't stand up to avoid a repeat of my first ride on the bike (not counting sizing it in). Also I was left to repair other damage caused in the crash caused by a defective component.

The frame feels very springy while being ridden. The bike rides much better than the steel Colnago I was riding originally. There isn't a significant amount of bottom bracket deflection and that's under a 225 lb rider. The bike is very agile by comparison to the "touring" geometry frames I've been riding. The long frame geometry pulls the rider across the top tube much more than the other bikes I've been riding. The components are top notch despite the issues I've been having. I'm told, and belive that it is an isolated incident. The cycle weighs 18.5 lbs assembled with no pedals, but plan on replacing the saddle immediatley. Also the cork tape wound up with the adhesive on the backing rather than the tape during assembly. Some of the stickers were slightly torn and that's under the clearcoat.

The bike showed up at the store in 3 boxes. One with the frameset, one with the wheelset, and one with everything else individualy wrapped.

Strengths:
Top notch components, complete Campy Record group including seat post and Euros wheelset, even the cables are Campy
Lively feel
$1000's cheaper than it's competition
Columbus Aluminum Frame with Carve carbon seat stays and fork

Weaknesses:
Defective Rear Hub
Saddle needs replacing
Weak Product Support
Very cheap quality cork tape

Similar Products Used:
Raleigh Grand Prix
Colnago Steel

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Cape-Able Bike Shop

Bike Setup:
Campagnolo Record Carbon Group
Campagnolo Eurus Wheelset
ITM Milennium Oversized Bar + Stem
Vittoria Rubino Pro Tires
Selle Italia SLR Saddle
Egg Beater pedals w/road cleats

Summary:
When I sold my Independent Fabrication Crown Jewel to buy this bike everyone said I was crazy. I have had the last laugh. Not only does it handle better it is also significantly lighter and very comfortable. The Campagnolo Record Carbon components are excellent. I have been a Shimano guy since I started and was leery of the Ergo Shifters. I really like them. They are not better than STI, not worse than STI, just different.

Strengths:
Extremely light (62cm). Great Climber. Smooth ride. Killer components. Swanky Wheels. No one else has one. Stunning paint job. Exceptional value.

Weaknesses:
Be aware that counter to what Raleigh will tell you they measure this bike from the center of the bottom bracket to the top edge of the top tube. The bike measures 60cm center to center.

Similar Products Used:
Independent Fabrication Crown Jewel
Specialized Allez M2

Price Paid:  $600.00 at Private party

Favorite Ride:
Anything over 60 miles with hills!

Bike Setup:
56CM
110 ITM OS Stem
44 ITM OS Bars
Full Dura-Ace(I know, I have to do something with the Campy logo on the top tube)
Mavic Ksyrium SL
Easton carbon seat post
SLR seat

Summary:
First off, I bought this as a Frame only and built it up (Dura-Ace and Ksyrium SL), this thing Blasts! The limited effort it takes to keep velocity constantly amazes me, it just keeps screaming as long as your legs can. I've now put 500 miles on the bike in two weeks and can't get enough of it.
I was initially worried that it wouldn’t perform the way my 02 Giant Team Once (again frame only with same component spec). I had put about 3000 miles on my Giant so I was quite comfortable on it. It railed like a slot car, burned up the hills as well as down and handled excellent, or so I thought…..
After a few runs on the Team over my training circuits, I came away with an increase by 2 mins. over 20 miles while not increasing my overall effort against similar environmental factors (this against past measurement via my Polar S710/HR w/Power kit). I was amazed and thought it must be a measurement error so rested two days and ran it again, similar readings! Also an increase in my overall avg speed on an uphill circuit by 2+ mph. While a seasoned athlete may consider this marginal, I didn’t think there was room for improvement. Maybe chalk it up to new bike/psychological factors. However every time I ride the bike I walk away pleased.
The bike is smooth with the Carve fork and rear seat stays but still accelerates very well, doesn’t induce sloppiness and doesn’t have the dead feeling that my Trek 5500 had. The bike is tight and holds a line through the turn very well. I had to get used to the traditional frame geo again, but once there I have no problems negotiating the same courses with more confidence due to increased stability. I guess that what I had grown to accept as great handling and fast bike in the Once was only being disguised as twitchy.
Given that many ride the Giant to great feats, I’ll take the Raliegh for the long distance and keep the Giant for the crits…

Overall:
Hills - No problem, in fact increase of overall avg. mph
Flats - Rolls amazingly fast again increase of overall avg.
Down Hills - Increased stability no loss of top speed.
Looks – Great not like all the others out there!

Strengths:
Weight - around 17lbs flat w/my spec!
Frame - Columbus w/Carve Carbon front and rear support. Smooth yet fast!
Geometry - Very neutral
Styling - Very European
Uniqueness - There aren't a million of these on the road (let's keep it our little secret!) :)
Cost - Even if I had gone with the stock spec this is well worth the money when compared to the other offerings out there either US or Euro!

Weaknesses:
None except for maybe the rear chain gaurd cover, which looks to be peeling up on the edges. Not a biggie!

Similar Products Used:
Lemond Zurich
Trek 5500
Cannondale CADD 5 R2000si
Giant Team Once
Coming soon - Specialized S-Works Domina Vacanze frameset