Raleigh bikes are among the most prominent worldwide. They produce all kind of bikes: mountain bikes, road bikes, and electric bikes, and has provided us with a lot of excellent and outstanding bike models.
But, how good is a Raleigh bike? Is it worth having one? Are Raleigh bikes of excellent standard and quality?
This Raleigh bikes review will try to clear the air and answer all those questions.
We will discuss how good their bikes are, what makes them unique, and whether it is worth it.
We will also discuss the more prominent Raleigh bikes on the market and see if any of those bikes are worth having.
The Raleigh Bicycle Company: An Overview
Richard Morris Woodhead and Paul Eugene Louis Anglois established the Raleigh Bicycle Company in Nottingham, England.
They named the company Raleigh, the street location of the company.
Frank Bowden acquired it in 1888 and, before the First World War, became the largest bike manufacturing company in the world.
In the decades following, the Raleigh Bicycle Company started manufacturing motor vehicles.
After the Second War, the company started exporting vehicles worldwide, especially in the United States.
They start producing light roadside bicycles, which quickly become a favorite. Among the notable bikes they built were RSW 16 and the Raleigh Chopper.
The Raleigh Bicycle Company has experienced several expansions, mergers, and reorganizations throughout its history.
In 1982, Raleigh granted Huffy corporation exclusive rights to distribute Raleigh bicycles in the US.
Today it remains one of the most iconic British trademarks. Now owned by the Dutch company Accell, Raleigh continues to produce top-quality bikes for everyone.
What Makes Raleigh Bikes Unique?
Raleigh Bicycle Company’s reputation is a product of hard work and innovation. Several factors make Raleigh bikes unique compared to its competitors. Among these are:
Wide Range of Options for Bikes
Raleigh has all types of bikes. Adventures bikes of all kinds, a hybrid bike, suitable for any road and terrain. They have electric bicycles, and they might have been producing one of the better, if not the best electric bicycles around.
They have kids’ bikes for all ages, gravel and mountain bikes. Raleigh mountain bikes, in particular, are famous worldwide.
The Raleigh brand of bikes is all over. But more importantly, they have bikes that suit everyone, whether adults, young adults, kids, and males and females.
The wide range of options extends not only to bikes and their availability but also to bike accessories. But more than making everything about bikes available, Raleigh provides a wide range of options about pricing.
They have expensive bikes and cheaper ones, with a lot in between.
That makes the Raleigh brand nearly accessible to anyone. The Raleigh brand ranges from those sold for ordinary people to those who want expensive, top-of-the-line bikes.
Excellent Frames
The wide range of options is evident in available frames for Raleigh bicycles. They have carbon fiber frames, aluminum alloy, and steel ones.
It means you never need to go out of a Raleigh shop if you are looking for a particular bike frame.
More than this, however, Raleigh bike frames are just excellent. Though not all are top of the line or elite, all are of top quality.
And since they nearly have all types of bikes with different versions and models, you can be sure that all bikes have excellent frames.
With the frame being one of the more essential bike parts, you can be certain of the top quality of any Raleigh bike.
Historic Brand Name
Raleigh Bicycle Company is one of the pioneers in bike manufacturing.
The British considered the Raleigh brand an institution, one of the more renowned British companies in the past century.
The name is enough for many cyclists to put their faith in it.
But are Raleigh Bikes Good?
Reputation alone is not proof of excellence. So we must ask about the reliability of Raleigh bikes and whether the bikes live up to the name.
We already talked about the frames; they are superb. Cyclists have broad options, which makes a visit to their website customary for many biking enthusiasts.
Aside from the things that make Raleigh unique, how can we say that the brand is good?
The Materials are of Superb Quality
The frames are all light but durable, whatever the type of bike. They endure for a long time. The bike frames make for a great, enjoyable ride.
They can provide both speed and stability and take the stress and strain on the road more than most competitors.
They employ bike parts that are known for their durability and superb quality. Bike parts can handle the stress expected of a particular road or terrain.
Great Design
Raleigh bikes have great design and geometry. All bikes created for a particular terrain have designs that are indeed appropriate.
Road bikes, for instance, have a geometry that allows the rider to generate more speed and do aggressive speed riding.
Urban and commuter bikes have a more relaxed geometry, making for a more comfortable ride.
Mountain bikes have excellent suspension, specifically designed to take the shock and absorb the strain of uneven terrain and challenging trails.
Cutting Edge Innovators
Throughout the years, Raleigh has been producing bikes that are cutting edge.
Even now, they employ advanced technology to create the best bikes of all types.
The electric bikes, for instance, employ Bosch motor and have top-of-the-line, powerful disc brakes. They combine for maximum performance, giving the rider the desired thrill.
It does not matter if the bike is taking a smooth road or a rugged trail. Raleigh’s electric hybrid bikes can take them.
Raleigh Bikes Review: Best Raleigh Bikes on the Market
Here are some of the best bikes from Raleigh that you might consider buying.
1. Centros
This electric bike epitomizes what we are talking about regarding Raleigh’s innovation.
With the design of a hybrid bike, this one can take rugged trails and challenging terrain due to its powerful Bosch motor.
Though one of the higher-priced bikes of Raleigh, this one is not among the highest-priced electric bikes in the market.
But with nearly the same efficiency, packed with the same power, and easy-to-click accessories, this bike can be a worthwhile challenger to many high-end electric bikes.
2. Raleigh Cadent
From the steeply-priced, we come to the low-end one. Raleigh Cadent is probably one of the more affordable Raleigh bikes.
A hybrid bike priced just below 300 dollars, it has quality specs but is not really among the most top-performing Raleigh bikes on the road.
Still, it is one of the more serviceable ones, with bikers just getting what their money’s worth.
This one is a hybrid bike more on the side of city riding. It can handle decently city roads, even those that have road conditions that are not ideal.
It gives the rider a smooth ride in the city, though indeed not adept at handling uneven terrain and challenging road conditions.
The frame, as expected, is impressive, and this hybrid bike has some quality parts, though some are not of high quality.
The powerful disc brakes are also remarkable, aside from Shimano components.
Overall, Raleigh Cadent can give you that decent, comfortable ride.
Though there are some issues with the quality of certain parts, overall, it is decent considering the price and serviceability.
3. Strada X
The Strada X is a high-performing, reasonably priced hybrid commuter bike. This Raleigh hybrid bike can easily take city roads, challenging trails, and terrain.
The specs are perfect for taking on them; Strada could be the ideal hybrid bike from Raleigh.
It has a very durable and very light frame. Equipped with 80mm suspension, this hybrid bike has thick tires, which is enough for conquering uneven terrains and rugged trails.
The Shimano 21-speed shifters allow you to ride smoothly and change shifts quickly regardless of the terrain.
The mechanical disc brakes will give you the necessary stopping power even under extreme weather conditions.
All of them for the price deemed reasonable and fair.
4. Pioneer Low Step
Raleigh itself describes this bike as the “ultimate urban utility bike.” The reason is that it is perfect for urban rides and commuting.
The specs are ideal for narrow paths, sudden detours, and the surprising road turns in the city.
But it can take on light trails, too, with its excellent tires and impressive drivetrain that can give the rider enough power and speed to traverse both smooth terrain and quite challenging ones.
The components and parts are impressive, with a drivetrain mostly of Shimano and Raleigh alloy. Other features are also primarily composed of aluminum and steel alloy.
With the price of just below 500 dollars, Pioneer, though not necessarily a bargain, is a good one, especially with excellent specs, performance, and of course, a famous brand name.
5. Raleigh Detour
This hybrid bike is one of the more popular ones by Raleigh. It has a very light frame but is strong enough to hold much weight.
It is one of the more ideal hybrid bikes for tall riders.
The gears allow for a smooth shift and maneuver; the handlebar is perfect for navigating narrow streets, city roads, and neighborhood pathways.
Raleigh Detour is probably one of the more comfortable bikes from Raleigh. The handlebar is comfortable, and the tires are thick enough to traverse the urban jungle.
It is priced reasonably too at between 500 to 600 dollars.
The bikes are never genuinely high-end, yet they sport excellent specs and give high performance on the road. They are comfortable, too, without sacrificing durability and efficiency.
Is it worth it? Concluding Our Raleigh Bikes Review
Reputation can go a long way, and many people think that the idea of Raleigh being a good bike rests primarily on reputation.
We cannot blame people if they feel that way. Raleigh, after all, has been around for more than a century.
But for a company to have a good reputation means that they are doing great and delivering quality, if not elite, bikes for the good part of their existence.
And such is the case really with Raleigh Bicycle Company. They have been producing quality bikes since, and today is no exception.
Raleigh is still highly regarded in the bicycle world. Time and again, they have never reneged on delivering good bikes for reasonable prices.
They have cheap ones, but even those bikes never suffer in terms of quality and performance.
Aside from quality, Raleigh Bicycle Company is genuinely marvelous at innovation.
They adapt the most advanced technology and use high-quality parts for most of their bikes, especially electric bikes, and other highly-regarded bike models.
The combination of quality, excellent serviceability, durability, innovation, and history makes Raleigh bikes worth a try, as our Raleigh bikes review showed.
And since they have a lot of available bike models for all people and all ages, it is almost sure you can have one for yourself.
