Raleigh team banana

jskdog

Senior Retro Guru
Just been given this raleigh team banana bike really chuffed with it, nice clean condition and brand new schwalbe blizzard sports!I needed a road bike for my first attempt at a sprint triathlon in leeds and this will be my bike!
 

Attachments

  • rsz_p1030874.jpg
    rsz_p1030874.jpg
    376.4 KB · Views: 3,204
lovely of someone to give it to you, even the basic 18-23 ones like yours (and mine!) are fetching a ton these days... I was also given one by my cousin a few years back and use it now as a single speed... so cool BITD and still now, the black stem is wicked... mine's dropped a couple of pounds in weight (along with all it's gears!) and, after several incarnations, runs 52/18 on 23mm tyres with some radial spoked wheels off a modern Giant. Goes like the clappers, for a hack, and always raises a smile :D

yours must be the 25" size, it's huge :shock: are the rims alloy? also, think they look much nicer with an alloy microadjust post, fluted ;) aside from the tyres, bar wrapping and saddle yours looks all original too!
 
Yeah its the 25" version godd job too as im 6ft 3. Its pretty much all original as are the wheels which are chromed with a bit of pitting and rust. I will get round to tidying it up but want to keep it pretty original. Im really impressed with the ride, i had a giant scr 4 a few years back and this is just as fast but the brakes feel much more responsive on this old bike??!!!!
 
yeah I found the brakes quite average on the Giant SCR I rode too! My Banana has 105 dual pivots with DX levers now so no probs there - yes I have fitted risers bars :roll: I've had it all original (rough though), 14 speed STI etc but current incarnation suits me best I think, I'm more of a commuter (and XC) rider.. that's all that matters I think - that it suits you and your riding! And as I inherited it, I'll never sell it. I'm the same height as you, mine is just big enough but I have owned a couple of 25" Raleighs in the past, very stable!

247424_10150276765726171_586536170_9500647_4941255_n.jpg
 
That's bringing back memories of my brother's 18-23 framed Banana, which put in some stalwart service while he was at university in Manchester and me still be ripping round Manc today. When he got it, I was the not-so-proud owner of a metallic beige Raleigh Medale :oops:
 
I decided to go fixed just sorting the chain out on my pug at the mo, it was between the bannana and the pug but I chose the pug as it's in better condition. How do find riding fixed?Never ridden before so quite excited!Im debating keeping a brake or going without?
 
What's to debate? How will you stop if your chain breaks or un-ships? As for emergency stops..... I was so un-cool when I rode fixed I had both brakes.

Mark.
 
Back
Top