1990 Raleigh Lizard

[Birnie]

My teenage love!

I had one of these as a 14 year old & absolutely loved it. I had it circled in my Mum’s catalogue, and it was also top of my Christmas List!
That bike came and went, like they do, and five years ago I had the opportunity to purchase this one to relive those days and memories a little.

It is dated May 1990, and in excellent condition everything is 100% original apart from the stainless inner cables which I fitted last year.
It is important to me to keep it original, and I’ve added a couple of extras from that period to make it ‘pop’ a little. The popular Ever Ready Nite Lites from the 90’s and a NOS neon green MT Zefal pump which was still in its packaging when I received it.

The Lizard was a popular Raleigh model of it’s time, yes it’s a little on the heavy side, but it rides like a dream and is perfect for a ride down memory lane on any day of the week!

 

[eric_james]

Nice old Raleigh Lizard. In great condition. Are they steel wheels? How have they held up?
Look good in the pic

 

[ClassicDodo]

Looks awesome, those lights must have added a couple of pounds on the weight!

 

[Birnie]

Looks awesome, those lights must have added a couple of pounds on the weight!

No batts in them at the moment.

 

[legrandefromage]

dont put bats in the lights, they struggle too much

 

[Birnie]

Nice old Raleigh Lizard. In great condition. Are they steel wheels? How have they held up?
Look good in the pic

Yep, original steels with great chrome, good spokes, free running bearings and they are as straight as a die. Dated 05/90.

Nice old Raleigh Lizard. In great condition. Are they steel wheels? How have they held up?
Look good in the pic

 

[Birnie]

dont put bats in the lights, they struggle too much

either that or I’ll struggle to pedal the extra weight up a hill!

 

[legrandefromage]

Just remember that it was an inexpensive bike at the time and shouldnt be imbued with some sort of mythical status - it was a terrible ride!

But!

It does represent a great time capsule of what whats were what at the time and everybody had to start somewhere

and Adamski was in the charts along with Primal Scream

which is nice

 

[Gtpulse]

I too received a Raleigh for Christmas 1990, I’d have gladly swapped it for a Lizard! Yours looks just like it came straight out of a school bike shed in January 1991.

Mine was a shite Marauder. Even after removing all the decals, flipping the sis shifters under the bars, changing the wheels for exage/Rigida, Tioga tyres, exage brakes and a Selle Bassano saddle, it was still shite. Rode miles and miles on it though!

 

[Birnie]

Just remember that it was an inexpensive bike at the time and shouldnt be imbued with some sort of mythical status - it was a terrible ride!

But!

It does represent a great time capsule of what whats were what at the time and everybody had to start somewhere

and Adamski was in the charts along with Primal Scream

which is nice

My parents went all out to buy me one, so it certainly wasn’t cheap for them. This one rides really nicely too, heavy yes, but I love it!

It was the bike I wanted above any other. It certainly doesn’t have the cult status of the Chopper or Burner, but for a short time in the early 90s it was the bike that stood in the living room of many houses on Christmas morning.