192 Raleigh Grifter

For a brief period, in my teenage years, I had a Grifter wannabee type bike. Very similar design, 'cept the forks were sort huge long things, kind of external and to the front of the head tube.

Had a 3 speed sturmey archer rear hub. I bought it from a mate, when I had my trusty racer nicked.

Damn thing was truly bombproof - nothing would break, certainly not the forks - it was jumped, crashed, ridden over things it shouldn't oughta. Heavy as hell, though.

It's probably still sat snarling in some skip somewhere.
 
That's great! A friend had one of these, very heavy from memory and with the "Laser" graphics, can't be many around in that sort of nick these days!
 
I prefer the earlier ones. Mine was a metallic red Mk1 (or whatever they're called). It cost my parents more than they could afford (thanks, folks!), but I rode it everywhere for the next few years. Great memories.

They're not exactly lightweight. Mine probably weighed more than I did at the time.

There was one with a longer rear fender (Mk2?) that came in a cracking blue color.
 
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