COLLECTABLE RETRO MOUNTAIN BIKE

This reminds me. Many years back, I was chatting about bikes with my mates, Ben and Steve, in Steve's back garden....

Me: What did they call that awful bike that Raleigh make?
Ben: Which one?
Me: You know, the full-suspension thing that weighs a ton...
Steve's younger brother: Do you mean the Activator?
Me: That's it! The Activator! God, what an awful piece of shite that is!
Steve's younger brother (in a hurt tone of voice): That's my bike. I've got an Activator.
Me: Oh. (Looooooong silence) :oops:
 
My first experience of front suspension was on a Raleigh Activator. I think the novely aspect kind of outweighed the fact that it was a POS!
 
KeepItSteel":258e8ndm said:
aww guys, arent you even a bit nostalgic?

Sadly it would be like feeling nostalgic for a shite filled nappy just because it was the first item of clothing you ever wore.
:wink:

Am I alone in never wanting to own or ride the low end tat I had as a kid ever again. I now only ever want the aspirational bikes that I could never afford back then, the truely special not the mundanely aweful!

It's a bit like classic cars, not many people dedicate themselves to restoring 1980's Mini Metros, and if they do they tend to be called Bernard, with a wife named Marjorie, who wear beige and go caravaning at weekends and have the piss taken out of them by all their colleagues (I didn't use the work friends because they don't tend to have any, other than Brian who runs the local neighbourhood watch). Hands up who wants to be Benard? Marjorie? Brian? no, I thought not.

So let's draw a line in the sand and never speak of this evil hunk'o'crap again! :D
 
.....I like Metro's too.


I have an eye for the items that werent or arent considered 'passe'
I love old retro banger's, I drive a late edition E30 BMW tourer, because I loved them when I was a kid.

I dont want to own the Activator as it does indeed ride like the proverbial heap, but I recognise the fact that it did bring suspension to the masses, and to many whom at the time couldnt afford anything more exotic.
To a 12 year old kid the Activator was quite cool...for a while.
We didnt know any better!
 
KeepItSteel":104xyb3j said:
but I recognise the fact that it did bring suspension to the masses,!

Do you realise what a crime this actually was...

Can the proliferation of BSO's find its routes with this bike?
 
I was obviously younger and more easily impressed than you guys back when these ruled the streets...

...im stepping out of this one before I start a riot!
 
KeepItSteel":nmb1yem5 said:
I was obviously younger and more easily impressed than you guys back when these ruled the streets...

...im stepping out of this one before I start a riot!

:lol:

I remember lusting after a Raleigh vektar!
 
We've got a regular customer at the shop who's just recently got rid of his. He used it for getting around on as he doesn't drive.

We looked at the computer when swapping it to his new bike and the mileage he had on it was well into 5 figures (around 39,000 miles)! :shock:

It may be a crap bike but, like with any bike, if it's maintained then it'll last a long time.
 
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