“from what I’ve read Raleigh at the time didn’t see a future in the mountain bike trade!”
Almost certainly true in the UK, at one point Nottingham thought the future would revolve around the Bomber with a Sturmey 3 speed…
Raleigh USA benefited from an interest in “English bikes” notably traditional 3 speed roadsters, but also high spec racing and touring bikes - better than anything they thought they could sell in the UK at the time.
Raleigh in the US also understood BMX and even had frames made in 531 (don’t know where) while over here they just dithered and let Halfords take the credit and cash for introducing/promoting/selling bikes for the ‘new sport’.
I used to half want a Mountain Tour, but really wanted a Portage - possibly the only Raleigh with 650b wheels at a time when the size
was mostly limited to France or a special US touring niche.
Almost certainly true in the UK, at one point Nottingham thought the future would revolve around the Bomber with a Sturmey 3 speed…
Raleigh USA benefited from an interest in “English bikes” notably traditional 3 speed roadsters, but also high spec racing and touring bikes - better than anything they thought they could sell in the UK at the time.
Raleigh in the US also understood BMX and even had frames made in 531 (don’t know where) while over here they just dithered and let Halfords take the credit and cash for introducing/promoting/selling bikes for the ‘new sport’.
I used to half want a Mountain Tour, but really wanted a Portage - possibly the only Raleigh with 650b wheels at a time when the size
was mostly limited to France or a special US touring niche.
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Start yourself a thread in the 
