I just had a real smile when I spotted this bike and read the description. It's worth a look and you'll wonder why you all spent so much money when the perfect machine was so cheap.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RALEIGH-PIONEER-C ... 240%3A1318
EBay descriptions....
EBay descriptions....
Using a car to take an adult on a three mile journey is the same as using an atomic bomb to kill a canary.
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wrangler_rover
- Posts: 183
- Joined: 19 Aug 2007, 8:33pm
- Location: Welton, near Lincoln
Re: EBay descriptions....
Looks like text copied straight out of a sales brochure.
It's all relative, for somebody who has only ever cycled 1 mile to the shops, 5 miles would be a long distance.
Comparing with cars, for somebody who drives an old British Leyland car or 1970s ford or vauxhall, a car from the late 1990s would be the height of sophistication.
They're probably more than happy with the raleigh pioneer because they haven't ridden anything better.
Having said that, I commuted 12 miles per day for 2 years on a mans raleigh pioneer that was 1980s vintage that I bought off ebay for £36. After 2 years, the frame broke, it didn't owe me anything, I stripped the bits off it and bought another raleigh pioneer off ebay.
Don't knock raleigh pioneers, mine does everything I ask of it.
It's all relative, for somebody who has only ever cycled 1 mile to the shops, 5 miles would be a long distance.
Comparing with cars, for somebody who drives an old British Leyland car or 1970s ford or vauxhall, a car from the late 1990s would be the height of sophistication.
They're probably more than happy with the raleigh pioneer because they haven't ridden anything better.
Having said that, I commuted 12 miles per day for 2 years on a mans raleigh pioneer that was 1980s vintage that I bought off ebay for £36. After 2 years, the frame broke, it didn't owe me anything, I stripped the bits off it and bought another raleigh pioneer off ebay.
Don't knock raleigh pioneers, mine does everything I ask of it.
Re: EBay descriptions....
How did you break the Pioneer?
Big, heavy plain guage steel frame, I'm amazed it went in normal use.
Big, heavy plain guage steel frame, I'm amazed it went in normal use.
Re: EBay descriptions....
chris667 wrote:How did you break the Pioneer?
Big, heavy plain guage steel frame, I'm amazed it went in normal use.
iT'S NOT ANY OLD PLAIN GAUGE STEEL:-
IT'S THE FINEST BRITISH STEEL AND TOP QUALITY PARTS ALL PUT TOGETHER BY VERY HIGHLY SKILLED CYCLE ENGINEERS TO THE MOST EXACTING HIGH STANDARDS
A man can't have everything.
- Where would he put it all.?.
- Where would he put it all.?.
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hubgearfreak
- Posts: 8212
- Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 4:14pm
Re: EBay descriptions....
wrangler_rover wrote:I commuted 12 miles per day for 2 years on a mans raleigh pioneer that was 1980s vintage
i did too. or maybe it was 10 miles a day.* it was more than adequate, but for the nasty tyres and ugly gearing
*for those of you who know bristol, it was kingsdown -> UWE and back
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wrangler_rover
- Posts: 183
- Joined: 19 Aug 2007, 8:33pm
- Location: Welton, near Lincoln
Re: EBay descriptions....
How did I break the pioneer?
At the top of the tube where the seatpost goes into, the 2 welds at each side (where the smaller section tubes that go down to the back wheel) failed. The frame I guess was 25 years old and what I spent on the bike, it wasn't worth repairing, I just stripped it & sent the old frame to the tip.
I'm no lightweight, I weigh about 15 stones.
At the top of the tube where the seatpost goes into, the 2 welds at each side (where the smaller section tubes that go down to the back wheel) failed. The frame I guess was 25 years old and what I spent on the bike, it wasn't worth repairing, I just stripped it & sent the old frame to the tip.
I'm no lightweight, I weigh about 15 stones.
Re: EBay descriptions....
Still, I'm really suprised it went like that.
I have two old Ralieghs, a 1948 and a 49, and they are so nicely made, I bet they'll outlast me. It's hard to get past the association between heavy and cheap, but believe me, if you look up closely on an old Raleigh the last thing you'd describe it as is cheap.
I have two old Ralieghs, a 1948 and a 49, and they are so nicely made, I bet they'll outlast me. It's hard to get past the association between heavy and cheap, but believe me, if you look up closely on an old Raleigh the last thing you'd describe it as is cheap.