Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
OK for £55, but not exactly a "bargain", 30 May 2008
** UPDATE **
I wrote the review below two months ago. In only two months, the rear derailleur gear has packed up altogether, with the chain sticking and my child unable to pedal the bike. I originally gave the bike a 2-2.5 star rating because I thought it would be OK for light use. I was wrong. After very light use for only two months (and only occasional use at that), the bike is now unusable. To get the item fixed is AT LEAST £30, assuming it doesn't need a new gear mechanism. I originally said that this was OK for £55. It's not. If I can't repair the bike myself, it's going to have cost me £85 minimum and it's not worth that. Terrible components. Avoid. The following is my original review.
** END UPDATE **
This would be a 2.5 star review if Amazon allowed "-and a half" ratings. I chose to round it down rather than round it up because 3 stars is over-generous.
I bought this bike so my daughter would have a bike at her grandparents' place as it's not possible to keep shifting her bike from one property to the other. The bike rides fine, but it is very heavy and the components are pretty cheap - the only decent parts are the Kenda tyres (not top quality, but certainly good enough for the kind of use this bike is likely to get). In particular, the brake and gear mechanisms are very poor quality - I'm not being a snob about this -- when you try them, you'll feel the play in the material (mostly low grade plastic) and less-than-slick shifting for yourself. And finally, perhaps my biggest gripe is that most 7 year olds will really struggle to lift this bike from the ground - the high tensile steel frame is just too heavy. Remember that bikes have much thicker tubes now than when we were kids, and when manufacturers don't use modern materials along with the modern designs, the weight becomes a real issue. I have no problem with steel as a material; aluminium has half the strength of steel and half the weight. So, when making an alu bike, tubes need to be thicker. Using such thick tubes for a steel bike is purely down to aesthetic and it's a complete failure.
On balance, the bike's just about OK for £55. Even though children can dish out some abuse to their bikes, they hopefully won't be hurtling down a mountain trail on them. This bike can pretty much cope with average child use and will be fine on roads, pavements, towpaths and grass -- it's not going to fall apart with normal use, although I'm not sure how long those brake levers and rear derrailleur will last. I wouldn't think it's worth any more than £55, though, so how the RRP is twice that is beyond me.
If you're thinking of buying the bike as the main ride for your child, I would recommend you look elsewhere - go for something lighter (with an aluminium frame) and with better quality components. Although Raleigh is a trusted brand, you will do well to look at Barracuda bikes (also available on Amazon) for higher quality, lower (full) priced alternatives. You won't find an aluminium frame for £55, but you might consider the extra cost against the lightness (and rust-proof nature) of Alu over steel for you child. If £55 is your absolute limit, I guess this is better than some used bike with suspect history and condition on an auction site.
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24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quality Bike At A Bargain Price, 9 Jul 2008
Do not be put off by the price. It would be more appropriate to question why other bikes are so expensive. This is a well put together bike.The seat pin is a proper 10" long so there is a lot of room for growth. It is a no nonsence bike without all the frilly but perhaps unecessary bits.
Ten minutes after trying it out for the first time we were off for a cycle in the woods without incident.Oh and the paintwork is a wonderful pearlesant pink.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
poor show from raleigh, 1 Aug 2008
I bought this bike for my 8 year old daughter largley due to the Raleigh name and pretty good reviews from other Amazon customers. The bike on the whole seems to be very good value for money, as a previous reviewer say's the brakes and gears are cheap but my real problem is the gear shift. It's very hard to operate for a grown up and completly impossible for a child. My local raleigh dealer recommends replacing this with a shimano shifter and I think this may solve the problem but I guess I would have expected a market leader to produce a bike for 8 year old girls that can be operated by 8 year old girls.The 1 star is a bit harsh but it balances some previous very generous reviews.
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