An affordable mini-bike Raleigh Compact

The Raleigh Compact

I was in the Bukit Jalil area yesterday and found a bike shop called 'Joo Ngan Pro'.
Went in and saw a mini Velo hanging on the shop's exterior.
This is the first time I saw a branded bike that is priced below RM1K.
The model in question is the Raleigh Compact.
At a price tag of RM570 retail, its one of the cheapest mini-bikes around.
The overall built and quality is acceptable.
Both wheels are 20" and its roughly the size of a folding bike except that it doesn't fold.
The bike has a 6-speed drivetrain which is ample to cover most riding conditions.
If you ditch the components, you can build a nice bike with better parts.
This mini-bike is ideal for beginners who don't want to blow a hole in their pocket...

Raleigh Folding i8

I was cruising around the bike area at Tukang Basikal Fook Sang in Sungai Way and found a few Raleigh i8s lying around.
These are the latest batch of folding bikes ever to hit the scene from one of the oldest known bicycle brand in Malaysia.
Before there were all those fancy-schmancy brands, there's Raleigh.
They've kind of vanished from the scene in the 90s and had recently made a comeback.
The first few Raleighs that I've noticed were some mountain bikes and roadies priced from RM400 - RM3K.
The Raleigh i8 retails for a little of RM1k, and Fook Sang sells them for about RM900 a pop.
And one of the best bargains is in Taman Sri Serdang, South of Kuala Lumpur where you can sweep up an i8 for RM760.
Everything on this bike is basic.
They give you cheap components and if you are serious about jazzing it up, the gearset and crankshaft can be easily upgraded...
On the whole, the i8 is a decent beginner's foldie with a bang for the buck!

Raleigh bicycle returns..

The Raleigh Chopper was a hit in the 70s

The Raleigh Senior - an inexpensive bicycle  

I got my first bicycle at the age of 9 and riding it was a scary experience. That same year, as I got better riding it, I began to wander even further from home, sometimes, with the neighbourhood kids.

The only thing that I never did, was to cycle on the main road.

In the mid-70s, the rave about town was a Raleigh Chopper. Almost every kid who has one was a popular person.

In my neighbourhood, there countless of thefts when it comes to the chopper.

Soon, the 70s died out. And so did the Chopper. And this year, it is 42-years-old. Even older than me!

Later, when I turned 16, my family bought me a Raleigh street bike and at RM450, the bike was something that I really treasured. 

It has a Look saddle and some really cool European components including a matching tire pump that mounts snugly on its seat post.

I rode this street bike until the age of 26 and gave up because each time the tire went flat, I had to patch it up.

Eventually, it rotted away gathering dust at my aunt's home in Setapak.

Recently, I visited a bicycle shop in USJ 4 and rekindled my contact with the owner Mr Siow. He runs the place with his son who did a damn good job manning the store's website.

Siow showed me the Raleigh Senior priced at RM450 a piece.

For a basic bike with a front suspension, its not bad.

Any kid can own one because its inexpensive.

There were also some Raleigh hybrid bicycles on sale, but none caught my eyes other than the Senior which is nicely priced.

Perhaps growing up with a Raleigh did bring back some good memories after all..