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FEATURES: RALEIGH TEAM
Road Bike Action
March 5, 2010
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(Photo: John Maynard)
Raleigh originally built their reputation on race courses and through the 1970s and 1980s as the Ti-Raleigh team dominated the roads of Europe. Since that time, the Raleigh name has changed hands more than once, each time getting farther and farther away from the company’s racing heritage. For 2010, Raleigh has introduced a new line that is intended to move Raleigh back to the front of the peloton. At the top of that line is the new Raleigh Team.
THE FRAME
The Raleigh Team is constructed using HM2 High Modulus monocoque carbon with a BB30 bottom bracket. The frame is mated to Raleigh’s own carbon monocoque fork with a tapered 1.5- to 1.125-inch carbon steerer. The fork is designed to keep the front end stiff and the bike pointed in the intended direction. Every tube on the Raleigh Team is oversized, with the downtube measuring a massive 7.75-inches in diameter. The oversized seat tube has an aggressive aero profile at the bottom bracket that tapers to a conventional round seatpost at the seat junction. The oversized top tube is triangle-shaped at the head tube and arches gently before merging seamlessly with the flattened wishbone seat stays. The seat stays themselves are bowed outward slightly and feature a flattened profile to better absorb road shock. The rear dropouts are carbon and feature a replaceable rear derailleur hanger. Notably absent from the frame is the traditional Raleigh heron headbadge, replaced with a new simple and modern “R” logo. The graphics on the Team are subtle white, red and black, which produce the cleanest-looking Raleigh in years.
THE PARTS
The Raleigh Team comes with a complete SRAM Red group. The Red group is SRAM’s top-of-the-line group used by the likes of Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong. Notable features of the Red group include SRAM’s Double Tap shifters, one-piece PowerDome cassette and BB30-compatible crankset. FSA provides Raleigh with the cockpit, including an integrated headset, 42-centimeter FSA K-Force Light Compact handlebar, 110-millimeter FSA OS99 carbon stem, and zero offset, FSA K-Force Light carbon seatpost. To keep the bike rolling smoothly, Raleigh equipped the Team with Mavic Ksyrium SL wheels and Vittoria Rubino Pro 700x23c foldable tires. A Selle Italia SLR Carbonio saddle rounds out the setup.
THE NUMBERS
Our 57-centimeter Raleigh Team had a 73-degree seat angle and quick-steering 73.5-degree steer tube angle, connected by a 57-centimeter top tube. Chainstay length measured out at 40.8 centimeters, with a wheelbase of 99.4 centimeters. The Raleigh Team weighed 14.8 pounds without pedals.
THE RIDE
After just a couple turns of the pedals, it became clear that the Raleigh Team is a pure race bike. Due to the massively oversized downtube, BB30 bottom bracket and oversized chainstays, there was no noticeable flex in the frame. Every pedal stroke propelled the Raleigh Team forward quickly and efficiently. The 57-centimeter top tube and 110-millimeter stem give the Raleigh Team a race-ready feel. The Raleigh Team is comfortable at high speeds and carves corners exceptionally well. A lot of oversized carbon frames trade sprightliness for stiffness, leaving the bike will a muted feeling. The Raleigh Team does not suffer from this and has a quick, snappy feel during out-of-the-saddle efforts. Climbing is aided by the bike’s low weight and responsiveness. On descents and along the flats, the Raleigh was surprisingly smooth, mainly due to the Mavic Ksyrium SL wheels and bowed and tapered seat stays.
While the frame and fork do a good job of absorbing road shock, sharp impacts do get transmitted to the rider and resonate through the frame with an audible sound that is amplified by the oversized downtube. Even though we don’t consider it a safety concern, we were taken back by the ability to compress the downtube by squeezing it with one hand. For us, this raises questions about durability in the event of a crash.
Raleigh did a remarkable job outfitting the Team, leaving us with little to complain about. The FSA cockpit worked without fail, as did the SRAM Red group. The Mavic Ksyrium SL wheels, while not as flashy as other offerings on the market, are light, roll smoothly and provide excellent durability and overall performance. The Vittoria Rubino Pro tires and Selle Italia SLR Carbonio drew no complaints. A couple of testers, who admittedly run their saddles pushed back, said they would prefer a seatpost with a 25-millimeter offset to give the Raleigh a more European race bike feel.
THE VERDICT
It’s good to have Raleigh back in the peloton. With the 2010 Raleigh Team, Raleigh once again has a professional-level bike. The Raleigh Team is a no-compromise race bike capable of going up against the best in the world.
PRICE: $5500
WEIGHT: 14.8 pounds
INFO: www.raleighusa.com
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