Raleigh Airlite 300

MathewDay
MathewDay Posts: 15
edited January 2013 in Your road bikes
Hi everyone,

First ever road bike below. Been a keen MTBer for a few years now, but decided to try the other side. Found the bike on Wiggle and having been born in Nottingham took an instant liking to it. For the price I got I couldn't find a new bike with better spec either.

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Frame Details:
Model Year: 2012
Material: Airlite 6000 series semi-compact frame with fully butted main tubes and stays with mudguard clearance also
External cable routing
Double bottle cage mounts
Clamp on front derailleur
Replaceable forged aluminium rear dropout

Fork Details:
Material: Carbon with mudguard clearance

Wheelset Details:
Ryde Flyer, clincher

Groupset:
Speed: 20 gears
Brake/Shift Levers: Shimano Tiagra
Chainset: Shimano Tiagra, compact, 50/34 (crank length varies according to frame size)
Bottom Bracket: Shimano
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Tiagra
Front Derailleur: Shimano Tiagra
Brake Calipers: Tektro, cartridge type rubber insert
Chain: Shimano
Cassette: Shimano 105 12-28

Finishing Kit:
Handlebar: RSP Wing, alloy, 31.8mm. Bar width varies according to frame size
Bar Tape: White
Stem: RSP, alloy 31.8mm. Stem length varies according to frame size
Seat Post: RSP, alloy, 27.2mm x 350mm
Saddle: San Marco
Tyres: Schwalbe Lugano, 700 x 23c

Weight:

9.8kg without pedals

Let me know what you think :D

Cheers!

Comments

  • declan1
    declan1 Posts: 2,470
    edited January 2013
    Very nice! Don't see many of these around. Looks good!

    Saddle seriously needs levelling though...

    Road - Dolan Preffisio
    MTB - On-One Inbred

    I have no idea what's going on here.
  • MathewDay
    MathewDay Posts: 15
    Cheers declan1!

    Yer still tweeking it to suit me better. Thanks for the advice :)
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    The top of the saddle should be more or less flat not the clamping rails.

    Put a book on the saddle and then spirit level on the book.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • dwanes
    dwanes Posts: 954
    Like it, tiagra are good components should serve you well.
    I bet it was a good price, some of the raleigh carbon bikes have dropped heavily in price.
  • MathewDay
    MathewDay Posts: 15
    Thanks for the info well make the changes tomorrow before another spin around Richmond Park.

    @Dwanes got it in the Wiggle sale. RRP £850 got it for £490.

    Couldn't ask for a better starter bike.
  • notlongnow
    notlongnow Posts: 176
    Good price for a tiagra specced biked those bars could do with coming up a bit personal preference :D happy riding
  • RideOnTime
    RideOnTime Posts: 4,712
    cool...
  • dynamicbrick
    dynamicbrick Posts: 460
    Just on sheer price that's hard to beat.
  • tim_wand
    tim_wand Posts: 2,552
    Great to see the Heron riding proud.

    As a child of the 70's Raleigh was it for me, Grifters, Choppers and then Record Ace, Corsair and Team 531 banana.

    I really want to do a decent Raleigh Retro re-furb, something along the lines of the Raleigh Ti tour team bikes.

    I was actually up at Eastwood today delivering to a unit just across from what's left of Raleigh, and it was pretty sad to see after the Triumph road works which is mainly the University of Nottingham site now.

    You should read Stilitoe's Saturday Night Sunday Morning.

    Hopefully with great looking bikes like yours Raleigh will be back there some day.
  • dbairduk
    dbairduk Posts: 50
    I was looking at these before I chose my bike. There were some good deals floating about.
  • logitech208
    logitech208 Posts: 167
    Looks really nice, I have the 2011 400 Airlite which I picked up last year from Wiggle for £539.

    Mine doesn't have the metal Raleigh badge on it mine is more of a transfer/sticker. :(

    I have put 6000 miles on mine and as yet have not seen another Airlite on the roads.

    The only gripe I had with mine was the shifter position on the bars they seemed to be mounted very high, I got my bars in a comfy position then moved the shifters and re-taped.

    I also changed the tyres out for GP4000s in 25mm and it made the ride so much nicer.
  • MathewDay
    MathewDay Posts: 15
    Cheers everyone for your comments and suggestions greatly appreciated. I`m certainly getting lots of decent miles on it. Would highly recommend it to anyone looking for their first bike! :-)
  • MathewDay
    MathewDay Posts: 15
    logitech208 wrote:
    The only gripe I had with mine was the shifter position on the bars they seemed to be mounted very high, I got my bars in a comfy position then moved the shifters and re-taped.

    I also changed the tyres out for GP4000s in 25mm and it made the ride so much nicer.

    I have found the same issue with the 300. Need to find the time to lower them and retape.

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