I do plan to add the Quickstand back onto to my Portage for the final build so I am interested in testing just how valuable this small addition is. Some claim these were brilliant devices when you need them yet others claim them to be utterly pointless. This wire forms and grabs onto the front tire and allows one the ability to easily lean the bike without the steering mechanism turning, causing the bicycle to fall. When stopped, you move the wire into the down position. The idea behind the Quickstand was to facilitate easy parking.

When I purchased my latest Raleigh, a 1985 Portage, it came with what I now know is a Quickstand (also known as a Flickstand ). Always curious of what it was for but not motivated enough to investigate, I dismissed it. On my Raleigh bicycles I have noticed a single, threaded mount under the downtube, just below the shift bosses. What the document does provide is a verbal hierarchy lineup of Raleigh’s tubing levels and a diagram of the double butted 555 T chromoly steel featured in all of the touring bicycles mentioned in the catalog. Hours of research exists online so there is no point debating the evidence here. Others argue that 555 was rebadged Reynolds 501 tubing or that 555 Taiwanese chromoly. Some say that the Raleigh USA 555 steel is nothing more than rebranded Tange chromoly tubing. Raleigh, being a large bicycle company, had their own tubing materials that has been debated about for decades.

One that I, as a owner of multiple Raleigh frames, appreciate. Many of these points may stand out as obvious to seasoned cyclists but just knowing that Raleigh felt compelled to highlight these core attributes as what their touring frames were to represent is an honorable and extremely informative gesture. But standing proudly, next to the historical column, is a prominent, 10-point guideline on the key elements of touring frame design philosophies. Page one quickly outlines Raleigh’s 100-year history. How could one say no to such an offer?Ĭover to cover, the catalog is only 12 pages in length but within those paper walls is valuable information that has been buried in time with the advancement of new technology, materials and schools of thought. Noting that those were pretty standard fare, he also mentioned a 1984 Raleigh Touring Catalog that he could scan and send. His first email came to me discussing nuances of the alternative Raleigh shifter boss issue but also had a quick one-liner at the end offering up images of original Raleigh Kodiak assembly manuals, owner’s manuals, and warranty cards. Over time, Dan has contributed regular, thoughtful comments on multiple Simplicity posts and clearly has been an avid rider for decades. Raleigh Lightweight Touring Bicycle Catalog :: 1984

Raleigh borchure 1984