I bought this bike new in the summer of 1998 from Broadway bikes in Fells Point Baltimore Maryland. I knew little about mountain biking. Strangely I went to many bike shops and test rides before ending up with my M50. What a great bike. I've upgraded about all the components and fork over the last 14 years. I've put a lot of miles on this bike and it never lets me down. I love the ride and I feel comfortable on this bike. I cannot find this on other bikes. I'm a large man at 6'5" and over 350 lbs. The M50 still handles its business on the trails. I've had some wrecks. Even had to have the chromoly frame welded 2 different times by professional welders. Still I wouldn't trade this baby for anything. I think I will just ride this bike forever.
Submitted by
serious rider
a Cross Country Rider
from detroit, michigan usa
Date Reviewed: March 28, 2012
Strengths: all
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
I ride a 1998 raleigh m50 with a 22inch frame made of chromoly. I bought it new in 1998 and I still ride it today. I have been hit by cars and had numerous other accidents over the years on this bike and still ride it now. yes I have had to change tires and inner tubes over the years but I ride an average of 70 miles a day in city traffic. I have upgraded parts on the bike over the years and now it's worth a lot more then what I paid for it at the time of purchase. I am 6' 3" tall and weighed 320lbs at the time of purchase. I now weigh 240lbs and still ride daily. In 2005 I had a accident unrelated to cycling and broke my neck. I became a quadraplegic and was told I would never walk again. I was determined to prove the doctors wrong so, I worked hard in rehab and walked out of the the hospital on a walker. I bought a training stand a put my m50 on it and rode for hours every day. 2 years later I felt strong enough and with my doctors permission I began slowly riding on local trails and in a short amount of time I started riding the streets again and now I am back to riding at least 45miles a day and getting stronger. My m50 is heavy but it was bought to accomadate 320lbs. I also have a all alluminum trek that is a lot lighter but I am afraid to ride on all terrains like my raleigh because of my weight. I am afraid I will snap the frame. This is not a concern with my much heavier raleigh m50. Over-all I LOVE MY M-50 "ANGUS" is his name. Because it is a bull, powerful and un-yielding. I have had it 14years and counting. I now live in Fort Wayne Indiana, the streets are really hilly hear and "ANGUS" takes me all over with no problem. I ride it everyday and would never sell or get rid of it. If you are a serious rider I would suggest that you buy a raleigh m50 because in my experience this is a very good value. I have rode Schwin, GT and Trek (all good bikes) but none compare to my american made raleigh m50.
Similar Products Used: gt, trek and schwin mountain bikes
Bike Setup: basic
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Submitted by
Reynaldo T
a Weekend Warrior
from Clermont, FL
Date Reviewed: March 24, 2012
Strengths: All
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
Original "Made in USA" Raleigh M50. Purchased on August 29, 1993. Over 80,000 miles! I'm 67 and continue to ride an average of 35 miles daily, 5 days a week. The secret is routine weekly cleaning and maintenance. The down side ... cosmetic scratches from using my bike maintenance stand and various car carriers. Oh, I've taken a few headers over the years as well.
Bike Setup: Almost all original parts. Exceptions: cogs 11T and 12T replaced twice. Mfg. recall on original crank set which was replaced in 1999. Using Shimano IG chains exclusively. Now using Schwalbe 26x1.50 tires.
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Submitted by
wayne
a Cross Country Rider
from florida
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2012
Strengths: everything
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
having lived in the white mountains of New Hampshire I used the bike on some challenging trails, it never let me down, even after some rough handling, now i"m in florida [no mountains ] I turned it into a hybrid, have done thousands of miles and STILL no problems i"ve put new chain cassette , tires ,seats,and handgrips, have just upgraded to road bike, one of the best buys I:ll ever have.
Submitted by
egerm
a Weekend Warrior
from Arlington, MA, USA
Date Reviewed: November 7, 2010
Strengths: EVERYTHING
Weaknesses: After about 14 years it's time to fix the whole bike.
I need to fix the gears, the brakes, it squeaks.
But I am 25 and have had this bike since 7th grade.
And I am someone that you don't give nice things to.. because I don't treat my material things like pets.
This bike has been left outside countless times, thrown on the ground, beaten up and locked away in a basement for like a year or two with grime all over it.
Bottom Line:
My bike is part of my body.
I am killer awesome on my bike and suck on any one else's.
When I lived in western ma I would ride from Holyoke to Northampton for work. Last year I would ride from North Cambridge to Charles St in Boston.. even through snow.
Bike Setup: I don't know anything about bikes. I just ride mine.
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Submitted by
Aardvark
a Weekend Warrior
from Glen Head, NY, US
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2008
Strengths: It is Durable. I have been riding my M50 for 15 years now, since April 1993 and just had a major overhaul done with new sprockets, chain and spokes. I have had new tires and brakes but it took 15 years to wear down the major components. I am mostly on the road now but in the past I did a lot of off-road cycling with it.
Bike Setup: Factory original except new seat, light and bell.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Rhonda White
a Cross Country Rider
from Lake Mary, FL, USA
Date Reviewed: January 6, 2008
Strengths: Great warrior of a bike. I've beaten it on rough trails, babied it on pavement, she takes a lickin' and keeps on bring me home!
Weaknesses: None that I've found!
Bottom Line:
LOVE MY RALEIGH M-50! I ride her 3-10 miles 3-4 days a week, and then do longer tours on pleasant weekends (20-45 miles). She'll climb a tree in low gear, and burn the wind in high. You can't go wrong with this bike, especially at this kind of price!
I was offered a hardly-used Cannondale (less that 25 miles on it) but, after trying it out on a 10-mile ride, passed. I couldn't wait to get back to my M-50!
Similar Products Used: I've had Raleighs since childhood. Why mess with a good thing?
Bike Setup: Factory orig, except added upright Specialized hand grips.
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Submitted by
G
a Cross Country Rider
from Clovis, NM
Date Reviewed: March 5, 2007
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike specifically to ride to and from work (about a 5 mile ride each way). I have put over 1000 miles on it every year since i bought it. The only problems i have had is the seat has worn out and the rear sprockets are worn. These problems i have only notice over the last year. I love this bike and dont plan on replacing it any time soon.
Strengths: Strong bike. Takes some abuse and keeps it's mouth shut. I got this bike as a hand-me-down from my dad and rode the hell out of it and it's still very much alive and kickin'. If I hadn't just recently gotten a job and a subsequently purchased a new bike, I'd still be thrashing this bike around the trails.
Weaknesses: While it is a strong bike, it's still a rigid/rough ride. Late into it's comission, the rear derailleur was acting up, esp when going into 1st gear, it would skip too far and go off the gear. I tried to adjust it, but...no help. Aside from that, theres nothing!
Bottom Line:
IMO a great bike. Does great on non technical, fairly flat trails or urban riding but can keep up with technical downhills and climbs. Perfect bike for a beginner MTBer or someone who just needs a bike.
Submitted by
dan gibbs
a Weekend Warrior
from citrus hts, ca sac
Date Reviewed: March 27, 2003
Strengths: Seems to have more positive reviews then negitive ones.
Weaknesses: None! I just think she's the best!
Bottom Line:
In Sacramento a few times a year the county comes by and hauls away shrubs and just about anything you concider junk that you pile in front of your house on the street. It started out with just a set of wheels. Then the next time it was time to dump I came across a M-50 frame in a pile of junk on my way home from work. She still had the crank, handlebars and fork. So I picked her up, brushed the dust off her and hauled her home. Scouting the piles of trash along the streets in my neighborhood I found a "Eagle" derailer for the rear on a bike buried under a ton of trash. The chain,from some old Magna up the street from my home. With the exception of the front derailer the whole bike costed nothing but time. When I first got her together and took her on her first ride I did "the test". I removed my hands from the handlebar and...... She was as true as can be. The gears worked, the breaks stopped and the best thing, was her price. I prefer the M-50 I built more then the Specialized I bought brand new. She's a smooth ride and handles great. I ride to work almost everyday, (10 miles one-way.)and I always mount the M-50. The Raleigh M-50 is a great piece of trash if you ask me. Everyone should find one!
Weaknesses: Tires and Seat wore out quickly(yet it was kept outdoors)
Bottom Line:
My parents bought me this bike when I was 10, in May of 1998 as a 97 model. I didn't know much about bikes then but my parents knew that I loved riding and thought...Why go through 12 cheap walmart bikes when I could have one of the best? I had already worked my way through one walmart bike that had gone to the dump and was well on my way to breaking another. So they bought it. I loved it, it was perfect for where I lived which was an island community in Savannah that was being developed. It being developed there were many trails available and I rode them relentlessly. Jumps. Bumps. Wreaks. You name it. After a year(my next BDay), while I was gone on a ski trip i came back and found RockShock T2's newly fitted. It had taken a while to get the right size and fit ordered for my bike and I still believe it was not installed properly by the local bike shop. Had I taken it to the Raleigh Authorized Dealer this probably would not have happened. Anyway, the bike has been great for all my needs, and I believe anybody who has any problem with the bike just expects too much for the money or didn't have it serviced regularly enough or at all. Bikes dont stay adjusted you know. All the components are tough and this year, instead of upgrading to 9sp. I decided just to replace my cassete and chain because it had been slipping. Also the new michelin tires are great...although thier rolling resistance on pavement is somewhat worse than the AT Kenda's that came stock. This is not that much of a compromise when I get out on the trail. The bike will be five years old this May and it will probably not be replaced for a long while. Awesome buy. Sharp looking. Durable. FAST.
Bike Setup: Rock Shocks T2 suspension fork, 3 new seats, Michelin WildGripper Hot S rear tire, Michilin WildGripper Original up front, currently replacing rear cassete sprokets and chain w/ IG90 Shimano Chain.
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Submitted by
Pete
from Woodstock CT
Date Reviewed: November 9, 2001
Strengths: the bike has good handling and shifting. It shifts better then any bike I have ever had. It is also very durable
Weaknesses: the handle bars are a little easy to rust because of the material. I would prefer a more durable brand.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the best bikes I have ever rode. Myself and any body else that has ridden it agree that it is a very nice bike. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I am a 14 year old male and this bike is perfect for me
Submitted by
Sparkely Beefman
a Weekend Warrior
from Stephenson, VA USA
Date Reviewed: July 25, 2000
Strengths: hmn, lets see, well it roles, that pretty well covers it
Weaknesses: oh, where to begin...
Bottom Line:
Alright, it is seemingly impossible to even begin to describe the crap I've had to go through because of this bike. It is not a good choice, even if you have $300 to blow, 75 pounds of candy would work out better for you. It is a heavy ride, at a feathery 32+ pounds getting it up hills sucks just about as much as the RST shocks, which for me bottom out at a plush 1/4 of an inch, good ol' RST. As for the tires; grade A crap all the way, never been able to grip with them. Shifting was smooth for the first month or so but started to reak once the new bike shine wore off. The only good thing I can think of about this bike would have to be the bar grips, man are those things squishy, but that is just about it, and $300 for a pair of decent bar grips really is not that great of a deal. My bottom line; if you really want to add misery and regret to your biking experience, Raleigh M50 all the way. Otherwise go ahead and hang on to that $300, save up, buy a Cannondale, and be happy.
Similar Products Used: lot-o-testing afterward and regretting let's just leave it at that
Bike Setup: same as factory only with bar ends and straps
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Submitted by
Joel
a Cross Country Rider
from Hanford, Ca, USA
Date Reviewed: June 8, 2000
Strengths: It's the best Value well.......ever
Weaknesses: none worth every penny, seriously don't listen to any bull**** that other people write in they're reviews
Bottom Line:
the best entry level bike there is.If you've been riding some really cheap piece of crap bike and you're getting nowhere buy this, I used to think I sucked and now I'm sooo into mountain biking and I love it. I've bent wheels but who the hell doesn't bend wheels? Also the seat is very comfortable but not very durable and if it gets wet it doesn't dry for like three days. Big pain in the ass if it's cold. Also I broke the axle on one of the pedals and broke the plastic away from the axle on the other. this is an awesome bike though, esecially now that it's alluminum for the 2000 models. Definitly a must buy if you want to start mountain biking or already do and aren't happy with your low end bike. This bike blows anything else away that you'll see for 400 or less for sure, even most bikes you'll see for even more
