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Submitted by
Mark Stoughton
a Weekend Warrior
from Norton, MA USA
Date Reviewed: October 2, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$995.00 | | Purchased At: | Harris Cyclery | | Strengths: | Superior ride, improved geometry and componentry over 2002 model. | | Weaknesses: | Noisy rear hub pawls. | | Similar Products Used: | 2002 Raleigh AL, Burley Zydeco Mixte X, Trek 900 | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | This is a review for the 2004 Coupe.
Raleigh has had this tandem model on the market since 2002, and has not remained stagnant. They have made several incremental improvements to the design which have resulted in a more stable and more comfortable bike.
In the 2004 Coupe, the design of the captain's bottom bracket has been changed so that the set bolts are more integral to the bottom bracket, minimizing the likelihood of cracks. The geometry has been changed a bit, so that the captain's front tube now rises at a slight angle to the stoker tube, and joins a longer head tube, resulting in more stable steering. As a result of the longer head tube, the handlebars are now about a half inch higher than on the 02 model, making it a bit more comfortable for larger riders. The rear trinagle spacing was increased from 135mm to the newer tandem-standard 145mm. The component set was upgraded from Deore to Deore LX all the way around, and the cranksets upgraded from no-name to TruVative Isis cranks.
I recieved this bike as a warantee replacement for my 2002 AL, which appeared to have had a defective weld where the captain's eccentric set bolts mounted to the bottom bracket. I put a few thousand miles on the AL, and found it to be a great bike that I was sorry to see go.
Raleigh's customer service (through Harris Cyclery) was impeccable and I couldn't be happier than the treatment I recieved at their hands. They went above and beyond the terms of their warantee, and gave me an entire new bike when their own terms specified only a frame replacement.
The improvements to the 2004 model over the 2002 are substantial, and Raleigh has managed to make a great bike into a truly outstanding bike. Given the quality of the bike, plus their superb customer service, I would wholeheartedly recommend a Raleigh to anyone. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
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