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Submitted by
Mike Eastway
a Cross Country Rider
from McBain, Michigan
Date Reviewed: July 11, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | VASA trail | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$125.00 | | Purchased At: | Uncle Don's Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Light, fast frame, extremly durable, Rapid fire shifters, OK suspension, nice cushy seat | | Weaknesses: | Some of hex bolts rust a little, rims arn't the best, handle bars kinda cheap | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Stumpjumper, Raliegh M-20 | | Bike Setup: | Stock, with some new brake pads | | Bottom Line: | This is the best bike you can get for the money. It'll take a major beating. The frame is very robust. I'm 6'1" and the bike is 18" but it has a nice geomtry for me, takes the turns real nice. I'm 240lbs and I've got about 200 miles on it, 75 on rough single track, The only problem Iv'e ever had was the front brake pads, they wore to the metal in like 50 miles, replaced them with some real pads and they've been fine. I've only bottomed out the suspension once,on a 4 ft drop i never saw but the suspension is starting to get a little sticky. Overall It's a great bike, esspecially for the beginner or weekend warrior. You'd have pay about $600-700 to get something better in a different brand. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Woodinville, Wa, Usa
Date Reviewed: September 9, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Tolt Pipline | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$320.00 | | Purchased At: | Redmond Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Rims, Brakes, shifters, handlebars + headset, shocks are good, but I hear you can get better, tires, frame | | Weaknesses: | What the heck is a weakness? Except for a tune-up, there is nothing wrong with the bike. | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | stock componets, including gel seat, rear cargo rack | | Bottom Line: | The only bad thing about this bike is the lack of a saddle shock, but that would bump the price up. I love this bike, you can just put your helmate and gloves on and go. (provided you have a tool kit, which I recomend for riders of any bike) It keeps up with my friends $400.00 GT Timberline. I didn't have that kind of money, and my brother has had good luck with his 1999 M20. (even after a bad crash which badly injured his knee, although the bike only needed a minor headset adjustment) So I turned to Raleigh first. I found a 24" M50 that fit perfectly. (I am 6' 2", 15 years old, and still growing) I checked out some other manufacturers and the only one that made a 24" bike that was within my price range was Raleigh. (But they stopped making them in that size for the year 2001, the biggest they make now is a 22". Bad news for those of us over 6') I decided to buy the Raleigh and haven't regreted it. I did give the cushy seat to my younger brother, and put on a gel seat that I already owned a couple weeks after I purchased it. I also added a rear cargo rack to carry extera gear up to the Cascades a week ago. I don't know of anyone that wouldn't like this bike for the price. I don't have a lot of money, and was pleasntly suprised after riding this bike. You really don't pay for a logo, and you get quality componets. Other companies would probably price this bike hundreds more. Thank god Raleigh doesn't. I would have given it 6 flamin chilis, but they only allow five. And, like another reviwer said, I'm giving it five chilis because it is my ride and I love it. Buy this bike if you don't have much money to spend. You won't be disapointed. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
studawg
a Cross Country Rider
from Wilton,ct,usa
Date Reviewed: June 9, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | cranbury | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$175.00 | | Purchased At: | my friends house | | Strengths: | its durability and the frame | | Weaknesses: | stem, came with p.o.s components | | Similar Products Used: | 1994 pos Giant | | Bike Setup: | Judy c fork with 100 mm of travel, kore pedals, | | Bottom Line: | This is a good beginner biker's bike. So far more me it has survived me on what I have been doing with it and it hasnt worn down. My friend got a giant and its pissing him off. This is for a weekend rider and fairly good. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JB
a Cross Country Rider
from Wilton, CT
Date Reviewed: May 14, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Mike Waskom's mom | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Purchased At: | Ski/Bike Market | | Strengths: | Frame, wheel set hasnt given me much trouble, handlebars are deffinately a plus, brakes are ok (v brakes) | | Weaknesses: | Fork, pedals, saddle, components (Shimano Acera/Shimano A), shifters | | Bike Setup: | When I used it: Stock
Now: Judy C front shock (80 mm travel, Shimano LX components, Shimano SPD pedals | | Bottom Line: | This is a good bike if you are new to XC riding. The stock parts on it suck, but the frame, and headset is okay. If you upgrade the hell out of this bike, it will prove to be pretty decent. After a year of it, however, ive had enough, and just bought a new bike. I gave a 4 value rating, because i bought it for 250$, which is an ok deal (but, with the cost of upgrades, it will turn out to be much more)overall, STOCK gets a reting of 2 Flamin Chilis, cuz when ur as ill of an xc rider as myself, u gotta have a better bike setup than this...like my new warp with a new BOSE system on the headset (with 12 inch speakers hangin off the sides of course!) | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Frankinator
a Weekend Warrior
from SD CA
Date Reviewed: March 22, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$230.00 | | Purchased At: | http://www.southbaybikes.com | | Strengths: | Nice frame, with disc mmounts even. | | Weaknesses: | Grandma saddle, no name wheelset, and wannabe suspension fork. | | Similar Products Used: | Cannondale F2000SX (Now THAT'S a ride!) | | Bike Setup: | Stock M50 with following mods: Rigid Canondale P Bone fork, WTB SST saddle, Club Roost Go Fast risers and stem, Time Aliums. | | Bottom Line: | I bought this bike as a commuter. I swapped out the Suntour fork, the saddle, the nylon platform pedals and the no name bar/stem. The bike has a very agreeable geometry and a nice fit for me. It is also stiff enuff to hammer. In fact I took it out on the trails (rigid fork and all) and the only thing that concerned me was the wheel set (Alex brand rims and no name hubs). The Acera drivetrain and 6061 frame feel robust enough for my local trails. If I were to spec this bike, I'd pull out that Suntour fork and give it better wheels. But other than that it's a perfect commuter for me due to it's fit. Someday this bike will only have one speed. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J D
a Downhiller
from Panama City, Florida, USA
Date Reviewed: January 25, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Crooked Creek, Pine Log | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$369.00 | | Purchased At: | Steve's bike Shop | | Strengths: | The 6061 Frame of the bike is very rigid. The rapid fire shifter works like a charm, and the crankset is better than I thought it would be for the price. The front fork (2001) is a huge improvement over last years model(2000). | | Weaknesses: | The SR7700 could use a big more travel. It is too soft for the riding I do, but is better than the RST and the Jett XC. The Brakes Sux bad, and the Acera derailleurs are horrible and loud. | | Similar Products Used: | 2000 M50, Cannondale Super V SL400 | | Bike Setup: | 2001 Raleigh M50, Marzocchi Z2 front suspension. Upraged to Deore XT front and rear derailleur, brakes, crank, bottom braket, pedals, cassette, and break boosters. CODA suspension seat post, CODA Stem, CODA handle bars, and Bonti saddle. | | Bottom Line: | The Frame is the stronge point of this bike, so i bought the bike. Everything on the bike is great and far better than anything else out there for the price. I had a Cannondale SuperV full suspension, but i got tired of the lost energy going up hill. This is a great hardtail and for the price upgrading it is pretty cheap. I would recommend this bike to anyone who wants TOP quality and a great price, it IS the BEST for the BUCK bike out there By FAR! PEACE | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ian
a
from NY, NY
Date Reviewed: January 17, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | 2nd Avenue | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$280.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Price. Frame (except for the crooked brake braze-ons). | | Weaknesses: | Wheels. Sloppy construction (rear brake braze-ons unevenly welded; makes rear brake impossible to adjust properly) | | Bike Setup: | Stock w/ cages; LBS-built Mavic SUP rear wheel; Thudbuster seatpost; Jandd rear rack; Avocet Cross Kevlar tires; Rhode Gear Mirrors, 1 bell, 1 air horn; 2 Planet Bike BriteSpot headlights; 1 VistaLight rear light. | | Bottom Line: | I use this for commuting in New York City, 9 miles each way, and for getting around. The only time I take the subway is when I'm sick or there's too much snow on the roads...this bike saves me $63 a month.
Five months after I bought it, I began popping a spoke or two a week on the rear wheel. I'm fairly heavy (220) and do carry a fair amount of weight on the rack. BUT--I'm not riding trails, hopping ditches (or curbs for that matter) and jumping over logs. I'm riding on the streets of Manhattan. Nothing extreme. After three LBS spoke replacements and subsequent truings, I did the math and decided to replace the whole wheel. No spokes broken in three months since and the wheel is still as true as when it was built. Shame on Raleigh for releasing a product that doesn't even have the "minimum marketability" of lasting for a year before the wheel builds crap out.
Now that it's got a decent rear wheel, though, it rocks: mashing through salt sand and slush in New York, covered in black tape and road gunk, cyclophernalia everywhere...it is the Commuting Machine.
Buy it if you want a decent beater bike and/or weigh 180 lbs. or less.
3 chilis for value, because I had to sink an extra $100 into it to get a new wheel that didn't suck.
5 chilis because it's my ride and I love it.
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Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Newark, DE
Date Reviewed: October 14, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$349.00 | | Strengths: | Comfortable seat, nice shifters/shimano setup, good brakes, good suspension | | Weaknesses: | Front rim starting to give, some of the hex screws have a touch of rust in them | | Similar Products Used: | friend's M60, treks | | Bike Setup: | Stock with toe cages, specialized computer, soon to have Michelin Wildgripper sprints w/ Continental tubes | | Bottom Line: | Overall this is a great bike. I like its tough frame, it seems pretty beefy, but still isnt all that heavy.
I am a fairly heavy rider, though, and I can see that the front rim's weld is starting to go. My friend's M60 had better rims and I cannot even see the weld. I sure can see the welds on mine, they have a black mark on them where they catch the brake pad. The only riding I do is on the road, but the front is starting to go with only about 250 miles. The back is still good though. I sure wish they put sun rims on this thing ;) Then it would be perfect.
It is really comfortable to ride, the seat is great. I wouldnt mind bar ends to have another position for my hands on long rides since I am fairly heavy and a lot of weight gets put on my arms, but that isnt really anything. The shimano setup isn't the top of the line, but it is very good. The shifts are precise, and the tektro brakes grip well. I like the rapidfire shifters, I cannot stand the turning type on my friend's M60. The front end of the drivetrain moans a little when pushing hard uphill, but I have never ridden a bike that didnt do that.
The tires are OK, and hold air well. They are just standard kendas. I have had a little problem hooking up in gravel with them, when I rode a gravel path this morning, but it was more because of the gear I was in gave too much power and kept my wheel spinning out. Since I do pretty much all road/ well kept trail riding, I am going to switch to wildgripper sprints, they seem like good, low rolling resistance tires that are priced well(3/$39.99 at performance, folding type).
The only other thing is that the plastic pedals are hard to keep the right part of my feet on. A cheap pair of toe cages fix that like a charm, withough having to buy anything special.
Overall, great, especially considering the price. I think this bike will hold up really well. The hex bolts that are there for a water bottle cage show a bit of rust, but nothing else does because of the Aluminum construction. If only the rims were a bit stronger, it would be awesome. I am pretty heavy though so wont dock it any points. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ron
a Weekend Warrior
from Londonderry, NH
Date Reviewed: September 21, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Betty Mack/Musquash | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$340.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycles Etc | | Strengths: | Rapid Fire Shifters
Good value components for the price
| | Weaknesses: | The Tektro brakes won't stop sticking
Single wall rims are a weakness, however I'm 220+ lbs and it took a few crashes to bend the rear beyond repair | | Bike Setup: | Riser handlebar, Barends, alloy pedals and toe-clips, extended seatpost, Sun CR18 rear rim with STX hub, Geax hook and Warp tires. | | Bottom Line: | This bike has a good mix of entry level components that are better overall than any other in it's class. It's survived my green-ass beginner crashes much better than I have. I've ridden 2-3 times a week on both nasty, scary technical trails (Middlesex Fells) and in root filled mud bogs (Musquash) and all I've been able to do is potato chip the rear wheel after several crashes.
If you're looking in the $300 - $400 price range you're probably a beginner like me and this bike will be a great place to start.
I do think the frame is a little light-duty for someone as large as me (6' 220lbs) so I'm upgrading to an M80 for the beefier frame. My 14 year old nephew will get the M50 and I'm very confident it will serve him well until he outgrows it.
If you're looking for a first bike this is worth a close look, but if you're an old fat guy like me you might want to pry loose a few extra bucks and go for the M60 or M80 for the bigger frame.
I'm giving 5 little campfires for value because I think it is the best bike for the money (that's why I bought it...duh). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Carlos Cabrera
a Weekend Warrior
from Robstown, TX
Date Reviewed: August 11, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | THE BEAST (thick grass with sudden holes) | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Light frame, good brakes, comfortable seat, durable front suspension | | Weaknesses: | Crappy tires (must buy new ones)
Pedals don't grip on my tennis | | Similar Products Used: | Mongoose | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | The Raleigh M-50 is an awesome bike for the affordable bike. I have been rough with it and it still rides on. At high speeds it's durable yet lightweight frame gives me the confidence to go at high speeds. It's front suspension keeps my wrists happy and not feel stressed. The reaction time switching through speeds is quick and quiet. An affordable bike at an affordable price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
john zawojski
a Weekend Warrior
from park ridge il usa
Date Reviewed: July 28, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | 8-ball | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | shifters, frame, brakes, seat
| | Weaknesses: | peddles, seat post, wheels, tires, drive train-especialy the bb | | Similar Products Used: | neshiki, giant rincon | | Bike Setup: | mostly stock, few upgrades to replacement of broken parts | | Bottom Line: | this is my first mountain bike. has not been bad for the price, have been riding hard latley and have been breaking a few parts. The peddles were the first things gone, then the seat post, then the bb-twice, then the rear wheel and tire. All in all have been having a great time with it, dealer has been super about servicing the bike. Buy it if you want to check this sport out cheap! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Justin
a Cross Country Rider
from New Hampshire
Date Reviewed: July 18, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | The Betty Mack Memorial trail | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Light Frame Good Brakes shocks are not that bad good rims cheap | | Weaknesses: | tires are not aggressive enough for rough trails shifting can be rough pedals are junk | | Similar Products Used: | trek 820 | | Bike Setup: | stock M50 with medal peadals and cages | | Bottom Line: | the bike is worth the money you dont pay for the name it takes a good beating and keeps going it is a good bike for beginners. i would not recommend this bike for people who ride hard | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul Beck
a Cross Country Rider
from Vancouver, WA, USA
Date Reviewed: May 31, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | the one behind H.B. Fuller Park | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | modererate drivetrain, nice shock, cushy seat, strong rims, light frame | | Weaknesses: | pedals | | Similar Products Used: | This bike replaced my old Huffy. Nuf said. | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | For under $350, this is a nice bike. I looked around and the only one that came close in components with this price was Giant. This one was better, though. The RST 281R is good, although you can't adjust it. The drivetrain could be a little better, but it works. If you're just a beginning rider, go with this one, if not, get a more expensive(the more expensive, the better the bike) bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J. Justin Morgan
a Cross Country Rider
from Bath, PA USA
Date Reviewed: April 20, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Jacobsburg | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Has a very strong and lightweight frame. I also like the rims they take a beating. The front shock is pretty good, and the seat is comfortable. | | Weaknesses: | The handlebars don't come up anymore than when you buy it. The chain rattles alot when you jump or go over a log. The tires are below average. Shifting is okay, but could be alot better. Brakes are okay. Get new pedals, after you destroy the ones that come with the bike. | | Similar Products Used: | N/A | | Bike Setup: | STOCK | | Bottom Line: | The M50 is an awesome mountain bike for the price. For $350.00 I don't know if you can do much better. If you are looking for a bike that can take a beating, this is the bike. I've had it for almost a month now, and besides for a blown tire, I really can't complain. I've road about an average of 8 miles every day that it has been nice out. (From easy trails to rocky log ridden semi-hard trails). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Warren Schaffer
a Cross Country Rider
from Riegelsville, PA, USA
Date Reviewed: March 26, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything with mud! | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Lightwieght frame
Welds
Durability | | Weaknesses: | Slow-shifting drive train
HORRIBLE tires
Crappy pedals | | Similar Products Used: | Similarly priced bikes ($300-$400) | | Bike Setup: | Shimano Atlus and Acera drivetrain
VMC 1.2 rims
RST 281 shock
| | Bottom Line: | GREAT bike (for the money) The frame is really nice; very stiff and fast. The components seem to be better than most other bikes in this class also. But change those tires IMMEDIATLEY! I had a bad wreck because of the front tire slipping out from under me.
The drivetrain could use some new parts, but you would have to change EVERYTHING out because of the 7speed rear. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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