Raleigh M40 (1999)

...ride two other bikes both Raleigh ones a top range thing from specials and the other a racer for general road sprints. I keep this bike for short distances to shops etc. (but you don’t commute you say) well I live on a farm so its 2 miles down hill to the shop and I’m not leaving a brilliant bike outside the shops.

I’ve now whacked some shimano cleat pedals with the funny metal surround on you know the ones I mean ! And I love the ...
...winning bikes goes into all Raleigh frames problem is the components ALL over the bike suffer because they spent so much on the frame. If you get a bike like this and not everything will brake just like that, expect odd bits to become damaged as you push your self and therefore your poor little components. But just remember the frame will NEVER go (some bikes are guaranteed not to) so its perfect to keep upgrading without the risk of the big shell ... more

The first thing before you go anywhere with this bike is to get rid of the pedals! Weak pedals really destroy a good solid Aluminium (and I don't always love aluminium) frame.
Pedals are what drive the bike and I strongly believe that these after a good frame are the most important component. Plastic pedals? for off road. I just read the previous comments on this bike and found out its good for on road commuting having never done any commuting ever I wouldn’t know, it would make sense though.

Before I go on I better just say a few words about me, so you get where I’m coming from. I am one very aggressive mountain biker and road racer. I put my bikes through everything my body can go through; this is probably why I’ve just come out of hospital and why I’ve destroyed one of my previous bikes.

This means I soon found the floors in this bike, which leads me nicely back to pedals! First thing to “go” with a nice little impact on the surface of a stone, and I pedalling home with one pedal and a nice bent metal fixture that use to be a pedal. I ride two other bikes both Raleigh ones a top range thing from specials and the other a racer for general road sprints. I keep this bike for short distances to shops etc. (but you don’t commute you say) well I live on a farm so its 2 miles down hill to the shop and I’m not leaving a brilliant bike outside the shops.

I’ve now whacked some shimano cleat pedals with the funny metal surround on you know the ones I mean ! And I love the bike its SOLID upon SOLID (suprising from an aluminium)shell frame means you get just complete power transfer. Braking’s good for such a bike so you’ve now got the perfect bike for a beginner/ expert something that lets you experience speed, stop, and is perfect for the all important upgrading! Never forget a bikes a goner if you become better (which everybody does) and its not worth upgrading.

Concluding because I could go on all day. This site doesn’t have Raleigh’s top flight frames listed just its standard range. The same skilled to make winning bikes goes into all Raleigh frames problem is the components ALL over the bike suffer because they spent so much on the frame. If you get a bike like this and not everything will brake just like that, expect odd bits to become damaged as you push your self and therefore your poor little components. But just remember the frame will NEVER go (some bikes are guaranteed not to) so its perfect to keep upgrading without the risk of the big shell out called a new bike (i.e the frame goes booo!)

Lots of luv… Eatcha and I’m still looking to review some cleat pedals!
 

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