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TECH NEWS

Updated: Raleigh launch 2014 range

Classic brand reveals new cyclocross and time trial bike line-ups – and a supercool Beano Chopper!

Raleigh have announced a new range of RX cyclocross bikes for 2014, along with two new Aura time trial bikes and extended Militis and Revenio road bike line-ups. There’s also a supercool limited edition Beano Chopper that we just have to show you.

RX cyclocross bikes

We’ll kick off with the cyclocross bikes that look really interesting. The four-bike range includes both carbon and alloy frames, disc and canti brakes and differing geometries, and it covers prices from £800 to £3,000.

Top of the range is the £3,000 Raleigh RX Team Cross (main pic) that’s built around a high modulus carbon cross frame with tapered head tube and a PressFit 30 bottom bracket – all of the cyclocross bikes use that BB standard. It’s a really neat-looking frame with internal cable routing via removable ports, and wishbone seatstays, and that’s a carbon monocoque fork plugged in at the front.

The RX Team Cross comes in what Raleigh call a North American geometry, giving you a ride position similar to that of a road bike with a long top tube and plenty of fork trail. The idea it to provide lots of stability.

The wheels are Cole’s carbon C30 CX, Raleigh using Coles on most of their performance bikes. It’s a tie-in that extends to the wheels that their sponsored teams ride.

Braking comes courtesy of Avid BB7 Road S mechanical discs while the rest of the groupset is SRAM’s new Force 22 (it’s a 2 x 11spd system). It’s solid branded kit throughout with an FSA Energy bar and stem, an SLK seatpost and a Fizik Arione saddle.

The RX Team Cross comes in a velvet red finish. For continuity, Raleigh are using red for their top-level bikes across their range in 2014. Red is their high-performance colour.

The RX Team Cross frame has been ridden by Belgian cyclocross professional Ben Berden, and French two-time national champion Caroline Mani. 

Raleigh are also going to be helping two young UK cyclocross riders by providing bikes and equipment and helping to boost their public profile in the near future. We'll soon have more details on who they've selected.

The £2,000 RX Race Cross is built to Raleigh’s European geometry with the frame and the trail a little shorter. This is designed to quicken the handling, making the bike more agile for tighter courses.

Again, you get a high modulus carbon frame with a tapered head tube, a carbon monocoque fork and mostly internal cable routing – although the front mech cable runs externally down the seat tube. One major difference, though, is that the RX Race Cross comes with cantilever brakes. They’re Tektro’s CR720s.

The groupset is SRAM Apex with Cole Rollen RX wheels, and the build is nearly all branded kit. That Selle Italia Seta S1 saddle is new, by the way. It’s colour-matched to the frame.

The other two cyclocross bikes share the same double-butted alloy frame with mudguard/rack bosses. It has a UK-specific back end with a good amount of mud clearance on there for the conditions we typically have over here. 

The more expensive model, the £1,200 RX Comp Alloy, is disc-brake equipped although, unlike the RX Team Cross, the rear brake is mounted outside the rear triangle. The brakes in question are Avid BB7s while the groupset is SRAM Apex, the same as the RX Race Comp.

The entry-level model is the £800 RX Elite Alloy with bartop levers on Raleigh’s own compact-drop handlebar.

Militis performance road bike line-up

 

Raleigh are extending the size of their Militis performance road bike line-up for 2014. Stu reviewed the Militis 3 a couple of weeks ago and loved the way it handled. 

There will be three carbon-framed Militis models, and two alloy models. The carbon ones all use the same frame that’s made with T800 carbon fibre, a PF30 bottom bracket and tapered (1 1/8in to 1 1/2in) head tube. It’s the same as previously but for the fact that it’s now Di2-ready and Raleigh claim a frame weight of 880g. Raleigh’s C6 carbon blade/carbon steerer fork is used across the three bikes too.

The top model – in velvet red, the same as the top cyclocross bike – is the £5,000 Militis Team. As the name suggests, it’s built the same as the bike the team riders will use with a SRAM Red 22 groupset and Cole C38 Lite wheels. Raleigh reckon the team haven’t ever broken any Cole wheels, by the way.

The rest of the kit is high quality too, with FSA’s SLK carbon bar, stem and seatpost, and a Fizik Arione saddle.

The £2,750 Militis Race gets SRAM’s new Force 22 group and Cole Rollen Elite wheels. Basically, the spec is a little lower across the board.

The Militis Pro has the same wheels but it has built up with a Shimano 105 groupset for £2,275.

The two alloy Militis bikes are the Comp Alloy (£1,500) and the Elite Alloy (£1,300). They both have the same double-butted 6061 alloy frame with a tapered headtube and a PF30 bottom bracket, and they both come fitted with Raleigh’s C6 carbon fork, the same as the carbon Militis models. They share the race-centric geometry too.

The differences between them are down to the components, the Comp being SRAM Rival based, the Elite being mostly SRAM Apex.

Revenio

The Revenio road bikes are more endurance focused, and this range has been extended too. The geometry of these bikes is more relaxed, the biggest differences being the taller head tube length and shorter top tube – you get a higher ride position here. You also get longer chainstays and a lower bottom bracket for more stability. Raleigh are now offering up to 10 frame sizes in the Revenio range now, from 48cm right up to 62cm, so chances are that you’ll be able to get a good fit.

There are four Revenio carbon bikes, all sharing the same frame, and three Revenio alloy bikes. Again, these are all built around the same frame.

The Revenio Carbon frame uses T700 carbon fibre and the cables are routed internally. The top model is the Revenio Carbon 4 (£3,000) that comes in this velvet blue. It’s a striking colour. This model is built up with Shimano’s Ultegra Di2 groupset that’s bound to prove massively popular. Like all of the Revenio models, it has compact (50/34T) gearing.

The most affordable build is the Revenio Carbon 1 at £1,400. Rather than the C5 carbon blade/carbon fork of the higher models, the Carbon 1 gets a C3 fork with an alloy steerer and the groupset is Shimano’s 10-speed Tiagra.

The alloy Revenios get a custom-butted frame built to the same geometry. The cheapest model is the £600 Revenio 1 with a Shimano Claris 8-speed group and Raleigh’s own AC1.0 wheels.

Aura Team

We showed you one of Raleigh’s new Aura time trial bikes last week and now we’ve had the chance to check it out properly.

There are actually two new TT bikes, completely different from one another. This one is the higher level Aura Team (£4,000), built around a high modulus carbon frame.

There are many aero features here including skinny tubes that are said to be aero-optimised, an integrated fork crown, cutaway seat tube, deep-legged fork, a reduced-size rear triangle, an aero seatpost… all of which we’ve come to associate with TT/triathlon bikes over the past few years.

The frame is capable of taking a Shimano Di2 electronic shift system altnough the Aura Team actually comes equipped with a SRAM Force 22 groupset (with a wide-ranging 52/36 tooth chainset). The brakes are from TRP, the front one hidden inside the extended legs of the fork. The leading section of the top end of the fork is hollow, but behind that the legs are just a single wall with the brakes sitting inside the recess. The rear brake is mounted underneath/behind the bottom bracket.

The bars are Vision’s TriMax Carbon and the wheels are Cole’s C85 clinchers with Schwalbe Ironman Evo 23c tyres.

Oh, there will be one significant change from this pre-production version when the Aura Team becomes available in February: it will have a PF30 bottom bracket rather than an outboard design.

The Aura Comp is considerably less expensive at £1,600. Rather than carbon fibre, this one is made from hydroformed 7005 alloy with a carbon bladed fork. That curved seat tube looks a little like the one Cervélo used to use on their early alloy P3s. With a SRAM groupset (largely Apex) and Cole Rollen Lite wheels, this one should be available in August.

Beano Chopper

One other bike from the Raleigh range that I love is the Beano Chopper. I don’t mean that I love it in an ironic, studenty way, I just think it looks absolutely fantastic.

It’s £300 and it has Beano characters all over the place, right down to the mudguards and the cranks.

You’ve even got Dennis the Menace eyeballing Mini the Minx on the head tube.

Of course, there are far more sensible kids’ bikes out there, but this looks brilliant. It’s £300 in a limited edition. I’m tempted to buy one of these just so I can get it out and look at it if I ever need cheering up. It has Gnasher on the end one of the handlebar grips, for goodness’ sake. That’s enough in itself.

By the way, Dennis the Menace fans: DING!

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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21 comments

Avatar
billsdon | 10 years ago
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Hi Raleigh853

I need to get a bit more info from you about this and I see you've mailed me directly as well so I'll make plans to give you a call.

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billsdon | 10 years ago
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Thanks for your comments Deanf316. We're all ears on how to improve.

Sorry to hear you couldn't receive info on this year's Militis. We make specification information available to all LBS so it is frustrating that you weren't given the information you needed. Interestingly the bike scored 4.5 / 5 on recent tests on Road.cc and Bikeradar so we have been pleased with the response and have implemented feedback into the 2014 models, some of which are shared with Raleigh US and some of which are only available from Raleigh UK.

Keep talking and keep feeding back is the main message. Cheers.

Avatar
raleigh853 replied to billsdon | 10 years ago
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Dear billsdon

You clearly have not read or answered Dean316 comments,he did not say you are selling USA models. The point he is making is that they are Raleigh USA developed as the Militis has been available in the USA for 2 years. As far as your LBS are concerned I myself went to my LBS who I have being dealing with for 25 years and has been a Raleigh for longer.

The reason being I'm interest in Militis Frame which I believe will be available in the 2014 range, which we established by the fact it is in the new brochure (which I take it by providing them is what you define as providing all LBS imformation on specs)

They could not tell me the price, colours available, geometry and date available.This was not through lack of trying they just did't have it. They always give excellent service and the corect imformation when available or get the imformation for me. So in this case don't blame the LBS.I will going tommorow to see the owner who attended your lanch and was going to see if he could get the anwers for me, unless you can provide them.

As you can see from my username I'm a former loyal Raleigh rider and my son rides my Raleigh 853 to school,but after your SPD 853 frame it all went wrong at Raleigh and I have been riding other bikes since.So I totally agree with Deah316 because if I don't get answers soon I will purchasing the other frame I'm considering which is available and I have all the imformation on but is in limited supply.Hence my frusrtation with Raleigh, seriously how do you expect to regain me as a customer?

Regards
Raleigh853(possibly changing to Planetxmondo)

Avatar
raleigh853 replied to raleigh853 | 10 years ago
0 likes

Spoke to the owner after his visit to your launch and he asked for the information I had requested. He could not get any of my questions answered, how do you expect him to sell me a frame. He is equally as frustrated as me with the situation what's going on?

I could go to your website for some information but there is none.

Regards
Raleigh853

Avatar
DeanF316 | 10 years ago
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I think Grubbythumbs experince with Raleigh customer service is typically. I was riding a Raleigh SP comp last year bought via the my local shop for which I raced so got it at good price. Having seen the Militus on American web sites I was very keen on buying one. However, my local Raleigh dealer couldn't get any information from Raleigh on specs, availibility etc. So I ordered a Canyon ultimate SLX. Which turned out to be the right decision as the Militus for 2012/13 was a single model and spec was rubbish.

Raleigh UK are a shambles, all interesting products in the 2014 are Raleigh US developed products.

I once stopped in my local Raleigh dealer and they had the Raleigh sales rep in and I asked why their range at the time only started at 52cm which was just slightly on the large size for me. His reply was put wooden blocks on your pedals. Says it all.

Giant, Forme etc just do it alot better

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rockfield | 10 years ago
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Great to see Raleigh back and offering some decent looking bikes. The disc braked crosser with mudguard eyes could be my perfect do a bit of everything bike! Sems like a competitive price too. It must be one of the best head tube badges of all time?

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Grubbythumb | 10 years ago
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billsdon, as I said to Customer Services, I'm not about to order a bike I've never even laid eyes on, and I'm not going to leave a LBS 'holding the baby' if it turns out that I don't like the bike they have ordered for me.

As for arse kicking, whoever your ASM is for the South West is, that's yer chappie. He did tell me that the Militis has sold very well and that more were due in early June, but that was the last I heard.

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billsdon | 10 years ago
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Hi Grubbythumb, thanks for the feedback. Sorry for the lack of contact - feel free to name and shame so we can give someone a kick. The Militis bikes sold out very quickly this year so I'd be surprised if there were any left in store now. The range has been expanded for 2014 though so I'd recommend asking your LBS to place a pre-order - stock should be available in September and will be on show at the NEC Bike Show at the end of that month.

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Grubbythumb | 10 years ago
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That looks like a great range shaping up and I would happily try a Militis with a view to buying one, the trouble is, nobody seems to stock them.

I have visited quite a few Raleigh dealers, unsurprisingly none have anything above £1,200 in stock. When I e-mailed Raleigh, their first reply (from Customer Services) just told me to buy one as they were sure I'd love it! The second reply, from the area sales manager told me that he would ask around his dealers and come back to me. That was in May; no reply so far (and none expected).

Raleigh have a job to do convincing the buying cyclist that they are a brand worth considering again. I hope they succeed.

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pwake | 10 years ago
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Hey! Lets get back on subject. How about a Lord Snooty town bike? Kind of like a Pashley Guvnor style thing with some old money bling!  39

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pmr | 10 years ago
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I like the blue one, first one I've seen with the new di2 11 speed ultegra, derailiers still look chunky tho, maybe they are the 2013 ones on the pic.

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mhmhmh | 10 years ago
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DONG!

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pwake replied to mhmhmh | 10 years ago
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mhmhmh wrote:

DONG!

Damn! Beat me to it.
The Dennis the Menace Fan Club & Gnasher Fang Club lives...

Avatar
Ghedebrav replied to pwake | 10 years ago
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pwake wrote:
mhmhmh wrote:

DONG!

Damn! Beat me to it.
The Dennis the Menace Fan Club & Gnasher Fang Club lives...

 4

Avatar
Mat Brett replied to mhmhmh | 10 years ago
0 likes
mhmhmh wrote:

DONG!

Thanks!

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ScotchPoth (not verified) | 10 years ago
0 likes

All modern road bikes are the same,identical manufacturers, materials,geometry,spec,the only difference is the name and colour

its all bullshit,a great big scam

Avatar
stuke replied to ScotchPoth | 10 years ago
0 likes
ScotchPoth wrote:

All modern road bikes are the same,identical manufacturers, materials,geometry,spec,the only difference is the name and colour

its all bullshit,a great big scam

Raleigh's Militis frame is built using their own moulds and lay-up's

Avatar
David Arthur @d... replied to ScotchPoth | 10 years ago
0 likes
ScotchPoth wrote:

All modern road bikes are the same,identical manufacturers, materials,geometry,spec,the only difference is the name and colour

its all bullshit,a great big scam

Pretty pointless contribution don't you think?

Avatar
Cheesyclimber replied to ScotchPoth | 10 years ago
0 likes
ScotchPoth wrote:

All modern road bikes are the same,identical manufacturers, materials,geometry,spec,the only difference is the name and colour

its all bullshit,a great big scam

You could say that about pretty much every commercial industry on the planet. Apart, maybe, from the hoover industry.

Avatar
Decster | 10 years ago
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Raleigh would do well to offer at least some of their bikes in the old classical colours.

the designs above are no diffrent from most other bland 'manufacturers'.

the Dennis Chopper is the only interesting bike, the rest is typical of tawainese carbon and alloys.

The USA raleighs are much more intersting and pretty on the eye.

Avatar
jezzzer | 10 years ago
0 likes

That red RX Team Cross looks mint.

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