Raleigh Ghost 17" with 26" Wheel

Lawdie

Hi all,

I'm looking for specific advice about the Raleigh Ghost 17" ladies bike please as I can't find any info on it. Does anyone know anything about it, durability, suitability, value for money etc (priced at €249)? It's for a girl who is 5' 1". Will mainly be used for getting to and from school along with lots of social cycling. She is a really keen cyclist and I want her to get a good bike.

Thanks Lawdie

SubLuminal

http://www.raleighbikes.com/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=1588

Havent even seen a picture of the bike but I'd say if you're buying a mountain bike for road use you're going wrong already.

Mountain bike: For use on mountains.

Road bike: for use on road.

I'm only being slightly glib, there are important differences, tyre types and sizes, position, weight..

Those big mountain bike tyres do not roll well on roads, their knobbly tyres make for poor rolling resistance, infact they're designed to work a totally different way.

For 249 I reckon you could defo do better, I'd say go second hand tbh, there are often good bikes going on here that'd do her much better than a new raleigh mtb.

for example, this is likely the wrong size, but it went for €75 in the end - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055867818

Just my two cents though..

Lawdie

SubLuminal, thank you for the reply
The bike in question is

http://www.eurocycles.ie/app_user_files/image/products/original/96ad_ghost3.jpg

The girl is 9 so aesthetics are another factor. And she like riding the store bike. Coming from a Halfords bike its seems lighter and better quality.

I've searched for sites on bike reviews, but there few and pretty poor quality.

Raleighs own website is pathetic! I've talked to her about rothar.ie but she wants an new bike with her communion money...

If you or anyone else can make a suggestion I would be grateful.

SubLuminal

I volunteer at Rothar.ie actually- there's a really really lovely peugot frame in there at the moment that might be the right size for her. Its small, kids size - normally we wouldnt have kept it so long, space is a major problem in the shop to be honest, but we've kept it because nobody wants to get rid of it, its too nice. We're saving it. It'd be a dammnnn sight better than the raleigh by all conventional wisdom/rationale. However! This is all moot when faced with the logic of a 9 year old girl

At the end of the day, If she wants that bike, and that bike'll make her happy, and she'll enjoy riding it, then thats about the only consideration really - Raleigh are a good enough brand so you don't have to worry about quality like those chinese supermarket bikes - i.e. the wheels arent going to fall off, and the brakes will work.. so yeah, if she likes it, go for it. I didn't realise when posting before that its was for a kid.

Get her somethings safe and fun she'll enjoy riding, and when she's older she'll care about all the other things I was thinking about. In the meantime safe and fun are about all there is to worry about! :pac:

Lawdie

Sounds good SubLuminal thanks, we will bring her over, shes pretty sensible and will listen to your advice, are you open this Saturday 3rd?