 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(February 2023) |
The Raleigh Bomber was a bicycle aimed at the boys/youth market which first appeared in 1981. [1] The Bomber had wide balloon tyres, a low slung frame and a sprung saddle with wide "cowhorn" style handlebars in the general style of a "cruiser" bicycle.
The Bomber was visually based on the American "clunkers", a homemade style of bicycle used on a Californian downhill course known as Repack during the late 1970s. These bicycles were fitted with wide tyres, wide motorcycle handlebars and a rear coaster (back pedal) brake. (The name Repack came from the need to repack the rear hub with grease after a downhill run). Many of the original riders of this course became the big early names in what became the genre of Mountain Bikes. [2] Meanwhile in the UK, another homemade genre known as the Tracker (or Cruiser) was popular. But owing to the lack of low slung frames and wide tyres, the UK bikes were adapted from old "sit up and beg" roadsters or road bikes. As a result, they had a less agricultural appearance, but were essentially of the same ilk. Indeed, this style of bicycle and rough, technically difficult, off road riding had been featured on television in England as early as 1961, when the Darlington "Bogwheelers" were interviewed by the BBC complete with their homemade bikes. [3] It is therefore perhaps surprising that Raleigh took as long as they did to consider making their own version of these bicycles for the UK market. The prototypes included the 1980 Cruiser, which had the basic Bomber frame that Raleigh had created from two of their old designs, the rear half of which was from an old Nigerian roadster. This prototype was fitted with the typically slim UK tyres but the eventual Raleigh Bomber was shod with huge 26 x 2 1/4" tyres, on virtually unheard of 559mm rims. [4] These wheels would soon become the standard for Mountain Bikes which would sweep Britain a few years later. However, Raleigh decided not to fit a rear coaster brake to the Bomber which was a popular American standard but a very rare fitment in the UK. Instead it had either a single speed or Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub. It was also fitted with the Chainset from the Grifter and other generic Raleigh items like brakes and pedals. The Bomber was successful enough to soon be accompanied by a Super Bomber version and later a 5 speed derailleur geared model. However, Raleigh discontinued the Bomber range in favour of the new Maverick Mountain Bike model in 1985.
The term road bicycle is used to describe bicycles which are used to ride on paved roads or hard surfaces on daily basis. Some sources use the term to mean racing bicycle. Other sources specifically exclude racing bicycles from the definition, using the term to mean a bicycle of a similar style but built more for endurance and less the fast bursts of speed desired in a racing bicycle; as such, they usually have more gear combinations and fewer hi-tech racing features. Certain of these bicycles have been referred to as 'sportive' bicycles to distinguish them from racing bicycles.
A tandem bicycle or twin is a form of bicycle designed to be ridden by more than one person. The term tandem refers to the seating arrangement, not the number of riders. Patents related to tandem bicycles date from the mid 1880s. Tandems can reach higher speeds than the same riders on single bicycles, and tandem bicycle racing exists. As with bicycles for single riders, there are many variations that have been developed over the years.
A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling. Mountain bikes share some similarities with other bicycles, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain, which makes them heavier, more complex and less efficient on smooth surfaces. These typically include a suspension fork, large knobby tires, more durable wheels, more powerful brakes, straight, extra wide handlebars to improve balance and comfort over rough terrain, and wide-ratio gearing optimised for topography and application. Rear suspension is ubiquitous in heavier-duty bikes and now common even in lighter bikes. Dropper posts can be installed to allow the rider to quickly adjust the seat height.
A bicycle brake reduces the speed of a bicycle or prevents it from moving. The three main types are: rim brakes, disc brakes, and drum brakes.
Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain, such as air or coil-sprung shocks used as suspension, larger and wider wheels and tires, stronger frame materials, and mechanically or hydraulically actuated disc brakes. Mountain biking can generally be broken down into five distinct categories: cross country, trail riding, all mountain, downhill, and freeride.
Gary Christopher Fisher is considered one of the inventors of the modern mountain bike.
Hybrid bicycles blend characteristics from more specialized road bikes, touring bikes and mountain bikes. The resulting "hybrid" is a general-purpose bike that can tolerate a wide range of riding conditions and applications. Their stability, comfort and ease of use make them popular with novice cyclists, casual riders, commuters, and children.
Vehicles that have two wheels and require balancing by the rider date back to the early 19th century. The first means of transport making use of two wheels arranged consecutively, and thus the archetype of the bicycle, was the German draisine dating back to 1817. The term bicycle was coined in France in the 1860s, and the descriptive title "penny farthing", used to describe an "ordinary bicycle", is a 19th-century term.
The Raleigh Chopper is a children's / young adults bicycle, a wheelie bike, manufactured and marketed from the 1960s to 2005 by the Raleigh Bicycle Company of Nottingham, England. Its unique design became a cultural icon and is fondly remembered by many who grew up in that period. The design was influenced by dragsters, "chopped" motorcycles, beach buggys, and even chariots, as can be seen on the centre page of the 1969 Raleigh US catalogue.The bicycle has featured in many movies and TV series including the Goonies, MK1 models produced from 1967 to 1973, MK2 models produced from 1973 to 1985 and MK3 models produced from 1996 to 2005
Downhill mountain biking (DH) is a style of mountain biking practiced on steep, rough terrain that often features jumps, drops, rock gardens and other obstacles. Jumps can be up to and including 12 meters, and drops can be greater than 3 meters.
A roadster bicycle is a type of utility bicycle once common worldwide, and still common in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and some parts of Europe. During the past few decades, traditionally styled roadster bicycles have regained popularity in the Western world, particularly as a lifestyle or fashion statement in an urban environment.
A cruiser bicycle, also known as a beach cruiser or (formerly) motobike, is a bicycle that usually combines balloon tires, an upright seating posture, a single-speed drivetrain, and straightforward steel construction with expressive styling. Cruisers are popular among casual bicyclists and vacationers because they are very stable and easy to ride, but their heavy weight and balloon tires tend to make them rather slow. Another common feature is their ability to be customized with accessories including fenders, lights and saddle bags. They are designed for use primarily on paved roads, low speeds/distances, and are included in the non-racing/non-touring class and heavyweight or middleweight styles of the road bicycle type.
The Raleigh Bicycle Company is a British bicycle manufacturer based in Nottingham, England and founded by Woodhead and Angois in 1885. Using Raleigh as their brand name, it is one of the oldest bicycle companies in the world. After being acquired by Frank Bowden in December 1888, it became The Raleigh Cycle Company, which was registered as a limited liability company in January 1889. By 1913, it was the largest bicycle manufacturing company in the world. From 1921 to 1935, Raleigh also produced motorcycles and three-wheel cars, leading to the formation of Reliant Motors. Raleigh bicycle is now a division of the Dutch corporation Accell.
A bicycle handlebar is the steering control for bicycles. It is the equivalent of a tiller for vehicles and vessels, as it is most often directly mechanically linked to a pivoting front wheel via a stem which in turn attaches it to the fork. Besides steering, handlebars also often support a portion of the rider's weight, depending on their riding position, and provide a convenient mounting place for brake levers, shift levers, cyclocomputers, bells, etc.
The Raleigh "Twenty" or "Shopper" was a small-wheeled bicycle made by Raleigh from 1968 until the early 1980s. It was Raleigh's answer to the Dawes Kingpin, which had been on the market since 1964. The Twenty was made in both folding and "fixed" versions.
A wheelie bike, also called a dragster, muscle bike, high-riser, spyder bike or banana bike, is a type of stylized children's bicycle designed in the 1960s to resemble a chopper motorcycle and characterized by ape hanger handlebars, a banana seat with sissy bar, and small wheels. Notable examples include the Schwinn Sting-Ray and Krate lines and the Raleigh Chopper line. Other notable manufacturers and retailers that offered models include AMF, CCM, Columbia, Huffy, Iverson, J. C. Penney, Malvern Star, Monark, Murray, Ross, Sears, and Vindec.
Mountain bike trials, also known as observed trials, is a discipline of mountain biking in which the rider attempts to pass through an obstacle course without setting foot to ground. Derived from motorcycle trials, it originated in Catalonia, Spain as trialsín and is said to have been invented by Pere Pi, the father of Ot Pi, a world champion motorcycle trials rider. Pi's father had wanted his son to learn motorcycle trials by practicing on an ordinary bicycle.
The Bootie Folding Cycle, or 'Bootie', is a rare folding bicycle produced in West Yorkshire UK from 1965 to 1973.