On the first day of the Outdoor Demo, I got a nice long ride in on the Raleigh XXIX Pro, the limited edition steel hard tail. Here is my take on this green rig.
Raleigh has had the XXIX geared bike in the line for a few years now, but last year they introduced the “Pro” version. It isn’t just some marketing gimmick either. The XXIX Pro was truly set up with top shelf components throughout and was sold on a per order basis only. You had to have your orders in by November 1st to get one too, so these bikes are pretty rare. Now for 2010, Raleigh has brought the package back, with the same ordering details.
So, that’s the story behind the bike. The frame, which is steel, reflects Raleigh’s heritage as well as the type of steel used, Reynolds 853. From there though, tradition was thrown out the window. The spec on the Raleigh XXIX Pro is more like what you might find on other companies carbon hard tail race rockets. SRAM XX group, Mavic Cr29ssmax wheels, Easton carbon bar, and Avid Elixir brakes are all top of the range parts. The drive train even had the XX ten speed cassette, while other XX demo bikes still were running 9 speed gear. So, how does cutting edge components mix with a traditionally rooted frame material? I was anxious to find out.
The bike rode really just like you might expect. Steel, good steel at that, welded up right, is a great riding experience. The Raleigh was no exception. Feeling familiar sensations, I was left to just power the pedals and see how the bike handled and how the XX drive train worked.
The handling was not too quick, but was more neutral than some I have tried. The fork was doing its job well, and the Prowler SL tires were a great match for the terrain. I felt safe in letting it rip on the Raleigh, and it rewarded me with decent, stable handling. Climbing was great due to the 17.25″ stays and the XX drive trains low 36T gear which allowed me to pretty much stay in the big ring throughout the entire demo loop. I did shift into the little ring once and the front dérailleur snapped with authority. I was actually a bit surprised by it. Then shifting back out was a breeze, with the chain back on the big ring before I finished moving the lever! That’s the fastest shifting front dérailleur I’ve ever used.
I actually flatted on this run, but nothing any other bike wouldn’t have suffered. As I took my time repairing the tire, I was struck by how subtle the frame looks. It is almost ironic in a day where components of this stature are normally stuck on “billboard frames” that define XC racing these days. Raleigh has a conundrum of a bike here, but it is one I sure had a hoot riding. So, in the end, who is this bike for? My take is that if you enjoy a quality set of steel pipes and top tier gear, or if you are a racer that can’t buy into the prevailing carbon “soup du jour”, then this rig should have some appeal for you.
I’m glad you took the time to write this one up – such a great bike – but as you mentioned – not the carbon that is prevalent these days. Good comments on the XX and Prowler too – thanks!
I am interested in this bike. however the retail price might be a bit high for a HT
for a steel ht that is.
Great review . this is a long term bike . Do you know what this bike weights in at ? I like raleighs wide range of 29ers. Looks like different wheelset this year.
@Big Chris: Well, if the frame were carbon, and we tacked on an extra $800.00 to the price of the XXIX Pro, no one would bat an eyelash. This is what I meant in my write up when I said, “Raleigh has a conundrum of a bike” here. It won’t make sense to a lot of folks, but then, it wasn’t meant to.
@dan: I didn’t feel it was unusually heavy or light. It felt about like what I would have expected it to weigh. My guess is that it is 23-25lbs or so. Certainly a carbon frame would tip the scales at a lower weight, but as I said to BigChris, it isn’t really meant for those carbon lovin’ folks anyway.