Cruising Twitter netted this pic posted by Raleigh’s marketing head honch, Brian Fornes. We were tipped off at Interbike that Raleigh would be doing a limited run of 853 Reynolds steel single speeds and this apparently is the final version of the frame. How many, when, and how much are all questions we don’t have answers to yet, but we do know the frame is the same geometry that the XXIX has been built with all along. (Differences have been effected by changing axle to crown lengths on the rigid forks over the years, but frame angles remained unchanged)
When we find out more, we’ll post some updates. Until then, we’ll have to just enjoy this picture………..
One of the guys at the shop got one of the XXiX Pro geared framesets the other day. We were very surprised at the 5.5lb weight for the medium. While I don’t doubt the ride of the frame, I really question how a 853 main frame bike is 5.5lbs without an eccentric or something of that nature. The actual construction of the bike looks good and the shaping of the seatstays look excellent, but the Karate Monkey weight is curious.
I hope that it’s not really 5.5lbs (med.). That would be a waste of tubing. You can build a 4130 frame lighter than that.
I have a medium xxix pro. frame weight came out to 5 lbs 2 oz. not a lightweight, but not a turd either. I was disappointed with the weight considering the niners are over half a lb lighter. Overall build ended up weighing 28 lbs with heavy wheels. should be 26.5 lbs with my new wheels and tubeless.
my only real complaint is the deraileur hanger. its made of aluminum foil! it bends just from bouncing up and down on the trail. Im currently looking into a steel replacement or a permanently affixed steel hanger.