My New Bike: Raleigh Tokul 3

Well, this guy hasn't lasted long. Wore out the drive train in a little over 2 years It would have cost me $800 to get everything replaced. So I just bought the 2019 version of the same bike. The tire size has been reduce a lot, more like a typical bike. I guess I wear out the chain quickly and then this wears everything else out. Well, I got a lot of spare parts now. The old guy had a pressurized front shocks. The new one has the old style. I never needed the pressurized air shock for what I do.

Guess where I bought this bike from. Amazon. The assembly was very easy. I would go the Amazon route again, there is no need of me buying a bike from a brick and morter  store.  


***Originally post on 1l/14/17


I know the bottom line Raleigh bike are more like Walmart Bike. I know these guys had quality issues in the past. All the parts are Chinese anyways and all the bike are made in one factory so they says.  I was thinking these guys were trying to recapture their reputation. I spend the majority of my time on the trails and a conservable amount of time on the roads. I am always out on my bike in the winter...love to ride my bike in light snow and when the trails are rock hard and puddles of ice. I am out on my rural woodsy roads as soon as the roads are cleared checking out the beautiful snowy landscape. They only thing that slows me in the winter is when the cold makes my shifter not work. I am out in the winter a considerable amount of time. Almost as much as the summer. This winter looks so delicious with my new bike. The big tires was what I was looking for this reason.

Had this guy for about a month. Cost about $1000. I like the upgraded  air shocks. I don't feel any difference in these bigger tires than a 29 tire on the road. It is a lot better stability on the trails. It smooth's out bumps a bit. So it a single derailleur in the front and 11 gears in the back. I was a little worried I didn't have enough gears and the full range. I kept wearing out the drive train on my other bike, I was hoping  it wouldn't be as bad with this setup. I am really happy now with gear simplification its range. The little plastic  window telling you what gear you are in, well, those are gone. Within a few months, I would break and lose the plastic window. You would have to buy a new shifter to fix this problem.

Right off the bat I discovered the highest (fastest) gear didn't go as fast as I was used too. I though this would be a problem. But I am a old man, what do I need speed for anyways. I have a lot of hills and mountains in my areas. I deal before I would try to go a fast as I felt comfortable. I'd take the biggest gear going up the hill as could. A lot of times now I am in the top gear. I never had that problem before. Going down hill I would pump a hard I could. Now on the big hills I end up free peddling a lot more. I was irked with this in the beginning. You know, you settle into what you have. Think up a different strategy with bike.  The poorer range of gears, in the highest gear going up a hill, I now just don't consume as much energy as I did before. I just relax going up the hill a bit more. Going down the big hill, I can only free peddle. So I set back on my bike coasting, regaining my breath and lowering my heartbeat. What the hell, I am a 64 year old man. On my long rides on the roads, I found a big surprise. I am no racer. In general, my endurance is way up. I am not so exhausted at the end of the trip. I don't see any differences in my times, maybe even quicker. I got a extra large bike also. I love it. Honestly, I like riding so much, I'd ride a piece of shit bike if I had too.

The only problem so far is a noisy peddle just showing up. I has to oil and tighten to nut just a tad.  

Again, I though I would burn a little more energy with the big tires. Actually the whole idea of bike riding for me was to burn energy as I got diabetes. The more friction the better it is for me medically. Certainly, I can't tell the difference between the 29 (2.2, 2.4) tires and these tires.