# I wanna upgrade my old Raleigh Peak. Could anyone help?



## ganjamun (Apr 5, 2006)

Hey all. As you can see here I have a Raleigh Peak I just cant seem to get rid of. It's a beauty and I can't just throw it away, so I'm thinking of upgrading it.

Would it be wise to replace it with some new Shimano Deore parts? Is Shimano still selling 7 speed cassettes for my bike? Since I'd like to get a new one if I were to keep the old XT.

I also wish to get a new suspension fork in black. I noticed that the steer tubes are thicker nowadays so most new forks wont fit into my Raleigh. Could anyone advice me on suspension forks that'll fit? That is an RST 460 if you're wondering.

And if anyone has the same bike as me, maybe you'd like to share some stories and pics 

Thanks alot for your help and time


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## danielhaden (Apr 6, 2006)

If that's your real seat post height, you're going to need some severe riser handlebars because that bike is too small for you. This is very inexpensive. You also need a stem with less forward extension. This is also very inexpensive. The current poor fit, in my opinion, is the reason that the chain is rusted up from not using it. 

New chain is needed. Fortunately, 7 speed chains cost very little. SRAM #57 would be very nice, but any 7 speed will work fine. 
If you do not wish to purchase a new chain right away, several liberal attacks with Singer Sewing Machine oil will fix the old chain. 

You can get a new Shimano Mega 11-28 rear cassette or freewheel in 7 speeds. They work great and are very inexpensive. 
Note: 11-34 is for mega-range derailers, and you don't need that one. Just get the 11-28--a perfect fit. 
If you replace the rear freewheel/cassette, you must have a new chain. This is not costly. 

Concentrated Simple Green can be used to clean the bike. 

Singer Sewing Machine oil can free up any rusted mechanicals without making a mess. The rear derailer might benefit from some of this. It can also be used on chains without the mess (Simple Green removes it in seconds if you get dirt in the chain). 

Automotive wheel polish can be used on the rims to fix them right up. 
That plus some furniture grade #0000 steel wool (not kitchen stuff!) can remove any of the rust and shine the spokes. It is silica based (competition auto aluminum wheel polish), so it then prevents rust. 

Trim the excess cable from that rear derailer so that it doesn't get caught in the works. Leave about an inch and a half. 

After the bike fits and is enjoyable again, decide on a new set of tires for your preferred trail. I mean, get some tires that are specific to your sport. This makes a lot of difference. I'd recommend Maxxis sport specific tires for anything offroad, or Schwalbe 26x2.0 Big Apple for urban adventure and pavement. 

Lastly, after you're really enjoying it, have the rims trued, and maybe try a few different saddles to see if you can enjoy it even more.

EDIT: There's no reason to use 24, 27, 30 speed stuff when you can get exactly the same range from the existing 7 (21) speed system--and the system you already have is more convenient than the newer systems. 

Basically, just make it fit so you can enjoy it


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