Raleigh Bikes RXS Single Speed Cyclocross Bike

i've been out of the sport for a while; disk brakes and threadless headsets are new to me. this bike rides comfortably and seems to be spec'ed fairly for the price point. my only surprise was the front wheel toe overlap is pretty severe for a 54 cm size. i probably won't be taking this off the pavement frequently, so I'll need a larger gear.

This bike is sweet. The gearing was a bit low so I swapped the 19t for a 17t and now it is much faster, nimble and I get compliments on it all day. The peddles were basically throw aways so I put some new ones on it. I’m thinking I might get a second one for my wife.

I bought a 54cm .. I usually ride a 56cm for road, but since this had the taller tires, went for 54cm. Fits me very good. I did swap out the stem for a 15mm longer one I had laying around. Swapped out the uncomfortable saddle also for one I already had. Swapped pedals with Shimano Deore XT SPD ones, I also have on my road bikes. The frame is nice quality, quality parts for the price, and the hydraulic disk brakes are great! Bike arrived intact, undamaged, and was easy to assemble. The 19t cog is too small gearing for me, will swap to smaller cog, but not sure how I will do the chain tension … any ideas? Why I only gave 3 stars is because of what a previous reviewer mentioned; the toe/foot overlap with the front wheel is horrendous … that is poor design especially on a cross-type bike .. Raleigh, what were you thinking there?

I have raced this bike (hard) at nine cyclocross venues (so far); this includes two foul weather events and two venues with significant sand sections (hello Pacific Northwest). I typically ride one or two races at each venue. I have had no mechanical failures on the course (so far). It rides well, stops well, and is light enough to carry up a muddy scrabble (I don’t do that well).I ride the bike nearly stock (as shipped); however, I did set-up the tires tubeless (which went very well – thank you). I also swapped the pedals. Apart from that, and some well placed sponsors’ stickers, the bike is stock.I left the 40t x 19t gears alone (2.11 gear ratio). I ride this bike on flat courses, hilly courses, muddy courses, sandy courses, and ridiculous courses. I do not regret the single-speed setup. I have raced it in both geared and single-speed categories successfully.This week, I replaced the bottom bracket. After nine cyclocross venues and several training rides, it was ready for a well earned retirement. I am a heavier cyclist, and I found that I needed to adjust the chain tension after about 3-4 long hilly rides. I recommend buying a decent spanner tool to make adjustments easier. Simply loosen the hex-bolt; gently tap it with a hammer to loosen the assembly; use your new spanner tool to rotate (and center) the bottom bracket; then tighten the hex bolt. I recommend taking it to a local bike shop for the first adjustment. Ask to watch then order the tools they use so that you can do it at home yourself. There is great debate regarding whether the bottom bracket needs to be lubricated. Buy your bike mechanic a beer/coffee and ask them their opinion (clear your afternoon).While the bottom bracket was replaced, my local shop also doctored all of the other moving parts. Hubs, free-hub body, head-set, and break assemblies were all overhauled. Interestingly, this bikes has two separate break-pad sizes (front and back). The shop had to special order some pads for me. I hope they arrive before the weekend. When the bike arrives, have your local bike shop see the bike and have them order you some extra pads before you wear them out (which will happen after riding them through sandy-muddy-ridiculous quagmires).In summary, this is the right bike for you if you are not concerned about whether it is made with spacecraft carbon and you aim to wear out the stock parts within one season (which happens to the expensive parts too – in-case you were wondering).Post Script: Yes. I hit my toes with the front tire while riding. That is what riding a real cyclocross bike feels like. Buy a slack mountain bike or cruiser if this is your biggest concern. Or better yet, learn to coordinate your pedaling and steering.