1996 Raleigh M30
In the summer of 1996, I acquired my first mountain bike—a robust 1996 Raleigh M30, equipped with reliable Shimano Altus C90 components and purchased for $259.99 plus $20.14 tax at Cardinal Bicycle Shop on 1555 El Camino Real in Palo Alto, California. This 20″ bike, sporting a creatively named H-Blue-O Khrome Doppler color, quickly earned the affectionate nickname “The Tank” due to its substantial 33-pound weight, including accessories like a rear rack.
Throughout that summer, it served dutifully for my daily commute between Palo Alto and Berkeley during an engineering job between my junior and senior years at Stanford University. The Shimano Rapid Fire shifters proved both quick and precise, and apart from a couple of spare tubes, the bike required minimal replacement parts over the course of 3000 miles.
A proud downtube sticker proclaimed its origin, stating that the bike was “Made in USA of US and foreign components.” This trusty companion continued to shuttle me to classes the following academic year, faithfully parked outside Wilbur Hall.
Over the following years, the bike found itself housed in different locations: at my cousin’s residence in the East Bay, with my friend Adam in the South Bay, and later at my parents’ home in Stockton. Remarkably, it still shifts and rolls seamlessly, with no need for component replacements. This enduring machine seems almost eager for an epic adventure. Meanwhile, it patiently awaits its next commuter duty in standby mode.
Specs
| Item | Component | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Frame | TIG-welded | chromoly seat tube/hi-tensile steel, oversized and ovalized |
| Fork | Raleigh | hi-tensile steel, unicrown |
| Rims | Weinmann 519 | 26×1.50/559, silver, Made in USA |
| Front hub | unknown | |
| Rear hub | unknown | |
| Spokes | Chung Nan | 36 spokes, stainless steel, 2.0 mm straight gauge |
| Spoke nipples | brass | |
| Tires | Duro Diamond Grip | 26×2.00, nylon, inflate to 45 PSI |
| Crank | Tracer triple | 38/32/24T |
| Chain | KMC UG-50 | 1/2 x 3/32″ |
| Freewheel | Shimano Altus 7-speed | 11-28 cassette |
| Bottom Bracket | Victor VPBVC-90P | 116 mm spindle; 66 mm English BB shell |
| Front Derailleur | Shimano Altus | top-swing, bottom-pull/bottom bracket mount |
| Rear Derailleur | Shimano Altus | |
| Shifters/Brake Levers | Shimano Altus EZ Fire | |
| Handlebars | Live Chin LCH-685S | flat |
| Stem | Live Chin LCS-739N | |
| Headset | Victor VP-H67 | 1″ |
| Front Brake | Shimano Altus | cantilever |
| Rear Brake | Shimano Altus | cantilever |
| Seat Post | Hsin Lung SP-200 | 26.0 mm diameter, black |
| Saddle | Selle Stratos | Hypersoft |
| Handlebar tape | black foam grips | |
| Pedals | Wellgo LU-943 | rat cage |
| Total Weight | >30 pounds | >13.6 kg |
Before I paid for and took possession of the bike, I asked the bike shop to swap the stock stem for a lower and longer one, a request they fulfilled without hesitation. The bicycle also included a silver kickstand and reflectors.
I promply added the following accessories:
- blue PowerGrips to the pedals
- black bar-end extensions (probably from Target or Performance) to the handlebars
- black rear rack (probably from Target or Performance) + bungee cords
- blue water bottle cages
- Performance U-Lock
Catalog Page
From the 1996 Raleigh USA bicycle catalog:
Apparently, the bicycle was also available in a blue-to-red fade called Patriot Doppler.
More info about the bike can be found on BikePedia, knowyourbike.com and yobicycle.com.
