mikesellers

Could i ask for the knowledgeable folks here's opinions on he Raleigh Portage as a serious touring bike? I picked up a 58cm one last year in excellent condition. Also do you feel my 6'1" 230 pd frame will be too much for it on long hauls? Thanks,Mike S.

mnmkpedals 

You'll find a small, but really dedicated bunch who are fans of the Portage. It is/was 650b (which you know since you've got it) and in higher demand because of that. I have its little brother in the touring line-- Raleigh Alyeska (not 650b)-- and I adore it as a full on tourer, which I've used at 180lbs with a good 30lbs of gear to no issue. The Portages I have seen come up in the market place command a premium, and I am always on the lookout for a 58 myself with no luck. I suppose others can weigh in on the weight issue, but I don't see why that would be an issue. Maybe some would depend on how much you pack and the wheels, but frame wise I imagine you are fine.

dailycommute

You can probably make it work but your size is pushing a 58cm frame for long rides and comfort. May have to experiment with extended stem or seatpost if it feel too cramped. Do you have any other classic geometry bikes to compare to? For reference I ride 58-61cm ctt classic steel and have a 23in/58.5cm 80s tourer (6, 190). Ideally I would have a 59.5 or 60 but much depends on increments offered per year, per model and most 80s bikes went 23in to 25in on tourer sizing. And please show a few pictures, thanks!

thumpism 

I was given a Portage in that size years ago in near perfect condition and I was 6'1" at the time. I had too many bikes and no more space so I passed it along to a friend. I'd like to have it back. The bike was built as a touring machine and there is some adjusting you can do to the fit by swapping stems and/or seatposts, as others have suggested. You may also find the handlebars to be too narrow for comfort.

Wildwood 

I'm 6'1" and about 195 now. I ride a larger frame but with the availability of setback seatposts and longer stems, it would be easy to make a 58cm work, unless the top tube on your model is 'short' - say less than 57cm.

Wheels (already mentioned)
Really good tires

Chainstay length & heel clearance? (sorry, don't know the model specifics).
Travel light and you should be fine.

Inspect the frame & components closely more often. Tighten things before they get loose. Lube.

Centaurious

If you can get the bike to fit you it will carry you to the ends of the earth. I wouldn't load it with more than 50 to 75 pounds of gear on strong racks at your weight. These Raleighs are tanks and unless you beat them to death with potholes they just keep rolling. The hubs were equipped with rubber seals and so was the crank so that reduced the maintenance on tours. I typically only adjusted the brakes and cleaned the chain on tours.

My Kodiak has 1 fewer bottle holders and didn't come with a front rack from the factory. The 27" inch wheels are the biggest difference between them. I decided on my Kodiak because the shop didn't have a Portage in my size and I could get 27" tires anywhere, I also liked the midnight blue better.

mnmkpedals 

I'm not sure if they fit with 650 wheels (mine takes 27" also-- 40/36), but my Alyeska is rigged with Jandd Expedition front and rear racks and it can haul quite a lot, though I try to keep it low. I agree, these are great tourers.

thumpism 

When I was working at a Raleigh dealer in Seattle many years ago a young Alaska fellow came in and bought the Portage we had on the floor. He was going to ride across the country on it and chose it because he lived near the Portage Glacier. I advised him about the relative rarity of 650B tires and insisted he buy at least one spare. Never heard from him and I hope he enjoyed his trip.

mikesellers

Hi again.Quick question on the frame sizing. I measured from the center of the crank to the top of the seat tube(which i believe is how frame size is measured) and it is actually a 23.5 inch frame so wouldn't it actually,doing the metric conversion be a 59.69cm frame as opposed to a 58? They were only made in 3 sizes(i think) so the 58cm designation may have just been a quick convenience factor or i may be totally in error. Mike

non-fixie 

Italians, amongst others, measure their frames center-to-center, which could well be 58 cm in your case.

mikesellers

Would that scenario apply in the case of a Raleigh(they had these frames built in a Pac Rim country,Albeit lugged and quality) ? Please excuse my ignorance. Mike

mnmkpedals 

You are right on the three sizes-- plus they used american inches on their model sizing. There are a ton of links to Raleigh catalogues from that era, but here's one straight to Portage specs from 85.

1985 Raleigh Portage Specifications

I have the 85 Alyeska and also in what they call a 23". I am 6' and is the right size for me. If you have what they call the 23" then like others have said, I would guess you can spec it out to fit you. Depending on leg length and comfort on a taller bike, I would think the 25" would work as well. I have short inseam so I generally go 23"/58, sometimes 60cm.

Also, I echo above request: I'd love to see a picture! If for no other reason, just to feel some envy on my end!

non-fixie 

I'm not sure what Raleigh did. I seem to remember that I measured one of my Raleighs at 63 cm C-T a few years ago, where the brochure said that particular model came in 62 and 64 cm.

Anyway, the most important question is whether the bike is the right size for you.

mikesellers

Thanks for your kindness and understanding.You are correct in that the 58 is the size i need. At somewhere between 6' and 6'1"(just had my Daughter measure my height and apparently my advancing age and Degenerative Disk Disease) i have a quite short inseam(32in) and that is easily remedied by handlebar stems and seat posts. I will post pics tomorrow when i can get some outside pics.Its dark and stormy here in the Southeast tonight. Mike

mikesellers

Thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings !! Mike