The Raleigh Burner Journey - Old School BMX

My personal journey of how and why I acquired three Old School Raleigh Burner BMX.
I've been asked a lot of questions about these over the last few months so I thought I would talk my way through the whole rambling process from finding the first one at a recycling centre to building my dream rider.
It's been a lot of fun.
See more of Chase The Rainbow here:
chasetherainbow.co.uk/
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[@iskillcorn1]

I had the yellow burner for Christmas in the 80’s and to this day it’s still my favourite ever Christmas present 🎁 😍

[@chasetherainbow]

The Mk1 Tuff Burner is still the most iconic one. It’s the one everyone recognises. That must’ve been a great Christmas 😊

[@mikaelreveillon389]

I also got my Super Burner MK1 for Christmas. I still have in mind this beautifull day.

[@Spohcsom]

Great video. Its true, the rich kids had the chrome bikes. I had a yellow and blue MK1 Tuff Burner. The best day of my life was getting that bike on my birthday as a surprise. Even the Raleigh dealer played along with the surprise. In the shop car park trying to bunny hop, I felt so rad to be part of the emerging scene. True, it was heavy but it took one hell of a beating and never ever let me down.

[@chasetherainbow]

Thank you ☺️ It’s amazing how iconic the Burner still is to our generation, and how many of them have survived to this day. Nostalgia is a wonderful thing.

[@roywilson4514]

Nothing beats the OG Burner. I had the Chrome Burner then the Super Tuff Burner as a kid

[@chasetherainbow]

You know 👍😊

[@tuxedo1467]

My mom threw away my PK Ripper when I went to uni...it had a bent back wheel and no brakes...I could cry now...all my mates had one burner or another...still got scars on my thumbs from those mushroom grips! Awesome bids...keep me coming. 👏

[@chasetherainbow]

Thank you, and thanks for commenting 👍 I always wanted a PK Ripper. If only your mum knew how much they were going to worth; they’re expensive these days.

[@gileswalker7]

Love your videos and your passion for Bmx

[@chasetherainbow]

Thank you 😊 I love building up and riding these old bikes.

[@Artoz13]

In Indonesia, there are so many BMX Raleigh Burner and other old school BMX bikes

[@chasetherainbow]

Maybe it’s time for me to visit Indonesia again? 😍

[@techjunkie68smusicandtech56]

I was lucky to have owned a Raleigh Aero Pro, that along with an TNT BMX were my favourite BMX bikes, and the best ones I have had in the mid 90's. My very first BMX in '81 was a cheap BMX similar to a MK1 Burner with a loop tail, shitty geometry too, but at the time I spent quite a bit of money upgrading it before I stopped racing and selling in 1983 or so.

[@chasetherainbow]

Everyone loves the classic looptail styling of the Mk1’s, but they were crap 😂

[@BURP39R]

I remember original Allan's on Mesnes St in Wigan. I am indeed old.

[@ransomedavis2208]

i had a skyway chrome frame wirh white sky magwheels, and i was featured in a bmx mag back in 84 doing tricks,.

[@chasetherainbow]

Nice 👌 I’ll bet that was dead exciting. I could barely jump over two mates using a plank of wood and a breeze block let alone get featured in the mags 😂 That’s a great memory

[@ransomedavis2208]

@@chasetherainbow it was great though today i couldnt bunny hop without doing myself an injury lol i hate getting old,

[@09berniemoore]

Lovin the V bars

[@chasetherainbow]

They’re definitely the coolest 😁

[@jaseman]

I have just done a custom restore/build based on a Mag Burner. I posted it in the Raleigh Burner Facebook group but I was getting so many negative comments I removed it again. Even the moderators were extremely unfriendly. I don't know if you've experienced this kind of negativity. Anyway to hell with them - I love my burner. After putting some miles on it - the main negative comments I have are - the seat is very uncomfortable. Also after two or three turns of the pedals - I am unable to pedal fast enough - especially as my knees have to come up a long way (Basically the bike is too small or the seat not high enough, so I have to wait until I slow down and then do another couple of pedal turns - It means I can't get up to a decent speed, unless I find a nice hill to go down. I also attempted to ride up a very steep hill on it - I almost had a heart attack and also the handle bars were moving as I pulled on them. The bolts are done up tight and I've even wrapped some cut up tin cans around the area where the bars are bolted - which does help a little. I have to switch between standing on the pedals and sitting in order to tolerate the seat. It's not a practical bike when you compare it to a modern mountain bike but it's really about the super-cool looks and nostalgia rather than being a sensible mode of transport. I found that to enjoy it I need to just not be in a hurry to get where I'm going and do a lot of freewheeling. It's almost the case that riding as slowly as possible is preferable.

[@chasetherainbow]

Hi Jason, thanks for commenting. I don't tend to get too involved with the Facebook groups (it's a lesson I learned from forums a long time ago :D). I'm a member on quite a few of them and I often give a "like" to a nice build and occasionally offer some advice if I think I can help someone. I have posted pictures of some of my builds on them from time to time and the reactions can be very mixed - some people just don't like custom builds and think that every one should be a faithful factory restoration. Don't be disheartened by the purists. Personally, I love to see custom builds; I find them much more interesting than yet another Tuff Burner (I love Tuff's but I think more of them actually exist these days than Raleigh ever actually made or sold - so many standard Burners have been Tuff'd up). Saying that, I've just finished a faithful restoration of a Mk2 Night Burner. I'm also a member on a number of other BMX groups and some of those are much worse - they can be savage :D BMX seats are uncomfortable, full stop; they were never designed for long rides - about 5 miles is my limit on a BMX (and I ride hundreds of miles on MTB). With regards to the gearing - the ratios were always meant for racing on short tracks so they're not that suitable for actually riding about. I pedal like mad until I spin out. then coast along until I slow down, then pedal like mad again - it's all you can do. Thankfully I spend a bit of time riding singlespeed MTB so the hills on a BMX aren't too troublesome - I just get out the saddle and find a steady rhythm; sometimes the hills are just too steep and you have to get off and push. They are really only suitable for race tracks, pump tracks, and skate parks. Carbon paste might help with the slipping bars, otherwise you'll probably need a new stem or some bars with better knurling. You've nailed it though with your comment - it's all about the nostalgia - we can cruise about looking cool as f*ck and reliving our wasted youth. I love it.

[@jaseman]

@@chasetherainbow Thanks for your reply - very much appreciated. When I was growing up I asked my parents for a Raleigh Chopper and I got that for Christmas - and that was right before the BMX craze began. When I asked for a BMX they told me - you only just had a new bike - so I missed out from owning one in the 80s. It's only now... 40 years later that I finally own one. For me it's such a symbolic icon of the 80s. I remember seeing 'freestylers' on TV - riding the half pipes... coming down the ramps backwards and spinning the bikes around. The mag wheels, the bright colours and the whole thing was just so.... RAD! :-)) I can't do any of the tricks... but I expect as a lot of people did - we just dreamt that maybe one day we will be the greatest BMXer in the world! At age 49 I am certain this will never happen - but I'm still loving owning my burner.

[@liquidchris5215]

my supervisor picked a burner up during lockdown to do up, gotta ask him to bring some pics in

[@cxa24]

Jane Beau. So clever, man

[@chasetherainbow]

Thank you ☺️

[@thejoyoftaping8205]

Class job bud, nice trio of Burners. I got myself an 84 chrome Burner recently, bought a spider and 44t chainring for it, (waiting on bolts arriving). I have done a test fit and the teeth of the chainring just clears the frame by 1mm, I'm thinking that's a bit close, but I've heard, " a gap's as good as a mile". Maybe 44t is too much for a Burner. I tried a 2mm shim washer between spider and cone nut but that left me with no thread on the other side of the crank for the nut. I'm thinking, maybe make some shims to pack between the spider and chainring? Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

[@chasetherainbow]

Hey dude, thanks for commenting. 44t is/was a common size for most Burners but you can step down lower. (I actually run 40t) - I think the 44t was preferable back in the day for racing. 40t is plenty for cruising about. If you got a gap it will be fine, you shouldn’t need to add spacers really. I hope that helps 👍

[@thejoyoftaping8205]

@@chasetherainbow Cheers bud, yes that helps, good info to have. I had read that the Burners came with 44t, so when I won the bike in the auction I ordered a 44t chainring, then when the bike arrived I seen that it's fitted with 40t. I've returned the 44t and ordered a 40t. I'm glad I did as I'll just be cruising about, and it's a nice ratio for wheelies. Almost finished customising it, can't wait to get out on it.

[@carlt4ct]

Hi mate,great videos,great passion,I have a t3 frame and want to put a 3 piece crank on it,what crank is o the chrome burner

[@chasetherainbow]

Hi Carl, thanks for the nice comments, I’m glad you’re enjoying them. It’s a Haro Lineage Group1 Crank (from Alan’s BMX). You will also need to buy a sealed American Bottom Bracket, and a “Top Hat Washer” adapter for the chainring (23.8-19.00mm) - I bought all of my bits from Alan’s BMX at Wigan. I hope that helps. Enjoy your build mate 👍

[@carlt4ct]

@Chase The Rainbow that's great,cheers for that,I'm the wrong side of 40 but loving the burner era,brings back childhood memories 👌

[@xfoolsgoldx]

I had the red version with yellow tyres. Always wanted a mongoose as a kid👍

[@chasetherainbow]

Mongoose California 😍

[@ransomedavis2208]

@@chasetherainbow mongoose and skyway were the bizznizz back then

[@jamskof]

oh matey.. goosepimples watching this, stunning!!!! can i ask your height and weight? im trying to imagine myself on one now lol.. im 6ft these days and wonder if its even possible riding it!

[@chasetherainbow]

I love this comment, what a great reaction 👊 I’m only a little fella - 168cm/70kg (5’6”) so I’m basically the same size as a child 😂 I see plenty of taller riders on BMX though. A layback seatpost and some modern high-rise bars will help with fit (some 10” rise/29” wide bars would probably do the job). The original Raleigh bars are too skinny and have too much back sweep; back in the day many people switched out the bars for better ones anyway. As a taller rider your best bet would be a Mk2 - they improved the geometry from the Mk1 (which was pretty rubbish) - the Cromo Burner and the Aero Pro Burner have the best geometry and are still nice to ride about on. Thanks for the comment, love it 😊

[@jamskof]

@@chasetherainbow cannot thank you enough for your response, so much helpful info i never would have known. thanks again matey, my wifes gonna go nuts, ive already got an extensive skateboard collection rebuilding my old setups from the late eighties and nineties, now its time to rebuild the burner i had! all the best!! :)

[@TheJohnnyjean]

How much do you think an original used Raleigh super burner cost second hand today ?

[@realliveradio447]

I had the MK 2 Ultra Burner (Black & Gold).

[@chasetherainbow]

You must have been one of the posh kids lol 😂

[@asifsheikh8756]

Neil is it worth me buying in todays climate I've seen a gold 1 25th anniversary in gold guys asking £700

[@chasetherainbow]

It’s actually a pretty good time to buy with prices now being more realistic after the covid boom, however, that’s way too much for a 25th anniversary model - you’ll get one for £500 or less. Personally I’m not a fan of the anniversary models; you can buy an original Burner (not a Super Tuff) for less than £500, it largely depends on what you are after. Mk1’s look cool but ride terribly, Mk2’s ride much better (I prefer Mk2’s).

[@aeropro7558]

Don't touch those Cambodian built 'burners'. These are absolute crap. As an avid burner collector I made the mistake of buying one.... disaster

[@chucho-co1yy]

I have a raleigh that I have no info on it And can't find any info on it, it's chrome and it's got raleigh stamped on it I haven't seen any videos of the bike let me know if you have any info? Please thank you

[@chasetherainbow]

@@chucho-co1yy Hi. Is it a BMX? Do you have a photograph of it? Where are you based? Cheers Neil

[@chucho-co1yy]

@chasetherainbow yes its a bmx

[@chucho-co1yy]

@@chasetherainbow California

[@chucho-co1yy]

@@chasetherainbow Do you have an email I can send the pictures to?

[@candyshop1855]

Thailand 🇹🇭 Like you👍🏻

[@chasetherainbow]

Thank you 🙏

[@forresg500]

I had raleigh burner bmw Blue yellow Mags and pads

[@chasetherainbow]

Nice 😊 They’re the iconic one that everyone remembers (and almost everybody still wants).

[@daveslave7858]

Had the 2nd in red and yellow

[@chasetherainbow]

I’ve got one of those too now 😂 it’s becoming a problem.

[@daveslave7858]

@@chasetherainbow Awesome.Ive got a replica white and blue skyway coming this week .I cant wait.😀

[@Kit_Bear]

That Mag Burner with the Skyways just looks wrong. Just get a Tuff.

[@chasetherainbow]

It’s not a Mag Burner, it’s a standard Burner with Skyways 😂

[@Kit_Bear]

@@chasetherainbow That red, yellow and orange sticker on the seatpost downtube means it's a Mag Burner. Which burner did it used to be?

[@chasetherainbow]

@@Kit_Bear I probably bought the wrong decals then 😂 oops

[@deanbracken78]

Lay of the coke mate

[@chasetherainbow]

Toot toot 📯

[@peterolley7159]

Lol I thought he had a cheeky line

[@chasetherainbow]

@@peterolley7159 lol, my days of artificial stimulation are a long way behind me :D I just get high off bikes these days.

[@peterolley7159]

@@chasetherainbow if that’s true then maximum respect to you brother because giving up a drug and swapping it for fun and excitement excitement. Isn’t easy