Raleigh Mustang Sport

The Raleigh Mustang Sport is a decent all-rounder that will do nicely for the commute and can also take on off-road forays if you're looking to get into gravel/adventure riding. It's not too heavy, looks cool, and while some of the cheaper components might be underwhelming, with its relaxed geometry it's a fairly comfortable and capable bike for the money.

• Pros: Comfortable geometry, tubeless-ready wheels, affordable
• Cons: Cheap components, more mellow ride than previous iteration, price has jumped up from last year

While many an old flat-bar Raleigh Mustang from decades gone by sits gathering dust in sheds all over the land as I type this, the most recent iterations have seen the classic 80s beater reinvented as an 'adventure' bike, a sort of hybrid with drop bars if you will. Last year's Mustang Elite was well received by Dave Arthur, so I was keen to see if the latest version in its entry-level spec would give me the 'do everything' ride it promised.

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It's seen a couple of changes from last year's model, with the main aesthetic differences being a flattened top tube as opposed to curved, and dropped seatstays. The previous iteration looked a bit racy, but the dropped stays should in theory give it that bit of extra shock absorption at the rear, and the thicker, flatter top tube just gives an overall impression of a comfortable, leisurely ride.

The geometry reflects this, with a 71-degree head angle (on the medium size bike) to give a slacker front end than a road bike, a 75mm bottom bracket drop and 73-degree seat angle. The effective top tube on my medium test bike is 56cm, a little longer than many bikes described as a medium, but the stem is on the shorter side at 90mm to balance things out and keep the reach to the handlebar down.

On test is the entry-level Sport model, and while the Comp (£1,100) and Elite (£1,500) versions of the Mustang spec SRAM 1x systems, the Sport is equipped with FSA's Tempo 46/30 'sub-compact' double chainset. Paired with an 11-32 cassette and Shimano Claris 8-speed shifters, this gives you plenty of low gears to tackle climbs.

You might fear that the extra weight of a gravel-themed bike might cancel out the easier gearing but there's nothing really to fear here, as we weighed the Sport at 11.38kg (Raleigh puts the approximate weight at 11.5kg on its website). The frame is made with double-butted 6061 aluminium, paired with a full-carbon fork.

Aesthetically, the area where the head tube, top tube and down tube meet looks untidily welded, as do the joins around the bottom bracket area. I like the artwork on the fork, seatstays and chainstays, and the glossy silver paintwork is otherwise okay to look at, but the finish around the joins could be tidier and smoother. The frame has two sets of bottle bosses and mudguard mounts front and rear, and cables are internally routed.

The ride

I did the full works of commuting, towpath and off-road forays, plus even a group ride or two to see if the Mustang could stick with some roadies during my test period (it just about did, FYI). For the commute – 18 miles each way and a mix of tarmac and muddy cyclepath – things were pretty much as I expected: a couple of minutes slower than my winter road bike, but in return it tackled the rough sections more smoothly thanks to the 36mm tyres, and the mellow geometry left me feeling comfortable.

If you want to ramp things up, the Mustang does show a few weaknesses. The wheels, courtesy of OEM brand XLC, have quick releases, which doesn't quite give you the same stiffness as thru-axles, and also means disc brake rub is more likely if they're not lined up precisely. The disc brakes themselves, mechanical Promax DSK330s with 160mm rotors, are pretty good, though. They provide plenty of stopping power and are easy to tweak via the barrel adjusters. I also felt a bit of flexibility through the bottom bracket area when I really hammered the bike on tough climbs – the cheap cartridge system bottom bracket isn't especially robust.

That said, at steady speeds the Mustang is just a nice easy ride. One big plus is that the wheelset is tubeless-ready, so if you're planning on taking the bike off-road more than on it, and want more peace of mind with regards to puncture protection, you do have the option to run tubeless. The tyres it comes with aren't tubeless-ready though, so you'll have to buy additional ones.

The bike generally handles pretty well, offering responsive steering and the alloy handlebar felt nice and plush both on the drops and tops.

The saddle is Raleigh's own C1. It's not really a leisure saddle as such, but it's certainly not a road racing perch, with pretty deep padding that will feel comfortable for the majority of riders.

For me, the Clement X'Plor 36mm tyres are a real highlight (read Mike's glowing review of the tubeless ready versions here), and mean the Mustang is more than capable of off-roading while providing plenty of comfort on rough roads, towpaths and bridleways. They handle rough tarmac well, and the tread is on the shallow side so cornering isn't compromised on the road. They won't rival mountain bike or cyclo-cross tyres over very muddy terrain, but run with a bit less pressure than on tarmac, say 60psi, they will do just fine in the countryside. As I mentioned, these aren't the tubeless-ready versions, but for what I was mostly using the Mustang for, the puncture protection was more than adequate.

Uphill gearing

The gearing setup means you've got proper granny gears for climbing, which will come in handy if you plan on taking the bike on steep off-road trails. The trade-off compared to the 1x gearing on the Mustang Comp and Elite is, of course, front mech faff, and I do find that with these cheaper components quite a few regular adjustments are needed to keep the gears running smoothly – probably not what the average Raleigh Mustang customer would want to hear.

I wouldn't personally opt for 46/30t chainrings, simply because there's not enough at the top for me; I was riding in the smallest two or three sprockets for the majority of my rides. I'd prefer a 50/34, even on a gravel bike. I can, of course, appreciate some riders might want or need the lower gearing, and a sub-compact setup with 16 gears in total means you get lower jumps between gears than the 40t single ring paired with an 11-42 11-speed cassette on the £1,100 Mustang Elite. So for the target market, it's pretty appropriate.

Value

In terms of value, it looks like a pretty good package for the money, until you consider the Mustang Sport from last year was specced with Shimano's better 9-speed Sora groupset for the same price. The 2018 Sport is more relatable to the 2017 entry-level version from last year, which was £650, but you get the neater internal cable routing, a new frame shape and arguably better tyres.

Whether these credentials add up to a £150 price rise is up for debate, and looking around elsewhere you can get the same or similar adventure bikes for cheaper. The Vitus Substance comes in at £699.99 with Sora-level components, but it doesn't have a carbon fork.

> Buyer's Guide: 18 of the best 2018 gravel & adventure bikes

Probably the closest comparable bike would be the Norco Search, which again has an alloy fork rather than carbon and slightly less tyre clearance, taking up to a 35mm – but it's only £650.

Jumping up to the £1,000 mark, you could get a Giant Toughroad with much bigger tyre clearance, or a GT Grade Expert with 105 shifting – but for an all-round comfortable and easy ride at well under the grand mark, the Mustang's spec is very appropriate for the 'do everything' casual cyclist.

Conclusion

In summary, I think the Mustang Sport is an unpretentious adventure bike that will go a long way for the money. The flat top tube and general bulkier appearance of the frame compared with the 2017 version might not appeal to all, but this is a nod to Raleigh's target customer who want a relaxed ride, which the dropped seatstays and easy gearing will give you.

While it's not the speediest or most inspiring ride out there, the Mustang has a reasonable spec for the money, it's suitable for tarmac or brief forays off-road, and it would make a good commuter or introductory gravel bike. For simplicity the 1x Elite version may be more appealing for £300 extra, but if you have £1K to drop on a commuter that you can also take into the woods and want plenty of change for accessories and clothing, the Mustang Sport isn't a bad place to start.

Verdict

A well-specced, good value and versatile bike for mixed terrain riding, with a few obvious trade-offs at this price point