The basket bikes continue to roll in and this week we’re featuring Danny’s Raleigh Serengeti for our Readers’ Rides segment. Check out his words and photos below.

This is my trusty Raleigh Serengeti. It was found on Facebook Marketplace for $50 CAD, which is also where I found most of the parts to build it. I’m not 100% certain what year it’s from but it originally had a complete Shimano Altus A20 build, which dates back to 1993. Apart from some paint scuffs and parts in need of some TLC, it was in great condition. This bike is the result of multiple years of building commuter bikes to get around the pothole-filled streets of Montreal, Canada. Fun fact: the handlebar bag (courtesy of @sinkholemontreal) strapped to the basket was the winning prize for a picture of the gnarliest potholes in Montreal.

I’m super stoked about this build for multiple reasons. First on the list is the frame. I love subtle grey to black fade across the frame and fork. It’s hardly noticeable until matched to the black mudguards for winter. It’s a great combo with the colorful Raleigh decals and shiny gold head badge. I regret not taking a picture of the latter. Another great thing was not having to cold set the frame for a 10-speed hub. The clearance allows for a set of Schwalbe Table Tops (2.25″) which I use all year long. Next summer, I’ll try some slicker Rene Herse Rat Trap Pass.

Then, there’s the 1×10 mullet drivetrain made of scavenged parts from past projects. Initially, the rear derailleur was a medium cage Deore M6000 matching the shifter, but the 11-42 cassette was too much for it. A quick search online (Marketplace again) and I easily got ahold of a long cage XTR M986 derailleur in great condition for pennies. The 32t narrow-wide chainring by Blackspire (Made in Canada, eh) has held on to the chain beautifully, especially paired with the clutched derailleur for trail riding. The purple bolts came from an abandoned bike behind the bike shop where I used to work.

Lastly, the bullmoose handlebars are by far my favorite piece. They also came from a garbage bike, which makes me sound like Oscar from Sesame Street by now. Cleaned them with the good ol’ tin-foil-and-dish-soap trick and they regained their shiny finish.

I had a Wald 139 laying around and it was a perfect fit once I chopped the legs of the basket to the right length. The 139 is huge on this small bike, but the extra girth over the 137 makes it really useful as a grocery getter.

I love this bike. I love riding it. I loved building it. Thanks for reading!

We’d like to thank all of you who have submitted Readers Rides builds to be shared over here. The response has been incredible and we have so many to share over the next few months. Feel free to submit your bike, listing details, components, and other information. You can also include a portrait of yourself with your bike and your Instagram account! Please, shoot landscape-orientation photos, not portrait. Thanks!