If you’re looking for a mix between a road bike and mountain bike, something that is durable, stable, safe and fast, something you can easily ride around in the city, then you might want to check out the Raleigh Bicycles Cadent 2 Fitness Hybrid Bike. It’s a great hybrid bike with lots of cool features that we are going to look at below. This is our Raleigh Cadent 2 review.
- Extremely durable
- Very lightweight
- Tires and wheels ideal for speed and traction
- Awesome disc brakes
- 24 gears for city speed
- A bit expensive for what it is
Raleigh Bicycles Cadent 2 Review
For who is RALEIGH Bicycle Cadent 2 Fitness Bike meant for ?
The Raleigh Bicycles Cadent 2 Fitness Hybrid Bike is designed for people who need a fast, durable and reliable bike that is safe and fast enough to ride around the city.
You could say that this bike is built for both long and short commutes and for people who want a lightweight and durable bicycle.
Features of RALEIGH Bicycles Cadent 2 Bike
The Raleigh Bicycles Cadent 2 Fitness Hybrid Bike has a number of useful and beneficial features which makes it a good bike to own, especially for commuting in the city.
Let’s take a closer look at the main features right now.
Gears
Something about the Raleigh Bicycles Cadent 2 Fitness Hybrid Bike that really comes in handy is that it comes with a total of 24 gears. It’s great when bikes have a lot of gears, especially when you plan on riding in the city, because it provides a lot of versatility.
If you have to go uphill or are constantly stopping and starting due to traffic lights, you can keep it in a low gear. If you are cruising along bike paths, you can switch to the higher gears to maintain top speed.
All in all, the Shimano EF500 EZ Fire 8-speed shifters and transmission system here is very reliable and durable, so that’s a bonus too.
Disc Brake
Another big feature which is notable on the Raleigh Bicycles Cadent 2 Fitness Hybrid Bike is its set of disc brakes. Sure, normal old-school brakes are just fine, but disc brakes activate much faster and provide a heck of a lot more braking power too.
The Tektro M280 mechanical disc brakes used here are very high quality and should last for years to come before needing replacement or maintenance, which is a pretty big deal. All in all, we would say that these are indeed some of the best disc brakes for any bike that you could get your hands on. They definitely help when it comes to keeping you safe and sound on city streets.
35C Tires & 700C Whees
The next notable feature of the Raleigh Bicycles Cadent 2 Fitness Hybrid Bike is that it comes complete with 35C tires. In other words, the Kenda Kwick Tendril tires are wide and rugged enough to provide you with awesome traction, which is important for slippery city streets, especially when they are wet.
Not only do they provide good traction, but they also provide great acceleration. That being said, they are not so thick or large that they will slow you down too much, as they are thin enough to maintain high speeds, not to mention being quite durable as well. Moreover, the wheels here are fairly large, which means that you have to pedal less and can maintain speed with ease.
Lightweight & Durable Aluminum Frame
Something else you might really appreciate about the Raleigh Bicycles Cadent 2 Fitness Hybrid Bike is that it comes with a really lightweight yet durable aluminum frame. Actually, this whole bike weighs well under 30 pounds, which is not too bad at all, and even though it is fairly lightweight, it still manages to be very durable and have a ton of impact resistance too.
On a side note, we also really like the SR Suntour cranks included here as they are very lightweight yet also durable, so you can really put your bodyweight on them for acceleration without having to worry about them snapping or breaking.
Raleigh Cadent 2 Urban Fitness Bike Summary of Features
All in all, although you might consider the Raleigh Bicycles Cadent 2 Fitness Hybrid Bike to be a bit expensive, it’s a good overall hybrid bike under 1000 to ride in the city. It comes with lots of gears so you can easily choose your speed, plus it has really good disc brakes for fast-action stopping power.
The lightweight frame is easy to push around, yet also durable enough to stay in one piece even if you get into a bit of a fender bender. When it comes down to it, the Raleigh Bicycles Cadent 2 Fitness Hybrid Bike is a really nice city bike for people who commute a lot, although it is a bit expensive.
Technical Details of RALEIGH Cadent 2 Hybrid Bike
| Gender | Unisex |
|---|---|
| Brand | Raleigh |
| Wheel Size | 700C |
| Frame Size | 5 sizes available |
| Age Group | Adult |
| Brake Style | V Brake (Tetra) |
| Frame Material | Aluminum 6061 |
| Shifter | Shimano EM Fire 7-speed |
| Number Of Gears | 21 |
| Weight | 25.59 pounds |
Frequently Asked Questions about Raleigh Cadent 2
What is the weight limit of this Cadent 2?
Owners manual says 350 lbs but we recommend 250-275lbs
Does this Raleigh Bicycle come with a Kick Stand?
Unfortunately, the Cadent 2 is not delivered with a kickstand. It is the same for the majority of Raleigh bicycles. But you can buy one separately and get it to install.
Is it easy to buy Replacement Parts for My Raleigh Cadent 2?
Yes and no. Raleigh only provides complete bikes so you have to get the spare parts from an online shop or local bike shop. But the parts are very generic and come from well-known brands (Shimano, Suntour, Trekro…) so it is easy to find them.
Is the Raleigh Cadent 2 Bike designed for men or women?
It is a unisex Bike and it comes in 5 different frame sizes from S to XL.
Alternative to Consider: Batch Bicycles 700c Fitness Bike
Now, the Raleigh Bicycles Cadent 2 is a great city bike, but if you are looking for another fitness bike, with 21-speed Shimano drivetrain for commuting, something like the Batch Bicycles 700c Fitness Bike might be right up your alley.
This thing comes with a lightweight aluminium frame intended to withstand a heck of a lot of punishment and also with alloy linear pull brakes for excellent stopping power. This upgraded version is not even all that expensive, which is pretty nice no doubt.
Final Thoughts on this Raleigh Cadent 2 Review
Let’s finish the Raleigh Cadent 2 Review by saying that is a perfectly fine option to go with if you need a highly functional bike for cruising around the city.
With great brakes, a good gear shift system, tires and wheels built for stability, and a lightweight yet durable frame, you really can’t go wrong with it. It may be a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for, and here you do get quite a nice bike.
