My bike, it's nothing special but I have added for reference in case it helps  anyone looking for information.

Bikes have certainly changed a bit since my youth when handlebars all came with bends in them and fixings were nuts and bolts in imperial sizes, now they are all Allen bolts in metric. My previous bike was a Coventry Eagle frame with beautifully tapered seat stays. Running gear was any bits I came across over the years, finished as 10 speed but spent many years as a high geared fixed wheel. Had to get rid of it when the wife got rid of me.

I recently bought another, just to potter around locally when the sun is shining. I don't do cold, wet or windy these days. It's windy today so I am writing this...

There is an organisation close to where I live that sells old and unwanted bikes from £15. You can pay more if you want them to tidy it up for you. I spent a while looking through what they had (they have a lot). Eventually I came across one that seemed quite reasonable, appeared to have had little use and been stored under cover.

Paid my £15 - plus about twice that for new tyres and tubes, removed the front wheel and put it in the car.

Once I got home I thought I would try to find out a bit more about the history and specification of the model.

Absolutely nothing.

Googling brought up a few mentions of people owning one in their youth, a number for sale on the usual auction sites now and in the past but nothing regarding dates or spec. other than the very occasional mention of wheel size, and once in a while frame size too.

I suspect this means it is regarded by those who know as a BSO (Bike Shaped Object). As I bought it to potter around on that doesn't concern me, but I still want to find more about it and help anyone who may be in the same position. I have no idea whether it would have been classed as an MTB or Hybrid or something else entirely.

The bike is a Raleigh Ascender.

I have no idea of year of manufacture but suspect it to be 1993. There is a sticky label on the seat tube with the number 03932091. The frame number 2403612 is stamped on the LHS of the seat tube between the front draillleur clamp and the bottom bracket and was very difficult to find and read. The saddle was manufactured in September 1992, the brake callipers April and July 1992, rear derailleur April 1990.

	At the moment I assume that all equipment is as bought. Initially I expected everything to be made by Raleigh - but it's not. The bike has had very little use despite its age. The tyres fitted were lightly worn and may well have been originals, though now with rotted sidewalls. The chainrings and sprockets show no perceptible wear although the chain itself had rusted and was rather inflexible. Generally there is some surface rust to the frame, nothing a little touching up won't cover. Also there is slight rusting to chrome components. The chainrings have lost most of their paint. The seat post is rusted in place but has been liberally oiled so perhaps will come free before too long so it can be lifted.
	Frame	20"	Sticky label says made from 'ATT 23 fork blades, stays and main tubes'. ATT is Raleigh All Terrain Tubing, no idea what 23 is. Probably high tensile of some sort.
	Forks and headset etc.	Raleigh?	Ridgid,  no suspension, no markings.
	Brakes	Weinmann caliper. Rear dated on the casting April 1992, front July 1992	There is a small Weinmann logo on the calipers and hangers. No idea of model number so far, had enough trouble finding out they were Weinmann.
	Brake levers		I assume Weinmann, perhaps Raleigh, no markings but not stripped yet. Think they may be plastic/resin but seem sound.
	Shifters	Shimano	Rear shifter is indexed thumb shift.
	Front Derailleur	Shimano FD-TY15 GS	Works well.
	Rear Derailleur	Shimano RD-TY15.	Works well. The OD may be a date code, April 1990
	Freewheel	SHIMANO SIS MF-Z015 14T-17T-20T-24T-28T	The RA may be another date code, January 1993
	Chain	1/2" x 3/32"	I think this will be replaced very shortly. Although running freely now, I imagine the rusting has done it no good.
	Cranks	Thun 170mm, cotterless	Very little information on these.
	Chainrings	48T-38T-28T	Rivetted, no idea of manufacturer but not stripped yet. Thun or Raleigh?
	Pedals	Union	No idea of model, plastic/resin type.
	Hubs	Steel, unknown make.	There is a logo followed by W GERMANY stamped aroung the centre but I have not been able to identify a manufacturer.
	Spokes	36 to front and rear	Probably galvanised but no rust showing.
	Rims	ETRTO 559x19 DIN Made in Belgium Alesa Alloy 419-26x1.75	I guess made for Raleigh.
	Tyres	26x1.75	Unfortunately I bought 26x1.95 Kendas. They will do for now.
	Saddle	Raleigh badged Selle Royal, dated Sep 1992	No idea of model, plastic/gel type.
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