Sleek design, quality performance component sourcing, and superb control make the Raleigh Alysa 2 a true head-turner in the women’s bicycle market. Raleigh is a branch of the same company that produces the world-renowned Diamondback bicycles, and the focus they have put into developing the Alysa 2 will make itself known as soon as your feet touch the pedals. The bicycle is above all, sporty and fun. Functional as well as built to last, the Raleigh Alysa 2 makes a great option for any of you ladies out there looking to purchase an all-season city bike.
Although Raleigh refers to this model as an “Urban Fitness Hybrid Flat Bar Road Bike” (What a mouthful!), it is simply a hybrid bike. These bike models integrate the best features of mountain bikes with the ever-popular, zippy road bikes to form a bicycle that is well suited to any terrain and riding style. Hybrids are known to satisfy a wide range of cyclists across the world, and you will definitely enjoy the experience it provides to its rider!
Raleigh exhausted all of their deep trove of resources when they were developing the Alysa 2, and it shows. The company set out to design a bicycle specifically for women and have delivered. As we all know, women’s geometry is a bit different than men’s. Which can at times be frustrating when you are shopping for your new bicycle. Raleigh took into consideration that women typically have longer legs and a shorter torso than men to develop a bike that not only performs but enables women a degree of comfort absent from most other bikes on the market.
- Fork/Frame: Aluminum
- Shifters: Shimano Altus Rapid Fire
- Crank: SR Suntour XCC-T208
- Front/Rear Derailleurs: Shimano Tourney TX800
- Cassette: Shimano 8-spd
- Brakes: Tektro Novela Mechanical Disc
- Wheels: Weinmann QR17 Double Wall
- Tires: Kenda Kwick Tendril 26”
- Seat: Raleigh Women-Specific
- Sizes: Extra-Small to Large
- Weight: 33.4 lbs
Before You Buy a Raleigh Alysa 2
Raleigh Alysa 2Before you put down money on the Raleigh Alysa 2, it is important to consider what you need from your hybrid bicycle. As an example, do you want to go off-road, or stick to the pavement? This decision alone can save you hundreds of dollars at the get-go because this will decide whether or not you need a suspension system on your new hybrid bicycle.
Some other important things to consider are:
- Bike Frame Materials: This will determine how light your bicycle is and how easy it is to handle.
- Frame Geometry: This is the major factor underlying rider comfort, power delivery, and turning ease.
- Handle Bar Shape: Also aids in rider comfort; this will set the angle that you lean forward when riding.
- Gearing: If you live in an area with a lot of hills and steep climbs, you need a top-notch drive-train with 24 gears.
- Braking System: If you are a casual cyclist that enjoys flat, uninhibited gravel trails, you most likely don’t need a market-leading braking system. However, if speed is the name of the game, you need to invest in a braking system that will have you stopping on a dime.
Features and Benefits
Frame
Short torsos and longer legs make women feel a bit out of place on a lot of bicycles on the market, and due to this, the shopping experience can be prolonged and exhaustive. Thanks to Raleigh, we finally have a bicycle on the market that is custom-tailored to the geometry of a woman, so you can get to shredding pavement in comfort.
For starters, the Alysa 2 is manufactured from Hydro-formed 6061 Aluminum. Aluminum is much lighter than its steel frame counterparts and provides more rigidness than a carbon frame. It’s snappy and offers a high degree of control when cornering, which is an area that other frame compositions tend to fail in meeting the rider’s expectations.
The aluminum frame is optimized to the geometry of women, offering a slightly larger distance from the seat to the pedals as well as a shorter distance from the seat to handlebars. This provides the rider a more relaxed position while riding and an efficient method to deliver power to the pedals.
The handlebars are at an optimal distance from the rider while at a slight, upward angle for women to really get a grip on. The shifters and brake levers, which are similar in design to that of a mountain bike, are committed to excellence and ease of use.
All in all, the Raleigh Alysa 2 hybrid offers a neutral riding position well suited for comfort and efficient transfer of power from pedals to wheels. The overall feel of the bicycle is catered towards stability and in that respect, Raleigh has exceeded all of our expectations.
More: The Best hybrid bikes under $300 [Complete Review and Buying Guide]
The color scheme avoids what typically is known as ‘girly’ and goes with a glossy gray shade. Light blue and teal accents are also included to provide an elegant look, as well as feel, for this woman’s hybrid bike.
Frame sizes include:
- Extra small: 5’0”-5’3”
- Small: 5’3”-5’6”
- Medium: 5’6”-5’9”
- Large: 5’9”-6’0”
Wheel
To overcome the terrain issues warranted by hybrids, the Alysa 2 features 700c wheels adorned with 35-mm all-terrain tires. These wheels are smooth over any gravel road, pavement, and even the once in blue moon off-road trail. However, if you intend to go off-road frequently, you may want to consider swapping the tires out with a more aggressive tread type – such as the Continental Ride Tour or Schwalbe Marathon.
Luckily, if you are one to change terrain frequently, the Alysa 2 has a quick-release feature in its wheel system. This means that you can swap out slick pavement shredding wheels with a high-grip, off-road tread without the use of any tools. Raleigh truly developed this bicycle with its riders in mind.
The wheels on the Alysa 2 are double-walled to support any additional loads that you may want to carry on the racks included on the front and rear of the bicycle. These wheels are rugged and boast strength as their main selling feature.
More: Why the Trek Verve+ 2 Should Be Your Next Hybrid E-Bike
Drive-train
In the bicycle manufacturing business, companies often produce cost-efficient bikes by cutting costs in their performance component sourcing. More often than not, these price cuts are focused on the drive-train area (i.e. gears, chain, shifters, etc.). However, Raleigh strives for excellence with the Alysa 2 and developed its drive-train from Shimano components – a standard most often seen on mid to higher-tier bicycles.
Shimano has built its reputation on quality and durability, and bike mechanics from all over the world can verify their superb characteristics. A Shimano 8-speed (12-32T) cassette is paired with an SR Suntour XCC-T (208 28/38/48T) crankset along with Shimano Tourney TX800 derailleurs. What do all these provide for you, the rider? It means that a total of 24 speeds are at your disposal from Shimano’s Altus Rapid Fire trigger shifters that also include an optical display.
The Alysa 2’s drive-train was developed with a mountain bike as its model. It features a triple crank on the front and an 8-speed cassette at the rear. The gearing range is nearly identical to that of a mountain bike in that wide voids between gears are kept to a minimum and also optimizing climbing ability on slopes.
More: The Best Raleigh Bike Reviews: Are Raleigh Bike Any good?
The pedals are composed of a steel alloy so that you can really dig in, while also providing top-notch traction. To top-off the drive-train is a chain-guard to not only keeps sediment off the chain but will also keep sediment from getting on you!
All in all, the following is a synopsis of the drive-train components:
- Shifters: Shimano Altus Rapid Fire; 8-speed
- Crank-Set: SR Suntour XCC-T
- Front/Rear Derailleurs: Shimano Tourney TX800
- Cassette: Shimano 8-speed
Braking System
Tektro Novela mechanical disc brakes come equipped on the Raleigh Alysa 2, and for the performance you get out of these, the Alysa’s price can be a lot higher. The brakes alone can sell this bicycle and for the price-tag on it, you can’t find a better deal out there.
Mechanical disk brakes are a well sought out feature on any bike today as their stopping power is incredible. The process starts with you squeezing the brake lever which pulls a cable connected to the caliper. Inside the caliper are pistons on either side that hug the brake pads against the wheel, and once the levers are released the pistons self-adjust back to their starting position. All in all, this process provides the best stopping power on any bike today.
The Tektro Novela brakes are sublime in every aspect. They work similarly to the brakes on a motor vehicle and provide the best stopping power out of any type of bicycle braking system. This makes the Alysa 2 an all-season bicycle as it doesn’t matter what the weather is like – the Tektro Novela brakes will ensure that you will come to a stop. Sometimes, however, these brakes work a little too well.
The brake levers worn by the Alysa 2 requires much less effort to squeeze as compared to other braking systems. However, this could be due to Raleigh’s tweaking of the levers to accommodate the smaller hands of women. Either way, you will find stopping on a dime is a guarantee on the Alysa 2. The moving braking mechanism is enclosed well within a caliper so that no moisture will ever prevent its efficiency. This means that this bike can be abused by rain, mud, and snow and never fail at stopping you.
More: Find the Best Cyclocross Bike Under $1000 On the Market
| Feature | Pros | What this Means |
|---|---|---|
| Frame | Premium aluminum | Snappy and lightweight to boast incredible handling and control |
| Wheel | Double Walled 700x35c | Superb strength and durability as well as puncture-resistant |
| Drive-train | 3×8 Shimano Groupset | Steep slopes can be scaled easily with the aid of 24 gears and supreme power delivery and a visible indicator of the gear |
| Brake | Tektro Hydraulic Disk | Unparalleled stopping ability that is both easy to use and efficient |
Why Should You Trust Raleigh’s Alysa 2?
Raleigh is a bike manufacturer that has perfected its craft since its inception in 1885. They are a company devoted to quality and exceeding customers’ expectations all the while setting the pace for the market. New, innovative technologies are always developed further in their manufacturing process to deliver top-of-the-line products that set the standard for bike manufacturers around the world.
They have also developed sponsorships with acclaimed and award-winning athletes to further boast their legitimacy as one of the world’s leading bike companies. Take for example the TI Raleigh cycling team that displayed their dominance during the 1970s and 1980s. If that isn’t enough, take for example Joop Zoetemelk that won the Tour de France riding high on a Raleigh bicycle.
More: Raleigh Cadent 2 Review: Is It A Good Bicycle To Have?
What About the Alysa 1?
The Raleigh Alysa 2 is a further development of its predecessor, the Alysa 1. As such, these two models are similar enough that minute details will often go unnoticed when comparing the two. Both models have identical 6061 Aluminum frames with a women’s-specific geometry. The similarities don’t stop there, however, as they both are built with a 3×8 drive-train, for a total of 24 speeds. Both sit on double-walled, 700x35c wheels that push either model to the forefront of your buying decision.
Both the Alysa 1 or Alysa 2 would be a great option for your next hybrid bike. In fact, they are more alike than they are different. However, for sake of comparison, we have included a chart describing their prominent differences.
| Model | F. Derailleur | R. Derailleur | Brakes | Tires | Front Hub | Rear Hub |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alysa 1 | Shimano TX-51 | Shimano Altus | Tektro Alloy Mini V-Brake | Kenda Kwick Trax 700x32c | Joytech Alloy QR 36h | Joytech Alloy QR 36h Cassette |
| Alysa 2 | Shimano Tourney TX800 | Shimano Tourney TX800 | Tektro Novela Mechanical Disc w/160mm Rotors | Kenda Kwick Tendril 700x35c | Formula Alloy Disc QR 32h | Formula Alloy Disc 32h Cassette |
Wrapping Up
With the Alysa 2, Raleigh’s devotion to their craft is displayed for the world to see. They built this model with the woman rider in mind and delivered a bicycle that, for its features, is proven to be much more efficient than any other unisex bicycle on the market.
Being a further development of its predecessor the Alysa 1, Raleigh tweaked a few features that make the Alysa 2 model a force to reckoned with. Cutting-edge Tektro brakes and 24 gears to choose from make the bicycle one of the leaders in terms of power delivery and stopping power. What more could you ask from a bicycle?
