When my colleague Sam Surla visited Japan in December, he was determined to get a new bicycle to upgrade from his old folding bike. He didn’t want just any bike, but a Japanese one. So he set his eyes on the Araya Swallow Promenade.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t available. However, he was able to find a Raleigh Carlton-DC (CR-DC) on sale at ¥97,680 (P40,650) with tax. I first thought it was a classic road bike, but after doing some research, turns out it was actually a modern gravel bike.

Sam finally bought a bicycle in Japan—and at a good price, too. But his struggle wasn’t over. We all know how carefully luggage handlers transport our stuff, so bringing it home in one piece was the next challenge.

The shop advised him to keep the bike unassembled, and to hold on to the brake rotors so they don’t get deformed. And that was how his back-breaking adventure began, lugging around a full-size bicycle around Tokyo on foot.

The Raleigh made it all the way to the Philippines, though not without some battle scars. After having it assembled by a friend, he was finally able to ride his bicycle.

The Raleigh CR-DC is unique. The frame is made of 4130 chromoly steel with a curved, lugged fork—similar to vintage bicycles. But it also has the makings of a modern gravel bike: drop bars with a road-bike drivetrain, disc brakes, and semi-knobby tires for all-terrain riding.

This isn’t my first time riding a gravel bike as I own a Marin Nicasio. However, I got mine secondhand from a friend who set it up to be Manila-proof. So, this is my first time testing one out stock.

Looking at the plentiful decals, you’ll notice one of them says the bike is licensed by Raleigh. The British brand from Nottingham is one of the oldest bicycle companies in the world, founded in 1887.

But don’t be fooled into thinking the CR-DC is UK-made as it’s most likely manufactured in Taiwan, just like most bikes are nowadays (not that there’s anything bad about that).

Power is transmitted to the rear wheel via an entry-level Shimano Claris. There are two shifters to operate as the drivetrain has an eight-speed, 11-32T cassette at the rear, and a 50-34T crank at the front.

The 34T chainring is fine in the city, but the 50T chainring is clearly meant for sprinting, and there’s a significant jump between the two. There’s also the challenge of avoiding cross-chaining because when the chain line isn’t straight, power is lost and the components are subjected to more stress.

The 700c x 40mm CST Metropolitan Palm Bay tan-walled tires are a huge jump from the small wheels of Sam’s old folding bike. Being a budget option, they’re good for a start. But I don’t feel too confident with them after slipping on wet metal strips on the road.

Stopping power is provided by Tektro MD-C550 mechanical disc brakes. Unlike most entry-level models, these are a step above being dual-piston. Since both pads simultaneously move toward the rotor, the latter isn’t bent and pad wear is more uniform.

The Prologo Kappa saddle is decently comfortable so there’s no need to swap it out for a Brooks. And the same could be said for the Kalloy HBL-001 drop bars. But they are too narrow for my handlebar bag, so a front basket or a rear rack could be used for cargo-hauling instead.

While the stock metal Wellgo pedals don’t ruin the retro aesthetics, I prefer larger pedals such as my MKS Sylvan Gorditos for comfort and security.

Sam is 5’10”, and I’m 5’7”. But I didn’t have any problem with the fit of his 56cm frame because of the upright cockpit setup—understandable as he isn’t used to drop bars yet. Another quirk is that the brake levers are inverted, similar to his previous bike, but adapting to that isn’t difficult.

It didn’t take me a lot of seat time to notice the agility of the Raleigh with its fast-rolling wheels, in stark contrast to my Marin.

But the skinny tires have less cushioning than I expected, as evidenced by the harsher chain slap when going over bumps. Still, this isn’t as bad as my classic road bike where I could feel every crack and pebble on the road.

The limited fork mounts mean this isn’t the best for bikepacking, and you won’t be putting on thick and chunky tires with the narrow clearance. But that doesn’t mean you can’t go camping and hit the trails with this.

While the frame is gorgeous, there is still room for upgrades. Sam isn’t an athletic cyclist, so there is no need for the 2x drivetrain. A simpler one with wider gearing like the Microshift Advent XLE would be much more suitable for party-pace riding, even without going off-road.

As for comfort, downsizing from 700c to 650b will allow for wider tires. It might not be as fast-rolling, but at least it will have better traction and a more plush and supple ride. Going tubeless would also help protect against pinch flats. Keep in mind that none of these will be cheap, so there’s no need to rush.

In case you’d like to get this bike, you’ll have to import one from Japan with an SRP of ¥159,500 (P67,000), tax included. That’s a pretty steep price tag for something entry-level.

However, what you’re paying for isn’t the specs, but rather the frame with the vintage styling and retro aesthetics. And that’s what makes the Raleigh Carlton-DC a really cool gravel bike.