Tony Hadland records that the Grifter was launched in June 1976. Wikipedia, citing DK's The Bicycle Book, gives its run as 1976 to early 1983, and Nottinghamshire Archives holds a 1970s Raleigh advertising photograph of it. The split between the Mk1 and the Mk2 is still uncertain: Wikipedia's uncited dates have the Mk2 starting in 1978.
Sources disagree: Grifter Mk1/Mk2 datesMk1 to 1979 (Wikipedia) or Mk2 from 1978 (Wikipedia). We show both until a catalogue settles it.
Known components
None recorded yet. Our confirmed sources for this model don't list its parts. If you have a catalogue page or an original spec sheet, please send it in.
What the sources say
| Year | Name · variant | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Grifter | (June 1976) | BikeBiz |
| 1976 | Grifter | (June 1976) | International Cycling History Conference proceedings |
| 1983 | Grifter | Wikipedia, citing DK 'The Bicycle Book' (2016): 1976 to early 1983. (Early 1983) | Wikipedia |
| Undated | Raleigh 'Grifter' bicycle | Advertising photograph; archive dates it to the 1970s. (Dated 1970–1979 by archive) | Inspire Picture Archive (Nottinghamshire Archives) |
Unconfirmed mentions
These come from a single uncited or enthusiast source. They are not used for the dates, components or confidence above. If you can confirm one from a catalogue, please tell us.
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Sources
Last updated 19 October 2026. Every fact on this page comes from one of these.
- BikeBiz: Tony Hadland, 'HISTORY: The Heron Evolves: Raleigh from 1975 to 2002'
- International Cycling History Conference proceedings: Tony Hadland, 'Raleigh UK in the Last Quarter of the 20th Century'
- Wikipedia: Raleigh Grifter
- Inspire Picture Archive (Nottinghamshire Archives): Raleigh 'Grifter' bicycle – image 00240, ref. DD-RN-6-13-1d