Brian Rourke

[DTD]

It started when my mate (who's the Mayor of Bakewell) rang me and said L'Eroica would be doing a Britannia edition and would I be interested. I definitely was, but needed an vintage bike to do it on – I won't bore you with the several false starts, but skip to buying a Brian Rourke f that had seen better days or a goodish price. I'm pretty (well very) c**p at most practical things, but managed to strip it down and hunt about for some new wheels, tyres, cables, bar tape, chain and cassette – my aforementioned lack of practical skills sent me off to the local bike shop to put it all back together again – I'm glad I did as I fell foul of the modern versions of 27" wheels won't clear the frame properly and 700c wheels won't align with the brakes. The best we could do (for now) is a 27" wheel on the front and a 700c on the back.

So it's back and ready to be risen in L'Eroica Britannia in a couple of weeks and then it's probably going to be put up for sale (expressions of interest welcome) as it's too small to ever be comfortable for me (21.5" frame). So a bike for one ride? I've really enjoyed finding it and all the bits and am pleased that a nice, classic bike like this is back on the road, also surprised by just how good it rides and how well the friction gears shift (last bike I had like that was nearly 40 years ago and I put it in third and left it there).

And I doubt it will be the last old school bike I ever own.

The bike as it was when I first bought it…

 

[smokeysmoo]

Then it's probably going to be put up for sale

@biggs682 ?

 

[biggs682]

@biggs682 ?

@DTD depending on price i could be interested so will pm you

 

[Cycleops]

Very nice, but those suicide brake levers seem a bit incongruous. I do think blue is such a great colour for a bike!

 

[DTD]

Although I'm from the "Red" side of Manchester, I love a blue bike too!
You're with the bike shop about those brake levers Cyclops – they were on the bike when I got it – it also had mudguards and a mirror, so at some point had become a tourer of sorts – I did consider getting some new-old brakes for it, and if I were keeping it, that's what I'd probably do.

biggs682 – message on its way.