Hornchurch
Active Member
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Hi Folks,
I've been looking for a cycling forum that ISN'T too 'elitist' & is rather more down to earth - (than a few others which I've browsed)
Having trawled thru quite a number of threads here (over the last few weeks), I've decided to join-up here & give it a go.
I first started cycling back in 1968, when my dear ol' Mother bought me a rather beautiful/handsome "Elsewick Hopper"
Metallic Red & Metallic Turquoise WERE 'all the rage' back in 1968 and my li'l Elsewick Hopper looked suave to a kid, my age !
Grew tall REAL quick and by the summer of 1972, I had a stunning & lovely 'Edwards' 26inch Racing Bike
- (known as 'Road Bike' thesedays, it appears !)
I absolutely fell 'in love' with that stunning & (seemingly) fast bike & pretty-much went everywhere on it
- it was my main form of transport (86's Bus excepted)
I should also 'chuck-in here', that I'm a Londoner, so, didn't reap the benefits of North-Norfolk geography until much later in life
That 'Edwards' 26in cycle (Romford), gave me SUCH a huge sense of freedom
(& at an early young age), plus gave me a sense of road-awareness, too.
From 1968 thru until 1998, I only ever had those TWO bikes in my life - That was it -
Then in 1998, I bought a beautiful & strong Claud Butler "Hammer LX" = M.T.B
In fact, I loved it SO much, that last-week, I managed to snag yet another - Exactly the same bike - Seen Above
Amazingly I won it for just £37.57
8 x bids only, (via E-Bay) - Although of course I had to travel, to go pick it up - Photo' is by Neil, the guy I bought it from
Same Graphics & same age/vintage - 1998 model/version
Rides smooth as silk & in fact, being honest, has the slight edge, ride-wise, over my own 1998 original
But just before that, in fact on 20th March 2022, I travelled to Lincoln (just North), to buy TWO rather beautiful & cheap as chips "Road Bikes".
Bought the pair for just (a laughable), £55.00 = BOTH BIKES together for that price, privately of course.
Both (re-constructed) run absolutely immacualte (as was their condition too), well-maintained & needing nothing (as such)
I did (for my own peace of mind), re-fit some new parts
- namely a stem-raiser/riser to each, as I'm notably taller than the couple I bought the bikes from !
Changed the 'razor-blade' saddles too, in keeping with something rather more suitable for my 'fat-ar$e' - sprung-comfort, raised-bars.
Did actually buy ALL the bars & accessories needed, to change-over to flat-bars & cowhorns (bar-ends),
but have gotten used to "raised drop H/bars" instead.
It's re-kindled my love of cycling & dabbling around with quill-stems, bar-risers, headstocks, has given me a greater-knowledge.
To be fair, also being a M/cyclist (lifelong), gave me a headstart, as regards to spannering & dabbling, as I've change bars on them, too.
Some might ask as to 'why' I went-in for another Silver "Hammer LX", but I always did want another (even as spares-source, in future-years)
I'm not daft - I've noticed that cycle parts HAVE rather sky-rocketed in recent months (as have M/cycle spares), so I regard it as an investment.
May even contemple adding an electric-pack (& front-hub-motor) to one of them (the Silver LX), at some later time, in future, but not yet.
I'd rather (at some later time, when I become settled here), open a FULL separate-thread, regarding each of the three, seen above.
But for now, I'll just chuck-in one of each, just to give an idea of what I'm talking about,
They charge MORE than that, for just one 1/72 scale model aircraft, in diecast & that's just an ornament (for cabinets)
- in effect, an expensive paperweight.
I view the bikes as being able to "keep me fit" & get the heart-rate flowing & bloodstream ticking AND visit the shops, should I need to.
Meantime - Here's the TWO x £55.00 quid road bikes that I bought/picked-up on the 20th March this year, from Lincoln (City)
1st - "Boss Equipe", which I was told is/was made by 'British Eagle' sometime early this century (?)
- If someone can date it (accurately), I'd appreciate it !
2nd - "Claud Butler Criterium" from circa 2009-2010
Hi Folks,
I've been looking for a cycling forum that ISN'T too 'elitist' & is rather more down to earth - (than a few others which I've browsed)
Having trawled thru quite a number of threads here (over the last few weeks), I've decided to join-up here & give it a go.
I first started cycling back in 1968, when my dear ol' Mother bought me a rather beautiful/handsome "Elsewick Hopper"
Metallic Red & Metallic Turquoise WERE 'all the rage' back in 1968 and my li'l Elsewick Hopper looked suave to a kid, my age !
Grew tall REAL quick and by the summer of 1972, I had a stunning & lovely 'Edwards' 26inch Racing Bike
- (known as 'Road Bike' thesedays, it appears !)
I absolutely fell 'in love' with that stunning & (seemingly) fast bike & pretty-much went everywhere on it
- it was my main form of transport (86's Bus excepted)
I should also 'chuck-in here', that I'm a Londoner, so, didn't reap the benefits of North-Norfolk geography until much later in life
That 'Edwards' 26in cycle (Romford), gave me SUCH a huge sense of freedom
(& at an early young age), plus gave me a sense of road-awareness, too.
From 1968 thru until 1998, I only ever had those TWO bikes in my life - That was it -
Then in 1998, I bought a beautiful & strong Claud Butler "Hammer LX" = M.T.B
In fact, I loved it SO much, that last-week, I managed to snag yet another - Exactly the same bike - Seen Above
Amazingly I won it for just £37.57
8 x bids only, (via E-Bay) - Although of course I had to travel, to go pick it up - Photo' is by Neil, the guy I bought it from
Same Graphics & same age/vintage - 1998 model/version
Rides smooth as silk & in fact, being honest, has the slight edge, ride-wise, over my own 1998 original
But just before that, in fact on 20th March 2022, I travelled to Lincoln (just North), to buy TWO rather beautiful & cheap as chips "Road Bikes".
Bought the pair for just (a laughable), £55.00 = BOTH BIKES together for that price, privately of course.
Both (re-constructed) run absolutely immacualte (as was their condition too), well-maintained & needing nothing (as such)
I did (for my own peace of mind), re-fit some new parts
- namely a stem-raiser/riser to each, as I'm notably taller than the couple I bought the bikes from !
Changed the 'razor-blade' saddles too, in keeping with something rather more suitable for my 'fat-ar$e' - sprung-comfort, raised-bars.
Did actually buy ALL the bars & accessories needed, to change-over to flat-bars & cowhorns (bar-ends),
but have gotten used to "raised drop H/bars" instead.
It's re-kindled my love of cycling & dabbling around with quill-stems, bar-risers, headstocks, has given me a greater-knowledge.
To be fair, also being a M/cyclist (lifelong), gave me a headstart, as regards to spannering & dabbling, as I've change bars on them, too.
Some might ask as to 'why' I went-in for another Silver "Hammer LX", but I always did want another (even as spares-source, in future-years)
I'm not daft - I've noticed that cycle parts HAVE rather sky-rocketed in recent months (as have M/cycle spares), so I regard it as an investment.
May even contemple adding an electric-pack (& front-hub-motor) to one of them (the Silver LX), at some later time, in future, but not yet.
I'd rather (at some later time, when I become settled here), open a FULL separate-thread, regarding each of the three, seen above.
But for now, I'll just chuck-in one of each, just to give an idea of what I'm talking about,
They charge MORE than that, for just one 1/72 scale model aircraft, in diecast & that's just an ornament (for cabinets)
- in effect, an expensive paperweight.
I view the bikes as being able to "keep me fit" & get the heart-rate flowing & bloodstream ticking AND visit the shops, should I need to.
Meantime - Here's the TWO x £55.00 quid road bikes that I bought/picked-up on the 20th March this year, from Lincoln (City)
1st - "Boss Equipe", which I was told is/was made by 'British Eagle' sometime early this century (?)
- If someone can date it (accurately), I'd appreciate it !
2nd - "Claud Butler Criterium" from circa 2009-2010
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