Pre 60's Road Bikes

[biggs682]

Over the last few weeks i keep finding my self looking at pre 1960's Road or Sports bike like robin Hood sports 1951 and my own 1952 Raleigh .

Up till this started i was happy with post 1980's Road Bikes where can i go for more help

 

[Tony Raynor]

The n+1 bike rule means there is no help mate.

It all started when I got a 70s 5 speed. It didn't seem like it would do any harm. In fact it all seemed a bit of fun. After a while it just wasn't doing it for me, I felt I needed something else to give me a thrill. Then someone asked if I would like to try something more exotic. A nice Reynolds 501, surely a little dabble wouldn't hurt. Everyone told me to be careful and not get addicted. I can handle it, I thought. Soon even that wasn't enough. I needed more. Before I knew it I'd moved up to even more and soon the more expensive Reynolds 531 was my main vice of choice. But that just left me wanting more and then I started mixing, just a little at first but then more and more adding campagnolo and shimano dura ace in with the Reynolds 531. Oh what a rush. Could life get any better. But woe, all this was costing more and soon the hunger was back. Columbus, Ishiwata and tange soon filtered through my hands and the pleasure it gave was exquisite but after the rush came the withdrawals and pangs of guilt. Soon I spent time and money in search of more. Then one day I realised I was addicted and those shiny bits and curvaceous lugs was all I could think about.

My name is Tony and I'm addicted to bikes. If you know someone just like Tony then please direct them to cyclechat. At cyclechat we have people who understand how to deal with the anguish of not owning that next bike. The urgent need and the low despair of missing out on eBay.

Lastly, please remember, a bike is for life, not just for Xmas.

 

[midlife]

......and you need some wheels to keep the addiction going ..

Shaun

 

[growingvegetables]

... where can i go for more, help

Ah - the old "eats, shoots and leaves" problem. Easily fixed with a correctly placed comma!

And the answer? E-bay and Gumtree.

 

[mikeymustard]

It all started when I got a 70s 5 speed. It didn't seem like it would do any harm. In fact it all seemed a bit of fun. After a while it just wasn't doing it for me, I felt I needed something else to give me a thrill

70s 5 speeds are just a gateway bicycle.
When I went to pick up that Record Ace on Tuesday, I asked my missus if she had a tenner so I had the right money fr the seller.
As she handed it over she said she felt like "an enabler"!

 

[scarygerbil]

my problem is looking at the bikes that have been forgotten and just need love and autosol
I think I am turning into the mad bike man

 

[biggs682]

@Tony Raynor @midlife @growingvegetables @mikeymustard @scarygerbil you are all correct in your answers .

I think i am just going to keep my eyes open for a nice original 50's road bike and go from there

 

[mjr]

my problem is looking at the bikes that have been forgotten and just need love and autosol
I think I am turning into the mad bike man

That and hitting max-shed are probably two things which stop me going further. As well as feeling that I don't have time to maintain my current fleet as well as I'd like, I also feel that I don't ride some of them much. The hybrid is currently only used for heavy-haul duties and the old roadster only gets ridden much when the new roadster is in bits for servicing, I don't want to risk it (so far only when there's an ice risk and someone else is using the spiked-tyre bike) or I'm testing some theory.

In general, why duplicate types? Why wouldn't I ride my best bike of the type I want for that journey? So if an early road bike came in, then either it or the 80s one would be redundant soon after... and I was sentimental about the 80s one after just a few months, having ridden an imperial century, a few metric ones... and a closed-road ride where a famous cyclist expressed surprise that I'd ridden so far on it

 

[mikeymustard]

.. and a closed-road ride where a famous cyclist expressed surprise that I'd ridden so far on it

Not Boris?

 

[shadaboot27]

Over the last few weeks i keep finding my self looking at pre 1960's Road or Sports bike like robin Hood sports 1951 and my own 1952 Raleigh .

Up till this started i was happy with post 1980's Road Bikes where can i go for more help

I also have the EXACT same problem! I got into bikes after I started selling vintage bike parts on eBay. After a while of shifting through loads of parts i developed a love for anything pre 60's. But why? Well I noticed that shortly after 1960 the quality of the parts and materials used started to go down hill. For instance pre 60's chrome components had a layer of brass under the chrome which really improved the finish of the chrome and also makes it more durable and last much longer. In the late 60's they stopped using the brass layer and as a result, lots of post 60's chrome parts that i was selling would have all the chrome peeling off and lots of rust bubbling through. This is just one example of poor quality, but another would be that they also started using a lot more plastic parts instead of metal. Like plastic gear levers, lamps, mudguards ect, which I don't like as it takes away from the vintage feel of the bike. Now I only sell the pre 60's parts and I also collect pre 60's racing bikes. I'll post a link below if you want to see my collection. But to sum it up i just think the older bikes have a lot more character and in my opinion they just look much nicer. However there are some down sides. For instance most pre 60's "Club" or racing bikes were no bigger than 23'' frames, which is fine if your not too tall, but I am 6 ft 2 and this is a big problem for me. Also a lot of these old bikes have 26 x 1 1/4 wheels which is an awkward size and can be hard to find tyres and tubes for. But if I was you I would go ahead and get the oldest bike you can get your hands on, fix it up and experience the joy of bringing a beautiful piece of history back to life!

Heres a link to my ones, Ive had many more in the past but these are the ones i currently own:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/clubcollector27/albums

 

[shadaboot27]

This is by far the best bike I have ever owned. I hate myself for selling it because I will never find a better example again. Its a 1935 Raleigh Golden Arrow Super Sports. God I wish i still had it!

 

[biggs682]

@shadaboot27 i have looked at some of your e bay bits and frames etc and being local ish i think a visit might be needed

 

[mikeymustard]

@shadaboot27 i have looked at some of your e bay bits and frames etc and being local ish i think a visit might be needed

are you losing your touch Martin? I thought you should just be able to conjure one out of thin air!

I definitely see where you're coming from here, those 40s and 50s machines do have a certain je ne sais quoi about them: those ridiculously relaxed angles and exaggerated bends in the drops etc. look mighty fine.
However I wotrry that they may need more attention than I'm capable of giving; though i guess I'm probably up to most jobs these days

 

[shadaboot27]

are you losing your touch Martin? I thought you should just be able to conjure one out of thin air!

I definitely see where you're coming from here, those 40s and 50s machines do have a certain je ne sais quoi about them: those ridiculously relaxed angles and exaggerated bends in the drops etc. look mighty fine.
However I wotrry that they may need more attention than I'm capable of giving; though i guess I'm probably up to most jobs these days

Tbh they are so simple and basic. I would say its much harder to fix and maintain modern bikes.

 

[biggs682]

are you losing your touch Martin? I thought you should just be able to conjure one out of thin air!

I definitely see where you're coming from here, those 40s and 50s machines do have a certain je ne sais quoi about them: those ridiculously relaxed angles and exaggerated bends in the drops etc. look mighty fine.
However I wotrry that they may need more attention than I'm capable of giving; though i guess I'm probably up to most jobs these days

@mikeymustard i have wanted one for ages but it wasnt till my roadster came along that i jumped at the chance , i wanted one that would do for my summer commuting bike and was able to be used in all weather and had to have alloy wheels , useable mudguards and cable rather than rod brakes .

I keep pestering somebody local who has a 50's road bike that his parents bought him for his paper round and i know for fact its not been used for 10+ years but so far he has refused to sell it