What's the oldest bike you own?

[guitarpete247]

My road bike is from frame I bought in 1982, Columbia from Worksop (old Carlton site), new. All components are bits added since. Rear dérailleur is a '77 Suntour VX front Suntour ARX. Saddle Brookes Competition from a bike from late '70's. Brakes brand new Tektro. Wheels I had built about 1980, Maillard Normandy hubs and Mavic Mod E, 27" rims, for previous bike. Crankset I got off ebay a couple of years ago, an old Sakae Ringyo SA.
Not a groupset in sight but it all works well and given me years of good riding.
(Photo's in my Album need updating as new brakes fitted since then. They were taken Sept 2010).

 

[raindog]

Not sure that age matters that much anyway - except that there is something pleasing about old things that still work
years after they were made; simply because they were made well.

Very nicely put

 

[bobg]

1936 Raleigh Dawn... unless somebody changed the dated Sturmey Archer hub ....

 

[clarion]

We have a 1951 Rudge Pathfinder, but I had to give that to my partner once I'd rebuilt it and found it too small. I have a 1971 Dawes Galaxy as my current oldest, and a 1975 Elswick Hopper Light Roadster as the oldest-looking.

 

[Pennine-Paul]

1973 MKM Dominator

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

1936 Raleigh Dawn

'The Raleigh Dawn, that was in the '30s, this is now the 2010s and we are still waiting'


I'll get me coat.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Oh oh! I have the details of the VCC Humber Marque to write too, so I will hopefully get the answer about the bike's age!

 

[Minotier]

1984 Raleigh Clubman 531 frame, Suntour gearing, Cinelli bars, still in regular use, Described at the time as a Fast Road Bike.
Had from new, still got the signed photo of the frame builder, a guy called Mike Smart, this bike has done thousands of miles in it's lifetime and a good testimony to the craftsmen and women involved in it's manufacture! Now fitted with a Ritchey saddle, 27" wheels make tyre choice somewhat limited.

 

[Teuchter]

1978 Raleigh Transit (Sturmey Archer 3 speed roadster) that I bought in virtually unused condition along with an equally immaculate 1980 Raleigh Twenty for the missus for £70 the pair from the elderly couple who had owned them since new.

Got a couple of 80s road bikes as well. I can't bring myself to view anything from the 90s as a classic, just as I'm sure many people older than myself will feel the same about bikes from the 70s or 80s.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Hurry up Humber Marque, hurry up!

The date given for the bike in the sale was quite fantastic (no, really). I am not entirely convinced, but it doesn't even have the Duplex forks (which incidentally look kind of cool), so it could indeed be incredibly old, it could be a mish mash of different bits (although it all looks genuine based on my limited knowledge of the Humber history, besides, Duplex forks appeared after the First World War-1920s), or it could be something a lot newer made to look old. It all comes down to the serial number!

If it is in fact a complete stinker, I'd still like to know what it is, 'cos its mine, it isn't the bike's fault it has been misrepresented, and I'd love it regardless because it would still be a lovely old looking bike ripe for Tweed Runs and the like.

 

[tyred]

My understanding is that prior to the Raleigh takeover, Humber only used duplex forks on a few top end bikes. Raleigh used them on pretty much everything with a Humber badge until some point in the mid to late 50s when cost cutting started to kick in.

 

[Hilldodger]

Recently sold my 1870 Boneshaker and now my oldest is circa 1895.

 

[GBC]

Late 70s/ early 80's Triumph Team Leader racer. Bought it the year before last for £40 and take it out regularly. It has a fantastic feel to it in terms of ride and the drive train gives a silky smooth gear change (which does require a bit of practise with the non-indexed tube levers).
I loaned it to my brother earlier this year when he was back here on holiday, and thought I was going to have to resort to fisticuffs to get it back from him.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I will need to know its age and model before I can even think about restoring it, because, what I haven't told you all is that it's previous two owners (at least) were not very kind to it, with the first of the two covering it in black paint and the second guy I bought it from getting it all removed in a failed attempt to restore it himself.

The wheels also rusted away after it was left sitting in water (although the hubs are still with it), so I need to find a pair of period wheels which will fit the hubs, and also, because it doesn't have it's original paintwork, I have decided that I might as well get it all restored fully to original, as new condition (there is nothing original left to lose which isn't already lost).

The forks and handlebars appear to be nickel plated too, so a nice finish could be achieved with them also!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I'll need recommendations of PROFESSIONAL bike restorers and re painters by the way!

Hill dodger, surely you know some people out there?