Bicycles

[Medullary Ray]

Owned too many bikes to list over years. Current stable includes:
1982 GT Performer BMX with Tioga, Suntour and Sunrace
1979 531c Parker Thompson Elite with Campy
1992 Kona Hei Hei, fully custom with very lightweight, retro kit - think Paul's, Proshift, RS Judy SLs, etc.
2009 Kona Hei Hei Supreme, again customised, carbon, magnesium and titanium everywhere.
2005 Specialised Enduro, lightly customised
2019 Kona Hei Heil Trail Supreme, stock. For now

I also build wheels, primarily for fun, including some for the above. Probably up to about 30 now.

Bikes are, quite simply, the best invention humanity has produced. I love them more than wood

 

[Just4Fun]

Going back to the original question in this thread, ie:

wondering if creative joinery and cycling are a linked interest.

I was musing on this because bikes also seem popular on other non-bike forums I use. The most surprising example is a motorsport forum where there are regular discussions of bikes and bike racing. Maybe cycling is just generally popular and this forum would be unusual if we didn't show any interest in it.

 

[Jameshow]

Slow speed bicycle.

Five years ago I had an operation on my foot, to fuse three joints and stabilise them with a metal plate. The result is a foot that is pain-free so long as it is used lightly (5000 steps per day or less).

However my wife and the dogs enjoy rather longer walks. The solution is a slow speed bicycle that I can balance on at walking pace, stop abruptly when a dog finds something interesting, and resume cycling having changed to a lower gear when stationary.

My number 2 son sourced a 1930’s Humber ladies’ cycle with double bladed front fork, and front axle mounted well ahead of the steering tube, to give slow speed stability.

Modifications include : a tall handlebar stem to provide a sit-up-and beg posture; cable brakes instead of rod brakes, a modern Sturmey Archer three speed hub with extra-large cog wheel and a small chain ring to produce very low gearing.

It lives in my car behind the front seats.

Bikes fit so easily in a caravelle!

Mine the front wheel comes off and it sits hooked over the back seat held in by a long bungee cord.

Unless the bikes on board the holiday machine isn't going anywhere!!!

Cheers James

 

[Jacob]

Talking of old age and decrepitude - I had to fit in-line handlebar brakes on my drop bars, due to aching hands which I put down to statins. Hands OK now (stopped taking the pills) but they still are handy - means you don't have to lean hard forwards all the way down long hills

 

[novocaine]

I don't care what it is, if it has wheels I'll ride it. I ride a road bike a lot these days for the simple reason that I can get out and do something in a relatively short timeframe. I have 2 geared road bikes, one for summer and one for winter, both ali (I want titanium, I can't afford it though). I have a single speed steel framed road bike. I have a steel framed hardtail MTB that shock horror is a 26" wheel still, I have a trials bike, I have a 2 bmx, one of which is a 90s GT performer in full GT team guiss (including GT print tyres). theres a vintage carlton hidden away along with a recumbent (no space to have it out) a 6" travel downhill rig (old school with jr T), a jump bike, a couple of folders for travel and possibly a few others hiding in the loft.

I worked as a bike mechanic (and race mechanic) in the late 90s early 00, I was one of the first cytech accredited mechanics in the area at the time, I was rock shox and marzocchi approved. I had Hope training for servicing around the time of the 4 pots and the mini. I was also, rather unusually for this country formula accredited.

now I do it for fun.

 

[TRITON]

Going back to the original question in this thread, ie:

I was musing on this because bikes also seem popular on other non-bike forums I use. The most surprising example is a motorsport forum where there are regular discussions of bikes and bike racing. Maybe cycling is just generally popular and this forum would be unusual if we didn't show any interest in it.

Converted on that fact
Must be just the Daily mail readership who taint the polls.

I have a steel framed hardtail MTB that shock horror is a 26" wheel still

Considered Retro these days. With brakes when correctly set up... are as good as disc brakes. Sorry, had to throw that one in there. Don't know how many purists I've heard harking on how good canti brakes were bitd, when we all know they were rubbish
What is it exactly ? earlier or later discs ?

 

[novocaine]

It's an on one inbred single speed from 2010 ish. it is disc'd. I sold the hope minis (for a tidy little sum) and put a pair of clarkes m2 with organic pads on. I thought about putting the formula b4s on (remember those, the lightest disc brake on the market one point), but getting parts is hard these days so I plumped for new instead. for the price they are pretty damn good, considerably better than cantis. it's been somewhat modernised over the years with 760mm bars and 40mm stem, replaced the Z2 flylights that I've had for 20 odd years with a suntour (yer I know) radion at 140mm (whilst it's bargain it's a cracking fork by all accounts) with through axle, truvativ crank with a 32 tooth and (I'm not sure now I'm typing) an 18 tooth on the back. the wheels have been rebuilt 3 or 4 times but currently have a hope bulb front hub and a shimano rear. 2.4" tyres too. I'm wondering about buying a couple of 650b hoops and rebuilding the wheels again, I know they will fit the frame and fork already.

it's bomb proof, it takes everything I can throw at it locally and then some, it's been used for hammering down trial centres (I've got north wales on my door step) then a rack put on the back the next day and toured for the weekend, it's done street trials and local jump spots and never batted an eye.

here she is a few years ago in rigid guiss with the b4s hanging off her.
On a Break by David Rees, on Flickr

anyone who tells you they are gas pipe frames doesn't know what they are on about and I'll wager that on any given day it would be one of the lightest bikes at a trial centre (not that I go to many, I don't really like them).

as to cantis, they were dung, V brakes were marginally better and a modern cable disc would put any of them in to the corner. the winter road bike has cable discs and they are fantastic. this from someone who had a set of RST DX cable brakes back in the 90s, when they were quite frankly, dangerous.

 

[Jacob]

......


as to cantis, they were dung, V brakes were marginally better and a modern cable disc would put any of them in to the corner. the winter road bike has cable discs and they are fantastic. this from someone who had a set of RST DX cable brakes back in the 90s, when they were quite frankly, dangerous.

I've never had discs - so I've had to rebuild a lot of wheels over the years to replace the rims. Then some time down the line start replacing spokes which have been reused several times and starting to pop. Cantis are a bit of a PITA compared the neat little callipers I've got on my road bike.

 

[TRITON]

It's an on one inbred single speed from 2010 ish. it is disc'd. I sold the hope minis (for a tidy little sum) and put a pair of clarkes m2 with organic pads on. I thought about putting the formula b4s on (remember those, the lightest disc brake on the market one point), but getting parts is hard these days so I plumped for new instead. for the price they are pretty damn good, considerably better than cantis. it's been somewhat modernised over the years with 760mm bars and 40mm stem, replaced the Z2 flylights that I've had for 20 odd years with a suntour (yer I know) radion at 140mm (whilst it's bargain it's a cracking fork by all accounts) with through axle, truvativ crank with a 32 tooth and (I'm not sure now I'm typing) an 18 tooth on the back. the wheels have been rebuilt 3 or 4 times but currently have a hope bulb front hub and a shimano rear. 2.4" tyres too. I'm wondering about buying a couple of 650b hoops and rebuilding the wheels again, I know they will fit the frame and fork already.

it's bomb proof, it takes everything I can throw at it locally and then some, it's been used for hammering down trial centres (I've got north wales on my door step) then a rack put on the back the next day and toured for the weekend, it's done street trials and local jump spots and never batted an eye.

here she is a few years ago in rigid guiss with the b4s hanging off her.
On a Break by David Rees, on Flickr

anyone who tells you they are gas pipe frames doesn't know what they are on about and I'll wager that on any given day it would be one of the lightest bikes at a trial centre (not that I go to many, I don't really like them).

as to cantis, they were dung, V brakes were marginally better and a modern cable disc would put any of them in to the corner. the winter road bike has cable discs and they are fantastic. this from someone who had a set of RST DX cable brakes back in the 90s, when they were quite frankly, dangerous.

I recently had an inbred, sold it gumtree because it was just a bit too small Nice bikes though, a good weight despite being steel, and well gusseted. I think I've still got the original inbred saddle somewhere. I thought the paint jobs on them though were pretty thin, cheap affairs. found it prone to rust spots.
Looks a nice clean build. Certainly like the forks

 

[Johannes]

 

[Johannes]

Slightly off-topic, recycled Campag 12 sprocket.