Interesting and Unusual Bikes You've Seen

[style over speed]

finally seen a a Bullitt bike in the wild  near the Oval last night, a new black one with a gaffer taped on cardboard box containing a lovely looking dog.

[Arno]

It's a Kickbike.  At the TdF Depart in London, they had a Kickbike demonstration race.

The french recumbent maker Zockra's got a blingy prototype too



forum in french here http://velorizontal.bbfr.net/t11672-trottinette-zockra

[TimO]

I think you'd get more than a few snooty looks if you cycled that along the pavement in central London.

[Bledlow]

Kickbike = big scooter.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Or scooter with big wheels. So the pavement seems the natural place for it - but probably it can travel a lot faster than a usual kid's scooter thanks to those big wheels, so maybe more appropriate on the road.

[recumbentpanda]

Student of mine once had a rather fine red Kickbike. It was indeed fast - faster than my Brompton on the level. However, he only ever rode it on the pavement . . . until it was stolen from outside his flat. Karma. Bikema.

[clarion]

This morning at Epsom Hospital, I parked my bike next to a rather lovely but understated machine.  Black, lugged, steel frame.  SA 3-spd hub and hub brakes.  Brooks saddle and leather look bar tape.  Oh - and an elegant chainguard.  i think there was a very proud and happy owner onsite.

On my way home, as I was unlocking my bike in Epsom, a chap on an orange bike passed me.  I then dropped my mitts and faffed a bit, but caught him up before the first roundabout on the A24.  Steel frame (not an expensive one), flat bars, aged rider.  But hey - fixed gear!  Smallish chainring, but a shiny Miche hub, and he was riding not fast, but well.  I stuck with him for a while, enjoying his enjoyment of riding his bike, then sprinted across the lanes to where I needed to turn right.

[Bledlow]

A Vanmoof, at Cemetery Junction in Reading.

[Phixie]

On my way home, as I was unlocking my bike in Epsom, a chap on an orange bike passed me.  I then dropped my mitts and faffed a bit, but caught him up before the first roundabout on the A24.  Steel frame (not an expensive one), flat bars, aged rider.  But hey - fixed gear!  Smallish chainring, but a shiny Miche hub, and he was riding not fast, but well.  I stuck with him for a while, enjoying his enjoyment of riding his bike, then sprinted across the lanes to where I needed to turn right.

Hi young Clarion,  you should have said "Hello" - it would have been good to meet you properly.  It was indeed a great day to be out on the bike, just as long as you had sufficient clothing.  I sensed there was someone behind me and then saw you turning at the lights Suttonwards.  I think you were on your Dawes?  You'll probably catch me again as I'm fast only downhill!

Just for the record, the gearing is 39 / 15 = 70".

See you up the road sometime.

BR

[clarion]

Oh hi!  Yes, I hadn't clocked that the sprocket was that small, but your smooth cadence should have told me it was something of that order.  Sorry for referring to you as 'aged'  now

I was going to pass you as I caught up, but there was a car passing, and then I spotted the bike and I fancied taking a bit to have a closer look as we rode.  What is that frame, by the way?  Is it a Holdsworth (hence the orange)?

I was on a Ridgeback Romany.  And I don't ride through Epsom very often, though it's not far away.  In fact, it was unusual for me to be on the A24 at all, so very lucky to see you in all! 

Hope to see you again, though.

[Phixie]

Oh hi!  Yes, I hadn't clocked that the sprocket was that small, but your smooth cadence should have told me it was something of that order.  Sorry for referring to you as 'aged'  now

I'll forgive you as you also referred to me riding well    At least all those years on the bike have not been wasted!  Well spotted for the fixed gear and Miche hub btw.  It's relatively new as the old one wore out, hence still clean.

I was going to pass you as I caught up, but there was a car passing, and then I spotted the bike and I fancied taking a bit to have a closer look as we rode.  What is that frame, by the way?  Is it a Holdsworth (hence the orange)?

Probably - I bought it second-hand about nine years ago and honestly can't remember. It was resprayed that colour because I liked it rather than being authentic and was done by Mario Vaz who used to run their paint shop, I believe, so it probably was actual Holdsworth team colour.

I was on a Ridgeback Romany.  And I don't ride through Epsom very often, though it's not far away.  In fact, it was unusual for me to be on the A24 at all, so very lucky to see you in all! 

Hope to see you again, though.

Absolutely - and stay safe out there.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Parked behind the Colston Hall about an hour ago, a Thanet. Frame some variety of mixte, with a single top tube sloping down from the head bearings continuing as two slender stays to the rear drop out, but an additional 'down tube' consisting of two slim tubes running horizontally from the bottom of the head tube to the point on the seat tube where the top tube and 'mixte stays' cross it. The braking and transmission was really odd though. Both hub and rod brakes front and rear with the rod brakes seeming to be an addition - the front was made out of a length of copper water or gas pipe and the rear used a large spring which looked like it might have been more at home on a kickstand or holding a door closed. The gearing was an SA 3-speed but also antiquated 2-speed derailleurs front and rear. The chainrings had a fearsome difference. The derailleurs were operated by antique-looking short brass levers running in guides on the top tube. At some point the rear derailleur cable had broken and rather than replace it, it had been joined using a brass electrical wire connector! There was a hub dynamo connected to a large circular (hemispherical in fact) front light but no switching in evidence and there were brackets for battery lights front and rear as well as a modern Accor adjustable stem. Needless to say the whole ensemble was topped off by a tattered Carradice. Clearly a long-loved, much-bodged product of eccentricity. 

[mcshroom]

On the local news yesterday there was a report about an ex-servicemen and his mates doing a charity ride round the borders on a quad: -


http://www.itv.com/news/border/story/2012-12-10/four-man-tandem-ride-for-charity/

[Efrogwr]

Parked behind the Colston Hall about an hour ago, a Thanet. Frame some variety of mixte, with a single top tube sloping down from the head bearings continuing as two slender stays to the rear drop out, but an additional 'down tube' consisting of two slim tubes running horizontally from the bottom of the head tube to the point on the seat tube where the top tube and 'mixte stays' cross it. The braking and transmission was really odd though. Both hub and rod brakes front and rear with the rod brakes seeming to be an addition - the front was made out of a length of copper water or gas pipe and the rear used a large spring which looked like it might have been more at home on a kickstand or holding a door closed. The gearing was an SA 3-speed but also antiquated 2-speed derailleurs front and rear. The chainrings had a fearsome difference. The derailleurs were operated by antique-looking short brass levers running in guides on the top tube. At some point the rear derailleur cable had broken and rather than replace it, it had been joined using a brass electrical wire connector! There was a hub dynamo connected to a large circular (hemispherical in fact) front light but no switching in evidence and there were brackets for battery lights front and rear as well as a modern Accor adjustable stem. Needless to say the whole ensemble was topped off by a tattered Carradice. Clearly a long-loved, much-bodged product of eccentricity. 

You need to get sight of Hilary Stone's history of Thanet (I had a copy, but I don't have any idea where it is). There is mention of a customer called "Nutkin" who had some unorthodox (even by Thanet's standards) frames built by said firm.

[Toady]

He would do 2 or 3 pushes with one leg, then do a very neat little shuffle and then the same on the other side. His shoes were looking very second-hand by the finish.

There's a youtube video here which features him: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/gwqZ_JfWyrE&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/gwqZ_JfWyrE&rel=1</a>

As to that stepper bike, I'd love to have a go on one.  I can't figure out if it's really cool or utterly stupid.

Edit:  Strange coincidence.  Just researching helmet cams and came across footage of a dog powered kick-bike:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/zyZhYJgMjTE&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/zyZhYJgMjTE&rel=1</a>

[Cudzoziemiec]

Parked behind the Colston Hall about an hour ago, a Thanet. Frame some variety of mixte, with a single top tube sloping down from the head bearings continuing as two slender stays to the rear drop out, but an additional 'down tube' consisting of two slim tubes running horizontally from the bottom of the head tube to the point on the seat tube where the top tube and 'mixte stays' cross it. The braking and transmission was really odd though. Both hub and rod brakes front and rear with the rod brakes seeming to be an addition - the front was made out of a length of copper water or gas pipe and the rear used a large spring which looked like it might have been more at home on a kickstand or holding a door closed. The gearing was an SA 3-speed but also antiquated 2-speed derailleurs front and rear. The chainrings had a fearsome difference. The derailleurs were operated by antique-looking short brass levers running in guides on the top tube. At some point the rear derailleur cable had broken and rather than replace it, it had been joined using a brass electrical wire connector! There was a hub dynamo connected to a large circular (hemispherical in fact) front light but no switching in evidence and there were brackets for battery lights front and rear as well as a modern Accor adjustable stem. Needless to say the whole ensemble was topped off by a tattered Carradice. Clearly a long-loved, much-bodged product of eccentricity. 

You need to get sight of Hilary Stone's history of Thanet (I had a copy, but I don't have any idea where it is). There is mention of a customer called "Nutkin" who had some unorthodox (even by Thanet's standards) frames built by said firm.

I googled it and found that Mr Stone lives in Bristol and Thanet had a shop here.

Mr. Hilary Stone, editor of Cycling Plus magazine & vintage expert, has published a booklet, "Ease with Elegance"
which charts the history of Thanet and offers illustrations
and analysis of this unusual marque.

 

It is available for £8 sterling plus £5 airmail
postage. Checks must be in Pounds Sterling.
Send to:
Hilary Stone
32 Heyford Avenue,
Bristol BS5 6UE England.

http://classicrendezvous.com/British_isles/Thanet_home.htm
Airmail?!!! I could ride over there in fifteen minutes!

There does seem to be confusion between Thanet Cycles of Thanet and a shop in Thanet St in Bristol - I looked that up in the A to Z and it's a little dead end lane, seems pretty unlikely to have a bike shop there. But apparently it was the same people.

[rogerzilla]

In Oxford today.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/218k6hhqii3bstn/2012-12-15%2013.30.50.jpg

Curious frame design; a sort of trussed cross frame.

[Toady]

In Oxford today.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/218k6hhqii3bstn/2012-12-15%2013.30.50.jpg

Curious frame design; a sort of trussed cross frame.

Is it just me, or does that have a weird optical illusion effect whereby the rear wheel appears about 10cm closer than the front wheel?

[pcolbeck]

Its not just you.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Is the rear wheel a larger diameter?

[rogerzilla]

I don't know, but that is my finger over the lens (Samsung make a very unergonomic cameraphone).

[clarion]

This morning on CS7 there was a blue/pink fade Roberts with Campagnolo Delta brakes.

[Cudzoziemiec]

It's a homemade adaptation. I think it's probably by a bloke I've spoken to a while back.

[Domestique]

A pair of Gazelles, rare round here.

[Cudzoziemiec]

mrkwr otp was riding a Gazelle yesterday but it was nothing like those at all.