Members' bikes

[clarion]

Bar ends are great.

[SpaceBadger]

Since my other frame went kaput the other week, I bought this as a replacement.  Surprisingly, everything on it appears to be original (though I'm not sure about the brake pads or tyres).

                                               

The photo doesn't really do justice to the frame colour

The transfer is (nearly) complete.  I've left the original tyres on for the mo' to keep that rugged look, and I'll be adding a front rack, a slightly taller, longer stem, and a couple of other bits.  I probably need to do something about the gearing, as the only top-pull front mech I had in the attic is a Deore mech, which doesn't work terribly well with the road shifters I use, so I'm reduced to a 42-30 double at the front. 

                                               

  What had that bike ever done to you to deserve that?

 

[LEE]

I think it looks good (but I would say that).

Not sure what frame Deano used but it looks very similar to my 1995 Saracen Cro-Mo.

Old, rigid, MTBs of that vintage don't really make very good MTBs.  The wheelbase is usually very long, the gear ratios too high (by modern standards) , the brakes are usually pretty poor and those beefy forks rattle your fillings out.  My budget GT hardtail (£170 in 2007) knocks spots off the Saracen (£325 in 1995 !!!) off road.

That long wheelbase does make them pretty good for rugged, comfy, loaded touring bikes though.  I'm really pleased with the road manners of mine and I'm sure deano will like his equally.

I replaced the crappy cantis with Deore V-Brakes/Levers I had in my box-o-bits

[Deano]

It's an Orange Oakley Clockwork cro-mo frame.  I bought it to replace a similar frame when that suffered a (probably) terminal failure. 

The advantages of MTBs of that era are that they're pretty strong, pretty light, come with big clearances for mudguards and tyres, have braze-ons for racks and guards, and nowadays they're pretty cheap (though becoming less so).  To buy something similar off the shelf would cost muchos dineros, so they're perfect for converting into go-anywhere tourers.  With some slick tyres it's a nice ride on the road, too.

The bar ends are brilliant set to friction, and they were a bargain (I swapped them for a dying DVD player).  I've routed the cables up to the stem; I always think it looks awful to have them splayed out from the hook of the drops, and I'd worry about catching them on passing obstacles.

[alan]

 

The advantages of MTBs of that era are that they're pretty strong, pretty light, come with big clearances for mudguards and tyres, have braze-ons for racks and guards, and nowadays they're pretty cheap (though becoming less so).

I have a 1994 vintage Cannondale M800 mtb which needs only drops & appropriate brakes fitting to complete the conversion to road/touring duties.In fact I used it for a weekend cycle-camping to Cannock Chase a few times.It has front & rear pannier racks,full mudgaurds & 28mm slicks.
I did consider using it to do E2E if I decided to use tent etc. but the charms of B&B's prevailed.

[Oscar's dad]

Here is Claud looking ruggedly handsome in winter plumage.  Since it looks like I will be riding more bridleways    in the foreseeable future (like tonight!) I thought I would put his narrow nobblies back on (Schwalbe Sport CX Pro 26x1.25) in place of his Marathon Plus boots which don't have the same grip.

As I have said many times before, I love this bike.  There isn't much he can't do which includes going up and down Mont Ventoux this summer.

[Oaky]

My commute/leisure/shopping/utility/hack/winter bike, a 2007 Spesh Globe City 6.1, now back on the road after needing a new rear wheel.

It now has a nice shiny 36h Rigida Sputnik on LX hub rear wheel (and a pair of brand new Marathon+ 28s to replace it's tired Specialized Nimbus 38cs).  I also re-fitted the rear mudguard now that Trailgator outings are less likely (The mudguard isn't actually the problem - it's the rack which needs to be removed, for the trailgator clearance - unfortunately Specialised chose not to include stays on the rear mudguard, and attach it to the rack instead).

I keep toying with the idea of doing a drop bar conversion, but am waiting for the necessary bits to come up cheap (Probably use bar end shifters, and a pair of those Dia Compe 287V levers, unless I manage to snap up some 27 speed Shimano STIs on the cheap, in which case, I guess I'll need Cantis or travel agents).  I do keep wavering though and thinking about the reduced hassle of just putting on some bar ends for some variety in hand positions.

[GruB]

That looks like a really really neat bike.
What is the weight like?

[Oaky]

That looks like a really really neat bike.
What is the weight like?

It's not a terribly light bike. 

As photographed there, (including the M+ tyres, and the hefty red lump of steel that the trailgator attaches to, but without the two giant locks attached) it's 14.5 kg.

I do like it though - it's always felt sturdy and surefooted, and came with hub dynamo (Shimano), lights, rack and mudguards included.

EDIT:  I should add that it's still my fastest bike. (At least in terms of peak velocity -- 47.3mph down a big hill near Pateley Bridge -- it averages about 2mph slower than my road bike though )

[StuAff]

My new(ish) Viner Magnifica- about a year old now, bought off eBay in August. Khamsins now replaced by Fulcrum 5s, due to an argument with a cattle grid later the same day I took this picture.

[StuAff]

And as it is now......

[gene hunt]

Carried out a few changes to the dolan this afternoon.

[Zoidburg]

The chain...

[gene hunt]

The chain...

Its new but why were you 

[Gus]

The chain...

Its new but why were you 

It's not slack   

[Maverick]

Here is my Mercian Audax purchased secondhand via this forum in September (thanks Terry).



Mixture of Campagnolo Chorus/Veloce drivetrain.
Shimano R650 brakes
Brooks Swift saddle
FSA K Wing compact bars and Easton stem (I know it is ugly but I couldn't find anything better for oversize bars and the K Wing is so comfortable)
Wheels are a bit of a hotchpotch of campag hubs (Mirage I think) and Open Sport rim on front and MA3 on rear shod with 28mm GP 4 Seasons . These are next on the list for upgrade when I can find some decent Campag hubs in silver.

This bike is just sooo comfortable and reasonably speedy (about 26kph moving average on rolling terrain i.e. eastern Scotland) despite its weight. I don't know how much it weighs but it is considerably heavier than my carbon race bike.

Here it is just prior to me puchasing it.

[eck]

Here is my Mercian Audax purchased secondhand via this forum in September (thanks Terry).
This bike is just sooo comfortable and reasonably speedy (about 26kph moving average on rolling terrain i.e. eastern Scotland) despite its weight. I don't know how much it weighs but it is considerably heavier than my carbon race bike.

Aye, quite "reasonably speedy" enough, thankyouverymuch, IIRC from the Saltire 200 a couple of weeks ago. Will you be showing us how "Nippy" it is next Saturday? 

Very nice build btw. 

[innesh]

Ah, I can picture you now, Maverick75.

I was admiring your bike outside the garage in Selkirk on the Gala 200.  My winter bike is a similar colour -aye, very practical 

I was the strong weak silent type (who didn't speak to you), but I was riding an orange Dave Yates.  You passed me several times, I'm sure.

[eck]

Ah, I can picture you now, Maverick75.

Aye, typical bloody cyclist, eh? 

Cyclist 1: "Do you know Jimmy McJimmy?"
Cyclist 2: "No, I don't think so. What kind of bike does he ride?"
Cyclist 1: "A <fill in bike of your choice>"
Cyclist 2: "Oh, him! Of course I know him, ridden with him for years. So that's his name, eh, fancy that, .... " 

[Rig of Jarkness]

I used to ride with identical twins in the MC&AC, their bikes were the only way I could tell them apart

[eck]

Charterhall, do you think people might have trouble telling us apart, seein' as how we both have magenta bikes?  




No, perhaps not.  

[Andrew Br]

The chain...

Its new but why were you 

You mean you forgot cranberries too ?

[rogerzilla]

It's pretty tight.  Not crab's arse-tight, but not Jordan-slack either.

[Rig of Jarkness]

Charterhall, do you think people might have trouble telling us apart, seein' as how we both have magenta bikes?  




No, perhaps not.  

I think your's is more flambouyant than mine 

[Rhys W]

I think your's is more flambouyant than mine 

 You've just made a new word - congratulations! It means "flash, and floats."