bladderhead
Zen MBB Master
My Claud Butler was made in the fifties. I overtook all the dispatch-riders in London. The only person who could overtake me was my cousin, and she had a Rover Safety.jond said:
Flying the Flag without the drag
- Thread starter Andrew Wilson
- Start date
3bs
whereabouts unknown
in 1985 i studied in london lived in the west end. i brought my miyata "mountiain bike" from the states, that was not only sporting big knobbies, but i had it geared super wide, so i could climb anything, and then it would still zoom like a street bike.
the messengers were all about it, as i could tuck in behind ambulances and shoot across town with the best of them, and then mud it out on the same rig. Wales was really the off road spot back then. guys in london were building off road bikes out of Dawes touring frames....
the messengers were all about it, as i could tuck in behind ambulances and shoot across town with the best of them, and then mud it out on the same rig. Wales was really the off road spot back then. guys in london were building off road bikes out of Dawes touring frames....
bladderhead
Zen MBB Master
Dawes off-road in the mud in Wales. Sounds like cyclo-cross.
3bs
whereabouts unknown
@bladderhead yep, those were the guys trying to create things similar to what i was riding. cyclecross was gravel before gravel was gravel. but, big honkin ballon bmx mud tires they did not have, and as proper englishmen, they had a high view of cyclecross and trials, and a decidedly low opinion of bmx amd mtb cruisers, and a crazy yank riding a beach bike with mechs ripping thru london drafting ambulances.
thankfully, i was able to find a local irish pub and a local austrailian pub to drink at so that i would not stick out. both places adopted me with open arms.
then, i took myself and my bike to scotland, where they didn't blink an eye.
thankfully, i was able to find a local irish pub and a local austrailian pub to drink at so that i would not stick out. both places adopted me with open arms.
then, i took myself and my bike to scotland, where they didn't blink an eye.
bladderhead
Zen MBB Master
My Claud Butler had 6 gears, all really high, close ratio. I was on the biggest two cogs almost all the time. That is the way to climb Muswell Hill. Character-building.
That was before the COPD got me.
All those years ago, CB made classic bikes. Now - different shape, different metal, but CB make classic bikes.
That was before the COPD got me.
All those years ago, CB made classic bikes. Now - different shape, different metal, but CB make classic bikes.
