Regrets

[glenfield2]

Ooo-er! Some posh bikes!
Mine are a Spa Audax titanium and a Dawes Galaxy Tour (which I did LEJOG on 20 years ago, just before my 60th birthday). Also Audax 100km circuit from Buis les Baronnies and back, via Mont Ventoux. So there! Actually a nice day out at audax speeds, with a spectacular descent.

Ventoux is my remaining bucket list ride - if I can find low enough gears to drag my aged body up there!

 

[Delwood]

Ventoux is my remaining bucket list ride - if I can find low enough gears to drag my aged body up there!

I rode four PBP's between 1991 and 2003, all on the same Roberts bike, alas I no longer have it.

 

[Spectric]

Ventoux is my remaining bucket list ride - if I can find low enough gears to drag my aged body up there!

You could go electric for some assistance, no point in overdoing it in old age.

 

[pip1954]

You take me back when I was a kid (1966) me and my brother used to race here in UK we rode for Harold wood wheelers cycling club ,I was 12 years old we built our own bikes with light weight steel frames alloy wheels tubeless tyres used to be able to lift my bike with your little finger, those where the days used to train all week and race 10 or 25 mile road races Saturday or Sunday.
Great memories I don't think I could even get on a bike now days

 

[Fergie 307]

I have an old Raleigh Corsa I bought of a mate in the mid 80’s. 501 frame/forks and Golden Arrow group set. I have done many miles on it although it doesn’t go out much now. I never considered it particularly special but it often draws admiring comments from other cyclists.

Have a Carlton Criterion, with the Golden Arrow set. The high end Raleigh bikes, including those used on the tour, were all made by Carlton at Ilkeston (the skunk works) By then also owned by TI, but kept separate from the main factory where Raleigh bikes were made at Nottingham. I was lucky enough to visit both works as a teenager as part of my training to become a 5 star Raleigh dealer bicycle mechanic ! I probably still have the certificate somewhere.
Also remember fun hours spent at Alan Shorter's shop in Hightown Road in Luton, where the great man made the frames, including for the first sub 50 minute 25

 

[Jacob]

Ventoux is my remaining bucket list ride - if I can find low enough gears to drag my aged body up there!

Easiest from Sault and a very nice ride, from lavender fields, winding uphill through woods, a steady slog with just the last few km a bit steep, bare mountainside, passing Tom Simpson memorial. Nippy at the top, rapid warm up with fast descent on lovely wide smooth tarmac. Ordinary touring gears fine.
My classiest bike ever was a 1965 Mercian Superlight £25 second hand. Overloaded touring in Crete (wrong bike!) and head tube split. Managed to limp on, not using front brake and with jubilee clip holding it together. Lucky to have one in my bag! Have carried several ever since but never needed again, least of all on a Dawes Galaxy.

 

[MikeJhn]

I have an old Raleigh Corsa I bought of a mate in the mid 80’s. 501 frame/forks and Golden Arrow group set. I have done many miles on it although it doesn’t go out much now. I never considered it particularly special but it often draws admiring comments from other cyclists.

You have confused admiring comments for sympathy.

 

[Chubber]

Not immediately, but selling a Morgan 3 Wheeler (JAP 900) to fund a Ford Prefect must now rank as the silliest thing in the world, unless you count selling an NSU moped registration HOT 901 for £12.

What would a particular type of Porche driver pay for that today?

I have always said that when it rains oxtail soup, my bowl will be upside-down....

 

[Fergie 307]

If it was raining oxtail soup I would make damn sure my bowl was upside down

 

[Tris]

Knowing my luck it'd be the workings of 'Blaster' Bates rather than oxtail soup

 

[artie]

I've had a few, but then again too few to mention.

 

[MikeJhn]

I've had a few, but then again too few to mention.

Bit late to the party, see posts 6, 7 & 8

 

[artie]

Bit late to the party, see posts 6, 7 & 8

Yeah, but i did it my way.

 

[trvlr]

I used to ride a pre WW2 Hercules with a fixed wheel - and no gears of course. It wighed a ton... But it took me all over North Wales in the mid 1950s... Also used to use my Mum's Sun (another pre war bike) as well; mostly for skool before Got to use the Hercules - which was acquired elder brother from a neighbour. Sed Hercules became mine to use a while whilst he doing his National Service...

Next bike aeons later was whatever brand (in Canada) with the dreaded multiple gears - masses of cogs etc; I had so trouble with that system that for my next bike (a Dawes in the UK) I had the rear wheel rekitted with a 4 speed Sturmey Archer hub; so much easier to use...

 

[MikeJhn]

That brings back memories, my fist bike was a Hercules Windsor bought at Chapel Street Market, it had a thee speed hub, weighed far too much for a teenager with aspirations to go racing. LOL

 

[stuckinthemud]

Bought an old Peugeot road bike (no idea what) for a few quid in the early 90s. Rode it for years. Put 100s of miles on it. Rode it til it needed new wheels, tyres, brakes, chain, handle wraps and cables. Choice was scrap or restoration. Wish I’d restored it. Best bike I ever owned.