Hi all.
I'll try and keep it short and sweet
I am a 34 year 'bachelor' (god that makes me feel old ha ) who has been a keen rider of almost anything with two wheels, be they motorized or pedal powered.
I used to a mainly mountain bike snob, I am ashamed to admit, I only rode hard tails and was into a more cross country types and urban single speeders than the really expensive double suss bikes, the best bike I owned was a 24/7 Dark Angel frame in orange, Fox Vanilla Forks, Hope hydrolic disk brakes. Single speed but NOT A FIXIE! I have no time for fixed wheel bikes, I cannot imagine not being able to freewheel, it seems almost perverse.
I have had many bikes, I started on a BMX as a kid, the graduated onto a 70's Raleigh drop handled racer when I was around 10 or 11. I hated it at the time as the 90's were almost upon us and to kids my age the 70's seemed to be hopelessly old fashioned. I would love to have that Racer now, except it would be way too small for me.
My current ride is therefore ironically a vintage Raliegh. I have only recently aquired it and don't know what the model is as it had been stripped of any possible chain stays and the mudguards has been sawed down to almost pointless sizes. I know the rear wheel was made in March 1974, however according to the somewhat unreliable Serial Number ID the frame was made in '68. My frames serial number is somewhat longer than the normal. Prefixed by the letter C which is for frames built in 68, frames built in 74 were not the same format which leads me to believe the rear wheel is a replacement.
Anyway when I was first offered the bike as a bike snob I dismissed what at first seemed to be a battered old mans bike. I had, and would never ride a bike with a LUGGAGE CARRIER! And with village vicar type handlebars? And ONLY 3 GEARS! No thanks said I and so it was left to rot in my mothers back garden for the winter.
Then.
I saw it one day and noticed the white wall tyres and my mind started working, I saw things I hadn't noticed before, the almost art deco 'dimples' on the side of the forks, the heron design on the front light/basket? Bracket and Crank. The Brass Headbadge saying THE Raleigh made in Nottingham, England, I'd always seen these simply called Raleigh bikes but I digress.
So stripped her down, resprayed her black, put badge back on and a bit of lube here and there and she is looking lovely, especially with the new white saddle, the original was agony!
I use it as my primary source of transport as I am cureently going through quite a tough time and I LOVE IT. Sorry for writing so much when I promised so little, lol peace x