No need to do that. I have a fixie already. I bought the one on special from Nashbar a few months ago. it's the first NEW bike I've bought in 30 years! And I've owned a heck of a lot of bikes. I should write about that fixie, because it's lovely, and it only cost me $304.

Anyway, I'm totally in love with this Raleigh. My opinion of the mid- and late-70's English Raleighs isn't that high, but clearly, 1971 was an excellent year. You can't see it, but the brazing in the lugs is very clean, quite unlike the years that followed. I'm not sure how that affects ride, but the ride on this bike is gorgeous. The handling is incredibly sure, yet it doesn't sacrifice much maneuverability. Also a pleasant surprise is how well the bike climbs. I would expect a long-wheelbase bike to be sluggish on hills, but not this one. I expected this bike to be merely acceptable, but it's actually a joy.

So far, I think I have the oldest bike on this thread. 38 years!