Flying Pigeon
 

Anyone know how someone can get their hands on one?

Thanks!

erm...try a gyrfalcon. Short of visiting China, visit http://stores.morganimports.com/-str...ike/Detail.bok

You might try this website for links.
http://www.flyingpigeonproject.org/

flyingpigeon-la.com

lol....


I meant a Flying Pigeon bicycle

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wVc040A2UE..._caballero.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1373/...b918601994.jpg

Also, any opinions on this bicycle?

It's heavy, poorly made, and single speed. If I was in the market for a new cruiser in the price range, I'd look seriously at the Schwinn Coffee and the Schwinn Willy. You get 2 more gears, and less price.

bu bu but you don't get the LONG MARCH vibe with a Schwinn.

This request doesn't sound as if practical considerations are of primary concern. They sure are different, you gotta admit.

I thought I wanted a "Nu' Worker's Bike" and looked into the Pidgeon and an India-made Raleigh Tourist clone, sold by Yellow Jersey, and determined that they are so poor mechanically that I would end up replacing every rotating component before it would be truly road worthy.
As much as the Raleigh DL-1's are priced lately, you will still be miles, and dollars, ahead buying one of these, if you really want a long bike.

I don't believe it could be more poorly made than a department store bike, and those hold up with a bit of care.

Have you guys seen one? It could be that since they are the transportation of many Chinese workers, they are good where they need to be albeit a little heavy.

However, they are not the rain bike you would think they are because chrome steel rims don't work well with rim brakes in the rain.

They also come in the obsolete 635mm rim. You'd have to search for tires and no way you'd get kevlar flat protection.

My neighbor has a mid 1970s Phoenix, from one of the other big government-owned Chinese bike factories. All parts are interchangeable with the FP bike. It is a decent ride, but the chrome quality is poor (everything except the chainwheel and cranks needs full re-chroming; you'll literally cut your fingers on the peeling chrome from the rims). You will have to work very hard to mess up the frame. It's stiffer than my house.

The folks at Flying Pigeon LA do some smart mods to theirs to make them run better and be more durable, including new cranks and hubs.
It adds a few hundred $ to the price, but it sounds like the increase in reliability is worthwhile for some.

Also, Schwalbe makes the Marathon kevlar belted tire in 635mm (28" x 1.5" english). It apparently works pretty well, except needs a lower pressure than rated to run well on those old-style rims. The Schwalbe Delta Cruisers work very well for a lot of people here, though they do not have Kevlar. I've been running them for 2 years on a Hercules sports with no flats.

Hmmm, I guess you could also get flatproof strips.

I was under the impression that a bike used by millions would be made to simple and last.

I would think that you might be better off getting the Indian bike that Yellowjersey imports. I've been eyeing those myself. I think I'd get it totally stock, but with the Sturmey 3 speed upgrade. If you got it singlespeed, it'd be a deal cheaper than the Flying PIgeons as well. But they won't take jumping off of curbs...

Here's one (not mine).

http://springfield.craigslist.org/bik/1648903016.html

Bob

That's not a bad price for a newer one, stateside.

IIRC, Flying Pigeon LA also still has the original bikes for $200 or so. Don't quote me on that. Shipping is dear.

To be clear, if I really wanted something like that, I'd make myself familiar with the ins and outs of the beast, and go for it. You can do lots of experimenting...

They are pretty neat mechanical artifacts.

look for an older Raleigh with rod brakes.much better bike and somewhat collectable.In fact I'm going to check out an older Raleigh with rod brakes in the morning.

Yellow Jersey will sell you one without assembly, just like they get it from India. Saves on shipping, and you'll be able to see all the gory details up close and personal.

It's actually only used by 3/4 of a billion - they keep back 1/4 of the population to do repairs and replace things that fall apart in the first few months.

What ticks me off is how much markup is placed on them over on this side of the pond. Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't they retail from $34 to around $60 USD in their home countries?

-Kurt

Sure, Kurt, but add shipping and customs fees, and you've more than doubled that $50-60, even in container lots of 200 units. And then you have to get them from the customs dock....I am not sure it's a case of greed, is what I'm getting after.
And bike shop owners need to eat, too.

Science Monster Mark, you might be right! Jeff over at Flying Pigeon Project has alluded to the vast amount of primitive bicycle repair facilities in Beijing. He loves his FP roadster, though, and commutes on it daily.

Anyhow, yes, by all means, a Raleigh/Phillips/Rudge/Armstrong/BSA/Humber Roadster will be a superior bicycle in every mechanical way.
I'm not sure that was exactly what the OP was looking for. If it's cheap he wants, he can certainly find it with a Chinese bike.

Once my neighbor bought her 1980 DL-1, she's hardly looked back at the Phoenix. Once I found her the 1957 Phillips, she's hardly looked at the Raleigh.

(Which is good, because *I* got it from her...who knows what would happen should she find a 1910-20 Sunbeam or a 20s-30s Umberto Dei)

Corey

Here's one for sale in Portland.... if you're in the area: http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/bik/1650876984.html

One of the cycling magazines got one to ride on the Olympic route. Weight of the bike was 50 pounds and the brakes were mostly for looks. The rider made it a few hundred feet up the first climb and turned around in failure.

They pop up on eBay but I wouldn't touch one. An old Raleigh or Columbia would be a better buy.

Taking a look at the official FP website in China, I see the rod brakes have been replaced with side pulls. They also sell a bike called "Anchor". How appropriate. ;)

A rod-brake bike has its' uses. And they both require and foster a certain mindset.

From the Eastman roadster page over at Yellow Jersey- this description fits the Flying Pigeons to a T, but those come with headlights, a basket, and a rack from the factory, and their decals don't peel off. And the paint is of slightly higher quality than the Indian versions.

"Eastman Roadster bicycles are not at all like the modern bikes we know today. They are long, slow-handling and noisy. Noisy because full metal chain cases chronically rub the chain. Or rub your spokes. Finish is mediocre. That includes the black enamel, the hand striping, the stickers and the brightwork. The factory is not climate-controlled, so there will be rust under both plating and paint. Fortunately the stickers peel off easily. Steel rims do not brake well in dry weather. Steel rims do not stop when wet. Handlebar and stem are one-piece brazed and not adjustable. Those who know and ride Roadster bicycles are smiling at this point. None of those things will bother them much. If those foibles are a concern to you, perhaps a Roadster is not your best choice of bicycles."

The paragraph above intrigued me enough to want to try one, and that Phoenix I mentioned was the first one I rode, followed by the Raleigh DL-1 that I now own.

CK

I forgot one thing in all of my previous verbosity....

Joe Bike , in Portland Oregon.

They sell Flying Pigeons with new 700c wheel sets and either cantilever or side pull brakes(they have shown both on the web site), and a new Shimano chain set and several hub options. Joe's way of thinking was that rod brakes simply aren't safe for Portland Oregon riding conditions, so they came up with these mods. They also offer the double-bar 24" frame that FP LA does not have. They are nice folks on the phone.

I would bet you could get an unmodified one from them, if you wanted, too. Anyway, if you have a can of frame saver handy, and some good car wax for the chrome, you could keep one cheap and cheerful if you're diligent about keeping it safe from the elements.

Let us know what you come up with.

Roadsters are fun. Any bike that puts a smile on the face of the rider is a good bike.

Corey