Old Bloke On An Old Bike
The story of the restoration of a 1950s classic bicycle for a Land's End – John O'Groats charity ride in aid of Alzheimer's Society
Welcome
Welcome to the Old Bloke On An Old Bike blog.
My name is Steve Pudney. I’m a university professor now, after a recent move from Essex, working in Sheffield, England.
Incredible though it still feels – I turned sixty-five in June 2016. Many people still regard a sixty-fifth birthday as the beginning of old age and incapacity. They’re wrong! I wanted to mark this personal event in a way that emphasises the capabilities of older people and also does something to help people who do face disability in later life.
My aim was to restore to pristine condition a bicycle that is as old as I am and, starting on my birthday in 2016, to cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats – a 65-year-old bloke, riding a 65-year-old bike (almost) 65 miles a day. I was accompanied part of the way by my son, Eric – another academic, based in Lund, Sweden. Eric was riding a 25-year old bike. The ride was a great success and enormously rewarding for me. This blog is a kind of diary, telling the story of the restoration project and the planning and execution of the ride. Although the Land’s End-John O’Groats ride is now done, I’ll keep this site and the blog going, to cover other bike restoration projects and further adventures on old bikes.
I’m doing this for a good cause. Dementia is a disability that causes terrible suffering for many older people and their families. It also generates enormous costs of long-term care for the rest of society. We all stand to gain from progress in the treatment and care of dementia. I want to appeal to anyone who visits this blog to consider sponsoring my efforts through a donation, small or large, to Alzheimer’s Society. You can do this by visiting my JustGiving page. The appeal remains open, so please help me to reach the target of £6500.
7 comments on “Welcome”
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Old Bloke On An Old Bike 
Well old man, if you manage to achieve your goal I will happily sponsor you for £65.
Good luck and best wishes to both you and Ruth.
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Sorry old man – only just seen this. It’s very good to hear from you – and thanks very much for the sponsorship.
Building the bike may well prove more difficult than doing the ride!
Hope to see you again before too long.
S
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Very impressive…Good luck. Will definitely sponsor nearer the time… let me know. x
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Hi Steve, Usually, I’d be loathe to support or be friendly to you in any way, shape or form. But the cause is so good, and the prospect of your having a miserable time so great, that I can’t help but promise £100. Will there be a live-feed “Stevemic” for us to listen to your language as you progress? £101 if you can set one up! Cheers, Paul
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Paul. Thanks so much – I’m overwhelmed. I promise to suffer hugely and (if I can master the technology) to set up a live feed documenting the depths of my misery as I trudge up each appalling climb in the pouring rain…
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I’m 66 in July, so can relate to your panic, nice bike, mind. Feel sure you can do it, £65 waiting for you when you finish. “Good luck”, as they said in the great escape ! Barry Dawson, Jaywick
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Hi Barry. Sorry to take so long to reply – I can’t keep up with everything. The donation is really kind of you. It’s great to have the support of another “old bloke”!
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