8 Feb 2015: The first ride…
… of at least 20 metres! Well, I put tyres on the wheel rims and, after an age fiddling around with spacers, managed to get the back wheel centred, and … Continue reading
26 Jan 2016: Wheels!
The wheels are a worry – if one breaks catastrophically on a fast descent, I’ll be in deep trouble. The problem is that 65 year-old rims and hubs were poorly … Continue reading
27 Dec 2014: Luggage…
Weight is the enemy… It would be hard work struggling up steep hills on a heavily-laden bike with 1950s-vintage gearing, so it will be important to take the bare minimum … Continue reading
29 Nov 2014: Steering and brakes
I now have a pair of GB “Coureur” brakes in place. They are side-pull lightweight brake calipers, designed primarily for racing bikes. Not as effective as the French centre-pull brakes … Continue reading
25 Nov 2014: Progress!
Quite a bit of progress to report.. The bike now has a beautiful hard leather “Swallow” saddle made by Lycett in the 1950s. Lycett was one of the early competitors … Continue reading
2 Nov 2014: The other bike….
Our plan is for Eric to make the ride on an old hand-built bike too. My earliest surviving bike is a tourer bought from Mosquito Bikes in Upper Street Islington … Continue reading
28 Aug 2014: the build begins…
I now have the heart of the bike that will take me from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise money for Alzheimer’s Society. It is a 23″ frame, hand-built … Continue reading
Old Bloke On An Old Bike 