Batey

Hello my name is batey. I live in Oldham Lancashire. My interest in bikes and cycling started in 1984. There used to be back then city centre races with a mix of pro and amateur cyclist taking part. These short races fuelled my imagination. I started on a Raleigh 501 then moved up to a 531c Panasonic Raleigh frame adorned with parts purchased on the weekly from Harry halls on cathedral st Mcr. Was huge shop, an Aladdins cave of treasures and knowledge. I remember mr hall being a very nice fella. I would finish school and with my best pal Dave we would spend all evening racing around never stopping, not even for red lights. We were good and witch ever club we rode at weekends with we kept up and left the best they had to offer. I found most bike clubs clicky especially with me and my pal, not having the best equipment and apparel. I didn’t even have cycling shoes but we regularly left all behind especially on climbs. My second passion is lacrosse witch I focused on in my 20s. But I still had a passion for cycling. I build and restore bikes as a hobby and have a fair collection. I just finished a 1984 Raleigh Weinmann witch is exactly as Malcolm Elliot rode right down to the black 405 brakes. Everything on the bike is new old stock and it took me eight years to find it all. I have never ridden it. I also have a 1976 bianchi specialissima. A 1954 Ron Cooper gillott track bike. A 1982 531pro to ti Raleigh. A 1966 Pennine cyclocross bike I found in a skip. A 753 banana Raleigh. And another Raleigh Weismann witch has great patina. A couple of Peugeot’s. And a 1980 hardly used 531 Raleigh competition. The bianchi is from Glasgow where Robert used to shop and one of his TDF bikes now resides.