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Think it goes back a long long way, when bikes had mudguards fitted in the factory. Old time steel mudguards I'm thinking. Even old type narrow plastic mudguards needed them. They do effectively stiffen the chainstays, if only by a little. The fact that good old Raleigh effectively dropped the...

So does my Summit. About that chainstay bridge that isn't- I removed mine completely prior to a respray. Before that, I'd removed the bridge from my Montage, and my Moonrun too. 501 frames are bombproof, stiff frames anyway, and I thought it might allow the chainstays to flex a bit more. Perhaps...

Here's my "old man of the woods" (that's me) styled GT. It is but a humble '93 Outpost, but I've known the bike since new, and owned it for about 10 years. It has a Suntour XC Comp rear mech, which may be worth more than the rest of the bike put together. I'm very fond of this bike, though-...

Fair comment there, clubby. We've all got opinions, that's a good thing.You've obviously put a lot of time into meets, postings etc, and I noticed we joined at about the same time- all I've done is a few postings. I'm happy with the site, as I've said earlier. My newest bike is a '98, most of my...

:D Not my frame, Oranges - but I'd like to know what happens too.. :?: Any news, Matthew?

Suntour year code for 1980 would be W, plus the letter for the month. Code for '89, F. You get the idea.

Thanks! Hard to say, I assume they thought people could "personalise" with a postcode or whatever. Suntour codes are different to Shimano. You can find them on the web too. So, yours is a later one, in groovy purple I assume. Mine was white from new, I got the green paint going many years ago...

I love to see old bikes being used. The care that an old bike's been getting is usually written all over it, good and bad. You can often hear it as well. And smell it, come to think about it. No, I don't mean sniffing it. The social side is not that important to me these days. I used to go on...

In my village, I do see quite a lot of mtb's around, local and not. Must admit I am the token old geezer on token old mtb, a part I'm happy enough to play. There's a nearby couple with garish his and hers Kleins I see once in an (anodised) blue moon, and I know a neighbour who has a 90's Kona...

And a close-up of the Biplanes, probably worth more than the rest of the bike put together. Bought them for the 25th birthday of the bike ("Desperate Dan"), not me. That ship sailed a while ago.

I've a few Raleighs of that era, and I don't think you'll find a proper s/n, just factory reference numbers. Not the same at all! For dating the bike, if it has the original front or rear mechs, just use the two letter Shimano code stamped on the back. My Mirage is ME- M for '88, E for May...

Hey Orangey, I refuse to take a long view when mine's perfectly suited to my needs.. But seriously, I'm with you as far as the 90's Oranges, I have a '94 Clockwork. And I'm thinking that ten minutes on a Cotic would possibly convince me that I really should buy one. Thing is though, they'll...

LGF, what is this " stem top cap" on which you do freely speak? Is it, perchance, some die-cast spawn of Beelzebub?

I think so too, LGF. It's all about the maintenance. But some folk have no conception or interest in the fact that riding bikes "in the wilderness" didn't begin in the 1970's- it was more like the 1870's. And in the Yukon goldrush, for instance, some of those prospectors undertook huge journeys...

Forgot to say that if I'd had a practical way to alter the amount of trail, I could maybe have improved things. But I didn't, so I couldn't.

If it's a simple way to get comfortable you're looking for, there's much to be recommended in bunging a BMX stem and bars on, like I did with my GT in the photo. I'm 64, and must have a bike (well, bikes) that I can ride all day. Experimented with longer forks, but the steering oscillated on...

Well, you can keep your original M563 in case you change your plans, but try a 4-bolt. I'll remind you that you may have chainline/Q issues. What you won't have is trouble finding rings to fit!

Lucky you! I see Spa still do a rh crank in that pattern. Stylish. I like the old Sakaes, from the sculptural point of view. I have the old and knackered SX from my '89 Montage (stripped extractor threads, not my fault guv) polished right up and ready for a new life as a lamp or something. It...

You may be a reincarnation of a Japanese master of ikebana, I reckon. There's a lot of "odd number" stuff in that. And there's rotational and bilateral symmetry to contemplate as well.. And I think you're right. Nicest looking wheels do have an odd number of "spokes". But think of the...

You're very welcome. I know the feeling you describe of buying a cheap bike, and feeling it was made for you. It is perhaps a magic bike for you! Happy travelling!