1983 Cleland Aventura No. 5 ***SOLD***
- Thread starter Strebor
- Start date
- Feedback
- View
Hi Folks,
I've just returned from riding Cleland Aventura No10 along the downs overlooking the Vale of Aylesbury including Rowsham where the Clelands were made.
My Cleland was part of the same batch of ten bikes but today the two bikes are quite different. Apart from the later chainset, No5 the identical to the Cleland Aventuras sold back in 1982-83. However my No10 was modified with all the available engineering improvement that was to be found on the first Highpath made Clelands.
Most of the surviving Cleland Cycles Ltd production bikes have some form of later repairs or improvements and some original parts replaced or missing. But No5 is the most original and complete Cleland Aventura that I know of.
As a prime example of the bikes that Cleland Cycles Ltd, arguably the first specialist off-road bicycle manufacturer in Europe, produced, it should really be displayed in a museum. Which is where I would try to find it a home if I could afford to buy it.
I sincerely hope that this bike finds an owner who will preserve it in its current remarkable condition. To do this they would need to fully understand that this bike is only one stage removed from being a prototype. Though it will ride and climb superbly, this bike has not yet fully evolved into the low maintenance mud-plugging structurally reinforced bicycles that the Clelands later became.
The issues are:
A long seat post must be fitted to stop the top of the seat tube from eventually sheering off as reinforcement tubing is not long enough and does not extend below the seat tubes.
There are no sealed or shielded bearings on this bike. The bottom bracket needs to be run on oil not grease and only the continuous flushing through of the oil will prevent permanent damage to the axle and bearings.
The narrowness of the front wheel hub flanges means that the front wheel much less laterally stable than the later Clelands.
The very short chainstays reduce the rear wheel mud clearance at the bottom bracket. They also will make this bike a superb hill climber.
Unlike some modified Clelands this bike does not have an offset rear triangle that allows the fitting of a un-dished rear wheel.
The French moped hub brakes are superb, but be careful not to contaminate them by over greasing the wheel axles.
It has a single reinforcing cross brace and not a laterally stiffer twin brace.
Despite some unresolved teething troubles in its design, this will still be a capable and very rideable bike.
AMERICAN LINKS
In 1981,Geoff Apps sent the 650B x54mm tyres it uses to the Marin pioneers who then built 650b mountain bikes making this an ancestor of modern 650b mountain bikes.
I do not expect a new owner to be disappointed by how well it rides and what it is capable of. But I would recommended that a smooth low impact riding style is adopted, in respect of both its age and historical importance.
BEWARE: If you tell modern mountain bikers that the Cleland predates mountain bikes in Britain they will think either think you mad, or 'telling porky pies'. And they usually only ask what type of bicycle it is, after you have out climbed them up a steep slope or successfully negotiated some obstacle like soft sand or slippy mud.
I've just returned from riding Cleland Aventura No10 along the downs overlooking the Vale of Aylesbury including Rowsham where the Clelands were made.
My Cleland was part of the same batch of ten bikes but today the two bikes are quite different. Apart from the later chainset, No5 the identical to the Cleland Aventuras sold back in 1982-83. However my No10 was modified with all the available engineering improvement that was to be found on the first Highpath made Clelands.
Most of the surviving Cleland Cycles Ltd production bikes have some form of later repairs or improvements and some original parts replaced or missing. But No5 is the most original and complete Cleland Aventura that I know of.
As a prime example of the bikes that Cleland Cycles Ltd, arguably the first specialist off-road bicycle manufacturer in Europe, produced, it should really be displayed in a museum. Which is where I would try to find it a home if I could afford to buy it.
I sincerely hope that this bike finds an owner who will preserve it in its current remarkable condition. To do this they would need to fully understand that this bike is only one stage removed from being a prototype. Though it will ride and climb superbly, this bike has not yet fully evolved into the low maintenance mud-plugging structurally reinforced bicycles that the Clelands later became.
The issues are:
A long seat post must be fitted to stop the top of the seat tube from eventually sheering off as reinforcement tubing is not long enough and does not extend below the seat tubes.
There are no sealed or shielded bearings on this bike. The bottom bracket needs to be run on oil not grease and only the continuous flushing through of the oil will prevent permanent damage to the axle and bearings.
The narrowness of the front wheel hub flanges means that the front wheel much less laterally stable than the later Clelands.
The very short chainstays reduce the rear wheel mud clearance at the bottom bracket. They also will make this bike a superb hill climber.
Unlike some modified Clelands this bike does not have an offset rear triangle that allows the fitting of a un-dished rear wheel.
The French moped hub brakes are superb, but be careful not to contaminate them by over greasing the wheel axles.
It has a single reinforcing cross brace and not a laterally stiffer twin brace.
Despite some unresolved teething troubles in its design, this will still be a capable and very rideable bike.
AMERICAN LINKS
In 1981,Geoff Apps sent the 650B x54mm tyres it uses to the Marin pioneers who then built 650b mountain bikes making this an ancestor of modern 650b mountain bikes.
I do not expect a new owner to be disappointed by how well it rides and what it is capable of. But I would recommended that a smooth low impact riding style is adopted, in respect of both its age and historical importance.
BEWARE: If you tell modern mountain bikers that the Cleland predates mountain bikes in Britain they will think either think you mad, or 'telling porky pies'. And they usually only ask what type of bicycle it is, after you have out climbed them up a steep slope or successfully negotiated some obstacle like soft sand or slippy mud.
Attachments
- Feedback
- View
So all the buyer has to do is buy a longer post and oil/grease it at proper intervals (like any bike)?
I soooooo wish I had a spare £1200. It's worth selling ANY other bike to get this. I can't think of anything else as special as this.
I soooooo wish I had a spare £1200. It's worth selling ANY other bike to get this. I can't think of anything else as special as this.
- Feedback
- View
Rob Atkin":a1otyqgo said:
You could fairly accurately equate this bike mechanically and structurally with a 1980's Dawes Galaxy tourer but with 2" wide tyres.
I know RoughStuff Fellowship riders that will off-road there old Dawes Galaxies through appallingly muddy and wet conditions. But after such a ride they will carefully listen to all the bearings knowing full well that they may need so strip them down, clean out and re-grease them. As not to do so would eventually lead to irreversible damage being done.
The biggest maintenance issue with an old Cleland are the bottom bracket bearings. In order to have a short wheelbase and good clearance 90mm wide bottom bracket shells were used. The only axles and bearings long enough were Bullseye 140mm long units originally intended for BMX use. Their axles runs on fine needle bearings that run directly onto the plain gauge axle only 2mm away from the exposed sections of axle. So grit can all too easily get into the bearings where it will start to grind away the axle surface. The old solution which was fairly effective was to make some improvised bearing shields using modified 35mm film containers and lids.
The thing to understand here is that the maintenance of later Clelands and Highpaths is not like "any other bike" As in response to early mechanical failures he mud defences evolved quickly:
*externally sealed bottom bracket bearings fitted with grease nipples
*sealed bearings buried deep within the hub brakes so that the dirt can't even get near to them
*improved chain and freewheel guards
The Clelands and Highpaths eventually became the all weather all year low maintenance machines that Geoff Apps always intended. Even if you ride one through deep mud every day the only maintenance needed will be to clean and oil the drivechain. Despite 24 years of being heavily abused, my 1988 Highpath still has nearly all of its original components and bearings. The exceptions being one set of worn out front brake shoes gears, many chains and bottom bracket axle that snapped.
I think it is important to differentiate the all weather mud-plugging reputation of the later Clelands from the less capable and miraculously preserved Cleland No5.
It would be a shame if a new owner unwittingly trashed this bike in the mistaken belief that its as tough as later Clelands or other old mountain bikes.
This low maintenance obsession continues in Geoff's modern bikes with their hub gears, and stainless steel chain that runs through tubes etc. But it is not that surprising when you realise that he always keeps his bike either outdoors or ready to go, on the back of his car.
Attachments
- Feedback
- View
Cleland finds new custodian
I'm happy to report that No.5 has now found a new custodian, north of the border and close to Geoff.
Thanks for all the positive comments and interest and I hope the new owner has as much pleasure as I have had, with his new mount, and gets out on a few rides to show her off.
Strebor
GrahamJohnWallace":2oqtdeh2 said:
I'm happy to report that No.5 has now found a new custodian, north of the border and close to Geoff.
Thanks for all the positive comments and interest and I hope the new owner has as much pleasure as I have had, with his new mount, and gets out on a few rides to show her off.
Strebor
- Feedback
- View
Congratulations to the new owner of No5 Welcome to the Cleland Club.
Geoff is delighted that this bike will now have a new Scottish owner.If I or Geoff can help in any way: advice, parts, history, contacts etc.
do get in touch either via RetroBike or via the Cleland Website at:
www.clelandcycles.wordpress.com
- Feedback
- View
I can't believe I have a Cleland sitting in my bike room. :shock:
Thanks very much to Jan for a mammoth drive to get the bike to me. How lucky a frame you wanted came up for sale just down the road from here.
I shall put up a thread in Reader's MTBs --> 1997 in due course to keep Grahams Aventura Highpathcompany.
:mrgreen:
Thanks very much to Jan for a mammoth drive to get the bike to me. How lucky a frame you wanted came up for sale just down the road from here.
I shall put up a thread in Reader's MTBs --> 1997 in due course to keep Grahams Aventura Highpathcompany.
:mrgreen:
Similar threads
