Dawes Ranger rehabilitated

[Tsundere]

I think that, aesthetically at least, these early ATB's really are the wonderful to look at, and as all round do anything bikes I still don't think the industry has matched them. They just look right, maybe not as visually stunning as some of the more evolved early mtb's that dominate this forum, but in their own way they are very appealing and easy on the eye. Slack as ****!

 

[Chdot]

They look good in the landscape too…

 

[Chdot]

Interesting article

https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/specialized-stumpjumper-40-years-in-the-dirt-415252
Several interesting quotes, inc -

“the first mountain bikes were marketed as “adventure machines,” Specialized said, designed to get away from urban life and back into nature”

Interesting photo



Think Dawes must have measured it…

(Or maybe Reynolds?)

 

[Joe_Rides]

This is great. Any more details on the wheels? Eg, what rims did you go for etc

 

[Chdot]

Pretty sure it was these -

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/rims-tape/32-thorn-275-650b-584-disc-rim-black/

(Currently out of stock)

These seem to be the same (silver braking surface)

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/rims-tape/32-thorn-275-650b-584-rim-w-cnc-sidewall-black/
Slightly wider and cheaper!

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/rims-tape/ryde-zac-421-275-584-rim-black-32-hole/
ALL 32h which may or may not suit.

Other rims and suppliers…

 

[Tootyred]

Zac rims are pretty bullet proof. Not the lightest, but you also have the advantage of the sidewalls not ending up with the black all skuffed off....ie they look better for longer omho.

Ive used ryde Sputnik on my touring bike for years....basically a rebranded ridiga.

 

[Chdot]

“Not the lightest”

Saving grams on rims, perhaps not the best priority.

“pretty bullet proof” - more important really!

“advantage of the sidewalls not ending up with the black all skuffed off”

Yes, I’ll enjoy the ‘black look’ as long as I can…

“basically a rebranded ridiga”

Sort of. Don’t know which current rims (if any) were ever Rigida.

Ryde has collected quite a few ‘well known’ names -

https://www.ryde.nl/homepage/history
They also seem to just make rims, which is (probably) a good thing -

https://www.ryde.nl/technology

 

[Tootyred]

Ryde Sputnik were rigida Sputnik.......ive built both. In fact the last pair i did for somebody was a straight swap over between a worn out rigida and a new ryde.

Its not a few grams its a couple of hundred and i doubt you would get much trouble out of a mavic a719 over a Sputnik.....except saving 360g of rotating weight.

Ryde are cheaper by 50% though.

 

[Chdot]

Interesting details.

A lot of trade offs and compromises with bikes and riding!

Some people go for the lightest then add bottles of water…

I always (?!) go for ‘value for money’.

Not sure how I make the assessments though…

 

[Chdot]

Actually no.

They are the original Weinmann brakes - very similar to Mafac ones.

The assembly that holds the spigoted brake block pivots and also allows a lot of in/out movement by the spigot - with more by adjusting the straddle wire.

The rims are narrower than the original ones which probably helps.

In recent years there is a LOT more choice as the size mostly(?) took over from 26”. Increasingly they come without braking surfaces, due to the move to disc brakes.

MUCH better availability than the fairly recent past where 650B seemed to be largely found on French utility bikes or on an American niche of touring bikes.

So, putting 650B on similar bikes should be fairly straightforward. On the Ranger, I think they look more ‘natural’!

Also

Maguras probably an option.

See

https://flic.kr/p/2jKg8xF

on a Cougar (not my bike/pic)