It’s never too late! The hardest part was starting after that you just take it as it comes. Dawes gave me the bike, Brooks the saddle and Carradice the panniers. They didn’t want anything in return but got a reasonable amount of publicity en route. I was raising money for a charity but it was something I wanted to do in any case. Started with two others for the first 6000 miles but then they started using buses and trains so I did the rest on my own but did meet other cyclists so cycled across Australia in company and also in New Zealand. You should do it but I know life gets more complicated as you get older with jobs responsibilities and possessions.
Dawes Ranger rehabilitated
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The Ranger to ride is pretty grim, you can drive a bus between the back wheel and the seat tube.
Hats off to anyone that has done one up buy they are pretty hopeless as all terrain bicycles
Hats off to anyone that has done one up buy they are pretty hopeless as all terrain bicycles
OSMojo
Old School Hero
The Ranger to ride is beautiful, the relaxed seat tube and head tube angles smooth out the judder, the rear stay length you mention is intentional to give a LWB which again gives a smooth ride. Great at climbing so very good all terrain. They wouldn't be good as DH MTB racers, but no one wants them for that.
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Not sure when they offered blue. This was restored, including paint, by me. A real scrap barn find.
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As a bike packer I should imagine it would be ideal. For anything requiring corners, or a response less than glacial, I’m not so sure.
Wonderful. Not ruled out and I've been doing shorter trips (up to a couple of weeks, rather than many weeks, months or years) over the last couple of decades across parts of Europe. I am sure it's qualitatively different, though, when your life is on the bike. Thanks for sharing.
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These bikes are a great snapshot of the era, very few people knew what they were doing!
Having owned and ridden many of this era of bikes, very few builders got the recipe right
If you go back to the history of these things, many were copies and there is nothing easier than to copy someone else's work. That's why many bikes looked the way they did and with the availability of only a limited catalogue of tubesets, dropouts and lugs, customisation would have bumped the price up.
The Ranger simply isn't a good bike, it is an okay bike but not when compared to other models,( all be it very few!) that were available.
They had all seen what specialized were up to and wanted in on the act
Dawes and Ridgeback were the only volume producers capable of knocking out the ultra fashionable and lucrative mtb/ atb at the time. But this was a very very short time, new names would soon become available leaving these bikes looking very old hat within a few months
Having owned and ridden many of this era of bikes, very few builders got the recipe right
If you go back to the history of these things, many were copies and there is nothing easier than to copy someone else's work. That's why many bikes looked the way they did and with the availability of only a limited catalogue of tubesets, dropouts and lugs, customisation would have bumped the price up.
The Ranger simply isn't a good bike, it is an okay bike but not when compared to other models,( all be it very few!) that were available.
They had all seen what specialized were up to and wanted in on the act
Dawes and Ridgeback were the only volume producers capable of knocking out the ultra fashionable and lucrative mtb/ atb at the time. But this was a very very short time, new names would soon become available leaving these bikes looking very old hat within a few months
OSMojo
Old School Hero
That's your opinion. IMO it is, light 531 tubing, hand built, nice relaxed angles, lwb, beautiful lugs, gorgeous, absolutely stunning bike.
I must say it's uncool on these forums to turn up to a thread and slag off the bike people have a passion for. Maybe you should listen to your own signature.
It was a very good bike to me back in the day. Confidence inspiring long wheel base and a long reach for my lanky frame. Great at climbing thanks to ability to slam the seat right back on the layback seat post. I was gutted when the bike shop told me that bottom bracket shell had cracked and it wasn't worth repairing. The maroon frame was my favourite ever bike colour.
Would it still be good to me? I don't know but I'd sure like to try given the chance.
Would it still be good to me? I don't know but I'd sure like to try given the chance.
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