English cycles 'Special' - Jeremy Torr

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Here's another "Rat" photo:
I remember that it had plastic rims.

 

[Gruff]

Here's another "Rat" photo:
I remember that it had plastic rims.

When you say "plastic" rims , were they ACS Z rims? I know they did 20" and 24" but did they do 26" ones? or is that front a 24"?

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Here's another "Rat" photo:
I remember that it had plastic rims.

When you say "plastic" rims , were they ACS Z rims? I know they did 20" and 24" but did they do 26" ones? or is that front a 24"?

The front wheel on the Rat was 26" and the rear 20". And yes they were Z-rims.
I remember them also being used on some US style mountain bikes. Probably ones being sold by Bike-UK in London. Jeremy said that his next version of the Rat was to have a 24" rear wheel. Though I don't know if he ever made such a bike he did advertise a model called the Ratus in 1986, but fitted with more traditional Araya rims.

 

[IanS62]

Here's another "Rat" photo:
I remember that it had plastic rims.

When you say "plastic" rims , were they ACS Z rims? I know they did 20" and 24" but did they do 26" ones? or is that front a 24"?

The front wheel on the Rat was 26" and the rear 20". And yes they were Z-rims.
I remember them also being used on some US style mountain bikes. Probably ones being sold by Bike-UK in London. Jeremy said that his next version of the Rat was to have a 24" rear wheel. Though I don't know if he ever made such a bike he did advertise a model called the Ratus in 1986, but fitted with more traditional Araya rims.

My Eclipse Canyon LTD from Bike UK (built by JT, incidentally) had 26" ACZ Z-rims. They were rubbish - even Aztec pads did nothing more than scrape any mud off the rim without having any effect on speed. I swapped them for alloys asap until Mavic M4's came out. They were crap too but for a different reason!

 

[legrandefromage]

now up for sale.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=301165

 

[The History Man]

Re:

This really is suitably peculiar and possibly unique!

 

[IanS62]

Wot, the Rat or LGF's Range Rider?

 

[sickpup]

Back in 86/87 I worked in a shop called Bell Street Bikes in London NW1. Bell Street Bikes sold a tourer called the BSB 400 and an ATB called the BSB Blazer. That bike reminds me strongely of a bike built for Nick one of the owers. Pretty sure it isn't 'the bike' as I think it had a smaller frame but that is very close with the sloping top tube and drum brakes. May be worth asking if the builder built the blazer frames.