English Range Rider

[GrahamJohnWallace]

The chainstay looks to have been ground away and then sprayed over, this must have been done when it was made or shortly after as I haven’t ever modified anything on the bike. I bought it secondhand in 1984 or could have been ‘85 but it wasn’t very old then.

Ok. It seems likely that you have an early production Range-Rider on which not all the teething troubles have been sorted. My assumption is that Jeremy did not start selling Range-Riders until after Cleland Cycles stopped making bikes in mid 1984. Though I remember seeing Jeremy riding these bikes long before that date, I assume that he was only building them for his own use and not for general sale. I have asked Geoff Apps and Jeremy about this but neither can remember exactly when the English Cycle Range-Riders first went on sale.

The crack is pretty straight, it even looks like it could be a join although it seems an unusual place to join a tube?! It’s obviously a weak spot once it was ground down, obviously to make space for the triple gear front sprocket?

Either, Jeremy Torr had filed the metal too thin in order to get the chain-set to fit, or the first owner had. Either way, this created a weak point that eventually formed a stress crack that slowly worked it's way around the tube.

Because a smallest chainwheel can slowly work its way nearer to the chain stay as the BB bearings wear or if the square taper cranks bed in any more, it will be worth building in a little more space than is required to only just clear the chain stay. When removing cranks. It's always a good idea to always re-mount the cranks as originally fitted. This is a precaution in case their are slight differences between the taper angles that could, over time, open out the hole in the crank allowing it to move inwards.

I file a mark on the corner of the square-taper axle that aligns with the crank, that way I can be sure that it is always seated exactly as it came off.

I’d certainly be interested to see photos of yours, all good information to have. Also info on your decals too, I’d like to get new ones if I go for a re spray!
Many thanks,
Peter

Ok, Ill take some photos.
If you decide to have replacement decals made, I'd be happy to go halves with you as mine are also showing their age.

 

[PWDF]

Hi Graham. Thanks for all this info… that all makes sense and I do remember when I bought it the guy maybe said it was a bit of a one off at the time, so maybe it is an early production model. There is a number on the frame: RR8481 … does that mean anything to you? RR obviously Range Rider I guess.
I dropped Dan an email so hope he see it and gets back to me.
Hers a photo of the frame number.

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Hi Graham. Thanks for all this info… that all makes sense and I do remember when I bought it the guy maybe said it was a bit of a one off at the time, so maybe it is an early production model. There is a number on the frame: RR8481 … does that mean anything to you? RR obviously Range Rider I guess.
I dropped Dan an email so hope he see it and gets back to me.
Hers a photo of the frame number.

Hi Peter,

The first Range Rider frame made by Jeremy Torr for Geoff Apps had RR001 as a frame number. 8481 could be a date i,e; 01/08/84 or 08/01/84. It's my understanding that English Cycles only marketed Geoff Apps style bikes after Cleland Cycles stopped making bikes in mid 1984 which makes 01/08/84 the only viable date. Of course it is also possible that it was the first Range Rider frame to be made in August 84 or the 81st bike to be made in 1984 but this seems unlikely given the relatively low number that appear to have survived and that they were still being listed for sale three years later in 1987.

Here are some pictures showing how the chainstay on my 1985 Metro Trekker has been indented to improve chainring clearance when a triple-chainset is fitted. I can take some more with the chainset/mudguard removed if that would be more useful?








In June 1984, I took some photos of Jeremy riding a Range-Rider. These and all earlier photos I have seen show these bikes fitted with double ring TA chainsets, which confirms my theory that these bikes were not originally designed for use with triple-chainsets.

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Here are some photos of the decals used on my Metro Trekker:









I have also sent these to Geoff Apps because the 'FRAME BY ENGLISH TELFORD' caption was originally designed by Geoff and a blue and red version was used on the Cleland Aventuras. I have the original transfer sheets for these which could be scanned and then reproduced in red.

Though it is highly unlikely that Geoff has any English Cycles transfer sheets, there is a small possibility that he might have done the original graphics work for these and kept some of the original artwork.

 

[Tsundere]

Lovely, watching with interest.

 

[PWDF]

Hi Peter,

The first Range Rider frame made by Jeremy Torr for Geoff Apps had RR001 as a frame number. 8481 could be a date i,e; 01/08/84 or 08/01/84. It's my understanding that English Cycles only marketed Geoff Apps style bikes after Cleland Cycles stopped making bikes in mid 1984 which makes 01/08/84 the only viable date. Of course it is also possible that it was the first Range Rider frame to be made in August 84 or the 81st bike to be made in 1984 but this seems unlikely given the relatively low number that appear to have survived and that they were still being listed for sale three years later in 1987.

Here are some pictures showing how the chainstay on my 1985 Metro Trekker has been indented to improve chainring clearance when a triple-chainset is fitted. I can take some more with the chainset/mudguard removed if that would be more useful?

View attachment 818033

View attachment 818031


View attachment 818032

In June 1984, I took some photos of Jeremy riding a Range-Rider. These and all earlier photos I have seen show these bikes fitted with double ring TA chainsets, which confirms my theory that these bikes were not originally designed for use with triple-chainsets.

Hi Graham, Ah, that's just the same... even the red cables! I spoke to a bike shop in Leeds yesterday, they reckon they can fix it but tbh I'd rather go with your recommendation of Dan on here. I emailed him but haven't heard back from him. I think I'd rather get it fixed by someone like that who really knows what they're doing and understands the design of the bike. So you just have the 2 front sprockets... maybe that's what I should aim for too?

 

[PWDF]

Here are some photos of the decals used on my Metro Trekker:

View attachment 818056

View attachment 818057

View attachment 818059

View attachment 818060

I have also sent these to Geoff Apps because the 'FRAME BY ENGLISH TELFORD' caption was originally designed by Geoff and a blue and red version was used on the Cleland Aventuras. I have the original transfer sheets for these which could be scanned and then reproduced in red.

Though it is highly unlikely that Geoff has any English Cycles transfer sheets, there is a small possibility that he might have done the original graphics work for these and kept some of the original artwork.

All the same apart from the Range Rider / Metro Trecker. I'd definitely be interested in going in with you on the decals...

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Hi Peter, Dan may be busy at the moment but it is worth waiting for him to respond. If you look carefully at the Metro-Trekker chainset you will notice that it is actually a half-step triple where the middle ring is slightly smaller than the outer. This is an arrangement that is more often seen on racing bikes where a half-step between gears could give a slight advantage over a competitor in a race.

Yes, with regards to decals, I think it's best to wait to see what Geoff says. Back in the 80's, apart from making bicycles Geoff's other job was as a graphic designer and illustrator. Even if he didn't do all the design work for the decals, he may recognise the type faces are etc.

 

[PWDF]

Hi Peter, Dan may be busy at the moment but it is worth waiting for him to respond. If you look carefully at the Metro-Trekker chainset you will notice that it is actually a half-step triple where the middle ring is slightly smaller than the outer. This is an arrangement that is more often seen on racing bikes where a half-step between gears could give a slight advantage over a competitor in a race.

Yes, with regards to decals, I think it's best to wait to see what Geoff says. Back in the 80's, apart from making bicycles Geoff's other job was as a graphic designer and illustrator. Even if he didn't do all the design work for the decals, he may recognise the type faces are etc.

Thanks Dan, that's interesting about the chainset, again this is all why I'd rather someone in the know deals with my bike so yes, I'll hang on and wait to hear from Dan... Be interesting to hear what Geoff Apps says... and if he has the artwork for the decals even better. The bike is all in bits right now, I need to get everything labelled and in a box so I don't lose anything! Are those the original handlebars on your bike? Mine are Renthal with Tuan 8 grips...what the bike came with... they give a great riding position.

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Jeremy Torr says that my Metro-Trekker is original spec. It was his response to the phenomenal sales of the Muddy Fox Courier model at that time. The Courier was marketed as a mountain bike for city use but the demand for such a bike probably wasn't as high in Telford as it was in the big cities. The Metro-Trekker was fitted with Ritchey Bullmouse bars to give a more streamlined but less comfortable riding position.

The Range-Riders I have seen were fitted with two handlebar types. The Renthal riser bars or the CW mini-bars that Geoff Apps fitted to the Aventura. The Renthals seem to have been Jeremy's favourite as most photos show him using them, whilst the CW's put less weight on the hands and so were more comfortable for use on long rides over uneven ground.