English Range Rider

[PWDF]

Thought I'd start a new thread to tell you about my English Range Rider.
I bought this bike back in 1984 from a bike shop in Leeds. Originally designed by Geoff Apps it was one of the early trial bikes preceding the mountain bike. It's designed with a lightweight front so easy to hop over logs etc, wide cow handlebars it's a great ride and tall frame which is good for me as I'm 6'3''! The frame is Reynolds 531 with Reynolds 531 front forks.
Sadly I'd neglected it for some time, it's been in the garage gathering dust for way too long, so I decided time for a serious MOT and to get it back up and running. Unfortunately I discovered a crack in the chain stay... that along with other general issues like gear and brake cables... so am now beginning to take it more seriously as seems worth restoring, plus be great to get in back on the road.
First step is to get a new chain stay fitted. Might look into a respray but would like to replace the decals with the same, apparently that is possible... just got to find the right person to do that for me. Originally it looked great with white paintwork, a red seat and handlebar grips and red cables, I'd love to get that all back looking as it should.
I'm excited to get started, but for now, here are photos of it today... looking a bit sad!

 

[TreaderSteve]

That's no BMX!

 

[john]

Nice

 

[raidan73]

Definitely worth restoring. If you haven’t got anyone in mind regarding the chainstay then I’d recommend chatting to @danson67 on here, and @gil_m is our resident decal expert

 

[PWDF]

Definitely worth restoring. If you haven’t got anyone in mind regarding the chainstay then I’d recommend chatting to @danson67 on here, and @gil_m is our resident decal expert

Ah thanks... I'm just starting on this project so happy to get advice on which way to go... I've been in touch with Mercian Cycles and Woodrup Cycles so far... but anymore info appreciated. Decals definitely need info on too.

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Hi, PWDF, Welcome to RetroBike!

It's good to hear that another owner of a Geoff Apps style bike has joined the site.

I own an original spec 1985 English Cycles Metro-Trekker in white, that has the same style and colour of decals as your Range Rider. Though some components were different on my bike the frame and forks are virtually identical. However, the chain stay on my bike has been indented so as to widen the gap between the small chainring and the chainstay. Probably to correct the inadequate clearance issue with the earlier bikes like yours.

Originally, Geoff Apps designed his production Cleland Aventura bikes to have 90mm wide bottom bracket shells and straight chainstays. But Cleland frame-builder and English Cycles owner Jeremy Torr reverted to the mountain bike norm using 70mm shells and bent chainstays on his own production bikes. This probably wasn't a problem on early Range-Riders as they were fitted with double chainsets, so I'm guessing that this problem arose when Jeremy started fitting triple chainsets after Ron Kitching forced Cleland Cycles to stop bike production in mid 1984.

It seems likely that merely replacing the chainstay with one of a similar design will not solve the underlying problem of not having enough clearance, and that a successful repair will require indenting the chainstay, or chamfering and brazing a flat onto it like that used on the Highpath Engineering bikes.

I can post photos of the indented chainstays on my Metro-Trekker or the alternative Highpath method if required?

It's worth contacting Dan Chambers, @danson67 as he owns a Highpath Cleland and also repaired a crack in the headtube of my 1981 Cleland Range-Rider without having to resort to replacing entire tubes.

 

[PWDF]

Hi, PWDF, Welcome to RetroBike!

It's good to hear that another owner of a Geoff Apps style bike has joined the site.

I own an original spec 1985 English Cycles Metro-Trekker in white, that has the same style and colour of decals as your Range Rider. Though some components were different on my bike the frame and forks are virtually identical. However, the chain stay on my bike has been indented so as to widen the gap between the small chainring and the chainstay. Probably to correct the inadequate clearance issue with the earlier bikes like yours.

Originally, Geoff Apps designed his production Cleland Aventura bikes to have 90mm wide bottom bracket shells and straight chainstays. But Cleland frame-builder and English Cycles owner Jeremy Torr reverted to the mountain bike norm using 70mm shells and bent chainstays on his own production bikes. This probably wasn't a problem on early Range-Riders as they were fitted with double chainsets, so I'm guessing that this problem arose when Jeremy started fitting triple chainsets after Ron Kitching forced Cleland Cycles to stop bike production in mid 1984.

It seems likely that merely replacing the chainstay with one of a similar design will not solve the underlying problem of not having enough clearance, and that a successful repair will require indenting the chainstay, or chamfering and brazing a flat onto it like that used on the Highpath Engineering bikes.

I can post photos of the indented chainstays on my Metro-Trekker or the alternative Highpath method if required?

It's worth contacting Dan Chambers, @danson67 as he owns a Highpath Cleland and also repaired a crack in the headtube of my 1981 Cleland Range-Rider without having to resort to replacing entire tubes.

Hi Graham, thanks for your message.

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.
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?
I’ll attach a photo which hopefully will show the ground away section.
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

 

[PWDF]

Hi Graham, thanks for your message.

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.
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?
I’ll attach a photo which hopefully will show the ground away section.
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

Graham how do I send a message to @danson67 on here, I can see his profile but as I’m new here I can’t figure out how to message him?!!

 

[raidan73]

Graham how do I send a message to @danson67 on here, I can see his profile but as I’m new here I can’t figure out how to message him?!!

You can't send private messages on here until you have hit the required post count (I forgot what the number is). Dan will be aware of this thread though, as @GrahamJohnWallace and I have both tagged him in our posts.

 

[PWDF]

You can't send private messages on here until you have hit the required post count (I forgot what the number is). Dan will be aware of this thread though, as @GrahamJohnWallace and I have both tagged him in our posts.

Thanks Graham, I just got his email from Nic above, I’ll drop him a message…