How good is too good ?

I definitely build bikes to ride them, and ride them hard. I built a few moderns before discovering retrobike and now also have 2 retro builds. I also got drawn out on the slippery slope of 90's bling. Shiny bits of metal in glass cabinets at the LBS I could not afford then, and now I can. However, my bikes are functional first and retro/bling second.

So admittedly the Caramba double barrels with NOS 90's chainrings were taken off the Ti hardtail, I ride it in anger with LX cranks. And after the first ride I swapped the racing Porcs for some 2.4" modern multi compound Schwalbes that suit my riding better. That improved the ride a lot I might add, imho Scant certainly has a point when it comes to tires.

Enjoy
 
The plot thickens.

Since washing up ,
I got the new/old Axis out.I've only had it since Monday and all I've really done is ride it around the garden.The shifters ,first generation rapidfire SLRs are not spot on. They look VGC.The RH one is working OK ish ,a bit rough ,but the LH is not working at all . It wont 'hold' the front mech. Nacked ratchet i think.
I'm digressing.That's not my point.
I take it for a little spin up the street for a few endoes.The brakes are good.And it has a different stem than mine and feels different.The guy on th'ebay said it was a 19",same as mine,but it feels small.
I dig out my old /old frame.It's 2" smaller . This ones a 17.
Doh!
Short of going to Cali' with a tape measure what can you do? It looked small in the pix,but the seat was right down .

So,the punchline is I might not be riding it after all.

I can always polish it and hang it on the wall.
I could build a shrine to Harry Leary.

Maybe the thread should be ' how small is too small?'

I'll put my longer stem on ,and pull the seat up.We'll see.
Dont we get smaller as we age?
By my calculations in 2027 I'll need a ,er ,decimal point ,carry one...

A 17"
Yay
 
Hiya Courier, welcome, great thread, although I'm too new also to know how frequent these threads are. :)

Will I'm into old cars, and specially always wanted a custom one off bad boy, but this is it, all i wanna do is rag em about, on a track ideally, - its coming! but still want summat shiney though even if nob kids do throw stones, and people do clang doors, and is scum do pull out on ya etc why have summat ugly. Also in my older age i'm appreciating standardish classics too and appriciate the when its gone its gone thing, either get really expensive or out of reach or like a dodo! :?

So I'm not so off topic. ;) I'm building a shiny muddy fox frame at the mo, some reasonable period kid going on, nowt too expensive/shiney just yet. however, I don't wanna trash it too much but will be my only XC bike this year and do intend to really use it. Its built as a memory, tribute, oh i dunno, i just always fancied one, so due to rarity i don't want it killed or nicked. :)

However, I really want a trick classic styled modern XC bike next, Duster, prestige, on one etc. then again, maybe i'll get trawn into bulding smething early and exotic... :D :cool: leaving teh MF to have a clean rest for a bit

I got out priced with the 80's BMX's and 70's Choppers thing, was all a bit early for me anyway, amazing how much of a turn off popularity and being privced out can be. I do have a controversial Chopper project tho. :D

As for size 17 will be fine for a while and chucking it about, I had (and getting back) a 17" bike, commuted on it for a while with few probs, and i'm 6ft2. go use it, enjoyz!
 
i too am too new to notice this is a recurring topic and i have enjoyed reading it. i thought of classic cars when i started reading it. i had a mint original low mileage 1303 beetle a few years ago and it was my first mint bug. i had so many plans for it but ended up selling it because i was so worried about it getting damaged in car parks etc. i went out and bought a battered camper - its more my style. i have now moved onto golfs. i have a rough ready and useable track day car and i am about to buy a minter for special occasions!

this is how i see my bikes. i have a modern kona for general riding and my old kona which is my retro build. it wont be bling because i cant afford it but it will be the best i can make it and as such i wont want to trash it. it will get used but it wont get hammered. it is being built for old time's sake, not because i need a bike
 
I could never understand people's obsession with mint Mk2 Escorts - cack care, expensive to keep mint, but made awesome donor vehicles for kits though! :twisted:
 
same thing as here, looked fun when to young/too broke to have one, the sporting and rally ones mainly course, basic versatile vehicle. Its gone mad tho price wise and a bit cliquey, so went off that idea meself. right though, tinny old basic thing should be so popular. Be like people here wanting the real world modestish decent cool bike their older brothers mate (or similar) had back in the day or summat. :)

tell ya what some of the shiny posh bikes I've seen on here, I know i'd want to be careful on em and agree, thats what you'd expect, em to be locked away and looked after. I'd probs end up scuffing em though and beating myself up about it! :oops: :D
 
If you fancy a ride out sometime I live in Wigan . I'm up Rivington most weeks.There's a gang of us in fact . It's a good crack. All ages /abilities/fitness/or lack of !

Look at my blog:
http://alans-bikes.blogspot.com/2008/06/vintage-ride.html

It's 'within' my mate Alans shop blog.I do his demo day thing. If you fancy a 'go' on a modern bike ,I'm yer man.
You could probably even have a spin on the courier.It's a 21". I'm sure that's big enough.I think it was previously owned by one of the harlem globe trotters. It's Thiiiiiiiiis big.

OK ,cheers.

Oh ,yea. I've swapped the bars and stem and put the seat up on the Axis. It's fine.I couldnt not ride it.
TIM
 
"oh" are we supposed to ride are bikes ???
they cost a lot of money and im not going to get it all muddy :)
 
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