I remember a guy called Mick when I was about 12 years old, around about 1983. He was a few years older than the rest of us in the street and was painfully cool with his fit blond girlfriend, Adidas trainers, and giant Spandau Ballet fringe hanging over one eye. Mick had a black & gold Raleigh record that matched the JPS he smoked and I was in awe of it. Unfortunately Mick left it outside the shop one day and it was taken, not that he was too bothered as he soon moved on to "total legend" status by getting a black and red Fiesta XR2. Being in my early teens I assumed this meant that women's underwear would spontaneously drop to the floor when he drove by in it. :shock:
As the years have gone by I have realised that the XR2 had no such powers of persuasion, but I occasionally look at black & gold raleigh records with a nostalgic glint in my eye, you see them on e-bay between £50 and £400 (!!!) and I'm occasionally tempted (by the mid-priced ones!). Now I find myself looking for a road bike to fit a specific criteria. It must be realistically usable as a sunday run bike, handle the occasional sportive (not fussed about fastest times etc..) and it should be early 80's as I have L'eroica planned in the future and I already have enough bikes in my life to get in my way.
My question is this: should I move on and look at something a tad more exotic and interesting for my new retro toy, or will the Raleigh Record fit my bill? (for what its worth, I'm not really tied to a budget priced bike)
PS. Mick still lives around here, he's about 50 now with no hair, and a substantial gut hanging over his extra large jeans. His once fit girlfriend must be a size 24 and works in the chippy.
...he still drives a fiesta though
As the years have gone by I have realised that the XR2 had no such powers of persuasion, but I occasionally look at black & gold raleigh records with a nostalgic glint in my eye, you see them on e-bay between £50 and £400 (!!!) and I'm occasionally tempted (by the mid-priced ones!). Now I find myself looking for a road bike to fit a specific criteria. It must be realistically usable as a sunday run bike, handle the occasional sportive (not fussed about fastest times etc..) and it should be early 80's as I have L'eroica planned in the future and I already have enough bikes in my life to get in my way.
My question is this: should I move on and look at something a tad more exotic and interesting for my new retro toy, or will the Raleigh Record fit my bill? (for what its worth, I'm not really tied to a budget priced bike)
PS. Mick still lives around here, he's about 50 now with no hair, and a substantial gut hanging over his extra large jeans. His once fit girlfriend must be a size 24 and works in the chippy.
...he still drives a fiesta though
