Retro Bikes of Quality

[doctor-bond]

Yes, the saddle is at a funny angle, yes it looks like a road frame with some extra bits brazed on. It probably doesn't handle or stop anywhere near as well as stuff we ride. It probably has a multitude of other flaws ("idiosyncracies" or "character" if you will) in its design, but, I nevertheless feel it worthy of Retrobike of distinction status.

Perfect: just what I'm talking about.

 

[Tad]

Cheers 'fixies: I'm assuming that it is an advantage to use lower temps so that you don't mess with the properties of the tubing? Or is it just easier to avoid the higher temps?

Both, you don't mess with the properties of the tubing, 853 of course famously increases in strength on cooling. Also, you're less likely to burn through it (I speak from experiencied having ruined the odd frame in my early attempts at the odd repair )

I read somewhere that a brazed lug works by capillary action: which I think means that the surface tension of the molten metal makes sure it finds its way all around the thin gap of the joint. Is that right?

One of the reasons builders cut lugs, other than to make them look fancy or weigh less, is to see the silver solder flowing.

 

[mikee]

remember you get differing temp brazes

 

[Dr S]

Sadly i have to agree with Utahdog to an extent that this thread sucks. This thread should have been about those 'we are not worthy' bikes that you would sell your granny for. Its not about elitism or snobbery, just holy bikes. There are a thousand other opportunities to show off mid range tripe on this website ( I own mid range tripe too before you have a go). It would have been nice to have had a really different thread that contained nothing but the very best... But not this time.

 

[utahdog2003]

... we need many more threads that show off great bikes. I posted this one because:

A: given the amount of threads with non-great bikes from anytime, it is hard to find what I like: great bikes from BITD.

Exactly. We need more great threads about great bikes, and less of the other stuff that makes those great threads about great bikes hard to find.

B: there are loads of quality bikes that have been posted here and elsewhere that could be happily resurrected for a new audience. And I also wanted a thread which illicited information about them, not just "wow great bike" comments.

Those bike threads would be easier to find were it not for the proliferation of threads about the things you yourself just said didn't interest you.

I didn't mean to hijack this and for that I appologize, and yet ultimately I think we are wanting for the same thing. You think it should be in one thread, and I think it should be in a return to being the basis for the forum, the basis for all threads, as I think it once was.

 

[sinnerman]

you say that as a long standing member of both these sites
a lot has changed in the past 5/6 years , retro bike is more popular than
ever ,and in line with that the type of bikes displayed have changed
maybe there's some more people like me who like midrange crap
that the more "discerning" members seem to only tolerate
anyway i'm enjoying this thread ,i like the education

midrange crapbike mike

You could learn as much from a Cunningham thread. The Cunningham thread that didn't get started because the guy with the Cunningham didn't want to wade through the morasse around here to post about it. I dig the midrange crap in moderation. I OWN some midrange crap, but lets be real...the midrange crap morasse is getting pretty deep.

I've kept quiet about it until this thread, but holy crikies people!...this is a carbon copy of the VRC model for implosion. :cry:

Dare i voice an opinion.......!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had hoped, this thread would be good, a lot of good bikes on show "quality i think was mentioned....!!!!! pics and peoples explanation as to what brought them to this conclusion and discuss......!!!!!

and yet it seems every thread i go to at the moment there is sum bickering as to who done what first etc, it is even going on , on the boty thread....!!!!! (is there really any need on this end of year special )

this is sumthing that struck me from the very first time i posted on this website, "the bike you have isnt that special cus the bike i ride did it first".....like the rider was part of the company......this astounded me, when actually i was simply pointing out, i bought this actual bike 20 years ago, as for me it was the only bike availiable in the small corner of our island, that had what i considered to be giant steps forward......especially in geometry terms....!!!!

it is getting very tedious, (for me), and yet i understand, why this happens,...!!! and am slowly learning.

as for midrange crap, well......??????????...im sure whilst you are entitled to your opinion, surely your own comments are not going to help... this website either.

"for example," after 20 years in the bicycle trade, building 100"s of bikes, dealing with more cycle companies and importers than i care to mention, i was introduced to this site, by a current user, and i decided to build a bike and show it, i didnt know what i was doing so my first post was on botm, with an explanation of why, i chose to rebuild this bike....!!!! cetrainly didnt do me any favours, being totally new to forums, naturally i got slated.

it certainly wasnt my most expensive bike, (and ive got a few) but i certainly had a bloody good reason for building it...........WHAT WAS THE BIKE....??? a tbg cindercone.....pretty mid range crap...............but without that bike, and the racing that followed, and a 20year career that followed that, would i be here today.........i think not...........and im sure there are hundreds of stories like this.........and i for one want to hear them......and im sure there are others amongst that want to as well.

everyone has there own history and therefore should be respected in its own right.

 

[heartbreaker]

I really liked the first few pages of this thread and think it would of been a great place for new comers like my self to learn more about where it all started.

Could of been a good resource for people who want to know these things.

Was learning a few interesting things already , hope it gets back on track

More Quality please

 

[utahdog2003]

a tbg cindercone.....pretty mid range crap...............but without that bike, and the racing that followed, and a 20year career that followed that, would i be here today.........i think not...........and im sure there are hundreds of stories like this.........and i for one want to hear them......and im sure there are others amongst that want to as well.

I wouldn't ever say a TBG Kona is crap. And I want to hear those stories as well. Rest assured that isn't an example to the morasse I'm talking about.

I shouldn't have brought it up. I apologize for the hijacking. I am not the owner and I am not a moderator and the direction of the board is none of my business.

 

[sinnerman]

Sadly i have to agree with Utahdog to an extent that this thread sucks. This thread should have been about those 'we are not worthy' bikes that you would sell your granny for. Its not about elitism or snobbery, just holy bikes. There are a thousand other opportunities to show off mid range tripe on this website ( I own mid range tripe too before you have a go). It would have been nice to have had a really different thread that contained nothing but the very best... But not this time.

dr s, i thought it was any bike of quality, (of which you have many ), i agree with you both, but sadly the title clearly said quality, not "we r not worthy". if that was the case there are a lot of holy grail, bikes that should be shown. especially the cunningham.....i dont think it has helped this not being clear.........just goes to show though how things get taken differently by different people.

and utahdog, while i get your point, that thread should exsist, i didnt take it that this was......... that thread..........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. .

 

[legrandefromage]

I would like to submit this pic as consideration for Retrobike of distinction status.

The bloke with the dodgy beard is Joe Breeze and the bike is Breezer #1just after winning Repack in 1977.

(shamelessly lifted from this thread: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... 2A&start=0)

Yes, the saddle is at a funny angle, yes it looks like a road frame with some extra bits brazed on. It probably doesn't handle or stop anywhere near as well as stuff we ride. It probably has a multitude of other flaws ("idiosyncracies" or "character" if you will) in its design, but, I nevertheless feel it worthy of Retrobike of distinction status. If it wasn't for the early pioneers I wouldn't have mountainbiking as a hobby. If it wasn't for their experimentation, discovering what was shite and what worked then taking this in to consideration in the next iteration of the bikes they built in their workshops we wouldn't have all this stuff to argue about.

I'd be interested to know what the tyre size was. Are they the same 26" we all know and love today?

but is it 'quality?' in deference to the first post of course