The above shows my handmade 531 frame by Norman Butler from Long Eaton when I was a member of the Long Eaton section of the CTC Derby DA. This bike was built in 1961 with Campag ends, Nyrex lugs and a stronglight headset. Cost of frame £12.50 pence. The whole bike was then built up with Stronglight cotterless crank-set and Campag record Ace groupset and Mafack centre-pull brake's. The whole shooting match cost me £82. I used to time trial on it doing "0" for 25 & "0" for 50's. My best 100 was 4hrs. 13mins. Perhaps my best effort was in the Broad Oak 12 hour at the age of 22 in 1963 when I did 243 miles beating the club record at the time. This was when I was a member of the Long Eaton Paragon a racing offshoot of the CTC. Gordon Booty the brother of the famous Ray Booty was also a club member. The two pictures above show this bike rigged-up on my turbo in my log cabin at the bottom of my garden where I spend time listening to my music!
Turning to my Secialized single speed bike pictured below.
When I was young we had a guy in the LEPCC who was an expert hill climber and specialised in fixed gear. He persuaded me at the age of 15 to convert my first racing bike, a Claud Butler with 3 Benelux gears to a double sided fixed wheel. It was the best thing I ever did! I remember going on a YHA holiday to the Lake District with Brian and my mate Dave Smith. We cycled from Long Eaton to Kendal up the A6 via Manchester where we tucked into roast beef and Yorkshire pudding (though in Lancashire) for 2 shillings and sixpence! The journey of 150 miles took us 12 hours with fully loaded saddle bags. No big panniers in those days. The holiday was fantastic and I rode up all the passes, Hardnot, Rhynos, the stride etc on single speed fixed. We ended up back at Kendal YHA and returned home 150 miles in 10 hrs., maybe because it was nominally down hill but also we got so fit!
They were the days of men & boys!
The picture above shows my current fixi with brand new 18 tooth free wheel sprocket and 41 tooth chain ring giving 62" gear. Mark G please confirm!
Finally other pictures inside my Log Cabin!
This shows my lovely chiming German clock with kids bike gifts over the years!
In conclusion, I passed over the M25 at Pfizers this afternoon and as you can see little traffic in these Lock-Down times. Stay safe and keep up the interesting meanderings on the Blog or WatsAp!
3 comments:
Interesting to read - thank you for posting Mike. I can't imagine riding up the A6 to the Lake District - although perhaps it might be possible at the moment! (Although I did ride a tiny bit of it at the very end before it peters out into a minor road near the Scottish border, as it was the only way to cross the river Kent.)
Confirmed - 41 x18 is 61.5" with a 32 mm tyre, Mike.
I hope & pray that all goes well for you Mike in Hospital. Well done with your early life rides, good times. I would concur with you, extolling the virtues of cycling with a fixed gear.
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