Cycling 45 years ago.

meursault

Wacky Racer wrote:

Good read this, including the rest of the thread.

I'm not quite as old as some, but definitely share many of the experiences. I used to live down in Plymouth as a kid growing up in the late 70's, and we regularly rode down to Fowey in Cornwall, via the Torpoint Ferry, roughly an 80 mile round trip. I was about 12 years old at the time. Our bikes were built up by me and my brother in the shed, handsprayed, with bars wrapped in electrical tape, crappy flat pedals and whatever rubber we could find for tyres. We rarely got off to walk, although there was the odd hill we simply couldn't climb. We didn't even have trainers, I recall wearing normal black shoes, jeans with clips, and an old coat in the winter. If it rained we just got soaked through.

It seems ridiculous now, that we buy all this gear, technical clothing. I bet I couldn't do that same run in the times we used to do it in those days. I recall the fun of tearing down steep hills and overtaking cars, not knowing the danger (or caring). I was taken out going down the inside of cars on the steep descent into Looe once, we were doing much more than 30mph, when I look back I must have been mad. The brakes rarely worked properly, and would usually serve better as a warning because of the screech, rather than a stopping aid.

One memory that always stays with me, was flying down a hill close to home, doing quite some speed, when a rather large lady carrying several bags of shopping, stepped out in front of me. As I tried to swerve around her, she panicked and stepped right where I was going. I will never forget the loud grunt she gave as I crashed full speed into her, knocked her flying, and her shopping bags all split open and her potatoes and tins rolled off down the hill. Amazingly I just had two broken fingers, a bit of road rash on my legs and elbows and a graze on my head, so I think she cushioned me. To say she wasn't impressed is an understatement. There was a right commotion with all the neighbours out helping her, I was dragged back home by those who knew where I lived, and was grounded for ages. Apparently she was taken by ambulance to hospital, I never found out what the damage was. The good thing with bikes back then was it was hard to break them, even on fat old ladies.

Happy days.

Made me smile, very nice post ty.

Ron Stuart

murf1480 wrote:

Ron Stuart wrote:

Charlie Potatoes wrote:

Ron Stuart wrote:

Raced against this bike recently, anyone have an idea who rode it originally and again on the 7th of Oct last :?:

Jimmy Savile :shock:

JS was pushing up daisies on 7th Oct last :roll:

Adrian Timmis 87 TDF bike

Correct..... http://www.flickr.com/photos/74418119@N00/7944783162/

simon_masterson

Ron Stuart wrote:

murf1480 wrote:

Ron Stuart wrote:

Charlie Potatoes wrote:

Ron Stuart wrote:

Raced against this bike recently, anyone have an idea who rode it originally and again on the 7th of Oct last :?:

Jimmy Savile :shock:

JS was pushing up daisies on 7th Oct last :roll:

Adrian Timmis 87 TDF bike

Correct..... http://www.flickr.com/photos/74418119@N00/7944783162/

A beauty. I recently lost out on a lovely 753 Perthus frame on the bay (I have no money ), which would have been perfect for the next bike build I have in mind. I'm determined to find another one; either that or I'll get Mercian or JF Wilson to make me something similar in 853.