My SingleSpeed Coffee Shop bike

nicklloyd

This is my 1969 Carlton Longfellow. Massive frame with the longest drop brakes I have ever seen. But its lovely. Got the frame off eBay really cheap and thought it wouldn't be in great condition. But it was perfect and had been painted up really nicely with lined lugs and original head tube badge.

This was built up originally with the idea of it being a cheap single speed to ride to coffee shop on when its a nice sunny day.

However I have done several 2-3 hour rides on it now with a local shop group and its great. Tough work up steep climbs and a pace line back one week had me holding way over 100rpm for 9 miles!! Now that hurt the legs!!

greasedscotsman

Hmm, reminds me of this!

Beatmaker

My god, the seat tube angke on that Merckx!

Laser man

It's halfway between a normal bike and a recumbent.

housemunkey

That is a seriously nice Carlton, beautiful. I'll have to get pictures of mine up some day

Wheelspinner

nicklloyd wrote:

However I have done several 2-3 hour rides on it now with a local shop group and its great. Tough work up steep climbs and a pace line back one week had me holding way over 100rpm for 9 miles!! Now that hurt the legs!!

Perhaps it might be easier up those climbs if you installed some pedals?

Nice bike though, am looking for something like that for the coffee shop run too.

Paul 8v

greasedscotsman wrote:

Hmm, reminds me of this!

My eyes!

RideOnTime

69 was a good year...

rick_chasey

greasedscotsman wrote:

Hmm, reminds me of this!

What's the thinking behind that?

schweiz

The seat tube angle and the upturned rear section of the saddle allowed you to push harder on the pedals and not slip backward. A little like a recumbent. The saddles are now banned by the UCI.