O/T any more cyclists on here ?

[Prando]

I'm prompted to ask by Q's thread on the Tour.
I know Ketts and Ardbaggie are keen...anyone else ?
For me, I've got a couple of road bikes (winter / summer) and, weather permitting, get out once/twice a week. I have a regular route (38 miles) around the local villages incorporating a coffee and toast cafe stop. Recently signed up to Strava.

[albion68]

I'm prompted to ask by Q's thread on the Tour.
I know Ketts and Ardbaggie are keen...anyone else ?
For me, I've got a couple of road bikes (winter / summer) and, weather permitting, get out once/twice a week. I have a regular route (38 miles) around the local villages incorporating a coffee and toast cafe stop. Recently signed up to Strava.
Prando roymit tried ,but gave it up as a bad idea.

[soulman101]

Last bike i had was a Major Nichols.Couldn't even ride a G tech now. http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/builders/majornichols.html

[greyhound]

I've recently "returned" to cycling as a way to regain my (once upon a time decent) leg muscles,which have mysteriously disappeared over recent years :?
Due to my age and BMI,I can only manage 6-7 miles per trip,perhaps 3 times a week,but my quads are once again,visible ;D

[sweeper5]

I'm prompted to ask by Q's thread on the Tour.
I know Ketts and Ardbaggie are keen...anyone else ?
For me, I've got a couple of road bikes (winter / summer) and, weather permitting, get out once/twice a week. I have a regular route (38 miles) around the local villages incorporating a coffee and toast cafe stop. Recently signed up to Strava.

Evening Prando,

Could you explain the difference between a summer and winter bike please

[kettering_baggie]

I too have summer and winter (more accurately, a bad weather) bikes. One is an aluminium framed race bike fitted with raceblade mudguards the other is a carbon framed race bike which cost over three times the amount that I paid for the aluminium bike. The carbon bike has much higher quality components (wheels, chain, groupset, etc) so when the bike is going to be covered in road crud, guess which one I use? If I want to push hard, I use the carbon, you can't push hard on wet roads so may as well use the ally bike.

[Prando]

Evening Prando,

Could you explain the difference between a summer and winter bike please
Good evening sweeper buddy.
Ketts has covered it nicely! In my case, both bikes are of the same manufacture (Giant) but the winter one has 'mudguards', heavier frame etc...as per Ketts' comments. Essentially a 'fine weather' bike vs 'not so good'!
Since I became more serious/interested in the sport (10 years) I have noticed a significant increase in participants, thus my enquiry herewith.

[sweeper5]

Thank you both for the explanation. I might just think about getting a bike, but I would also obtain a carrying frame for the car; I don't think I would enjoy town riding, but somewhere off the beaten track would be nice.

[Baggies_Boy_Tony]

Last bike i had was a Major Nichols.Couldn't even ride a G tech now. http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/builders/majornichols.html


I had a Major Nicholls, if I remember correctly his shop was in Overend Street, West Bromwich.
Some towrag pinched mine from outside the Gala Baths while I was swimming, many years ago.

[albion68]

I had a Major Nicholls, if I remember correctly his shop was in Overend Street, West Bromwich.
Some towrag pinched mine from outside the Gala Baths while I was swimming, many years ago.
Tony ,I only remember him top of new street ,later think it became ken Austin fishing tackle shop.

[Prando]

Thank you both for the explanation. I might just think about getting a bike, but I would also obtain a carrying frame for the car; I don't think I would enjoy town riding, but somewhere off the beaten track would be nice.

Go for it sweeper.
I would recommend a second hand one (plenty out there) You will to decide what sort of cycling you plan. (e.g.off road, lanes, etc) Mountain bike, road bike, hybrid. Check out Halfords for different types, but buy second hand. If you get into it, you will undoubtedly look to upgrade in time!
Most cyclists are more than willing to help and bore you to death !!
PS
Car carrying frames vary massively. Again do some research especially speaking to people who use one. Some can be quite cumbersome. Second hand again !

[greyhound]

I had a Major Nicholls, if I remember correctly his shop was in Overend Street, West Bromwich.
Some towrag pinched mine from outside the Gala Baths while I was swimming, many years ago.
Correct about Overend Street,I was born about 100yds away,the adjoining house to a factory (Bunns I think),over the road from The White Hart which became the infamous Drunken Duck.
Those were the days....outside bog,cellar full of rats,newspaper for bog roll....but we were happy :)
On the subject of bikes,I recently bought a Carrera Crossfire from Halfords,not cheap,but a cracking bike,I would highly recommend it.

[phild]

Use to cycle long distance on a Sunday but after a near miss with an artic I felt it was no longer safe mixing it on the roads anymore.

What do you think about electric bikes Paul?

I feel that is the future as the towns and cities just dont want cars polluting the main arteries and shopping areas.

[WBA1955]

There'were'a'lot'of'bike'shops'when'i'was'a'kid.Th ey'seem'to'be'getting'few'and'far'between.There'is 'one'in'Wall'Heath.As'Phil'says'the'
roads'are'too'dangerous'now.I'don't'feel'safe'in'a 'lorry'let'alone'a'bike

[Q165]

Like many I was a mad keen cyclist as a young ****. It was liberating being able to go where and whenever you wanted. Would cycle to Clent a lot and was proud of myself the first time I got up Mucklows Hill and later to Kidderminster. Not all good though. i was going to the bike shop through Bearwood.. It was showery and I was pi55ing it down Bearwood Road when I saw a car stop not far in front of me. No response at all from the brakes and smacked straight into the back of it and flew like a bird over the top. I did get to that bike shop though (name?) but carrying a bust frame. Great memories.

[phild]

Hi Q

It was BEARWOOD CYCLES. Flippin great place for cyclists, I brought my Raleigh Royale touring bike from there in the 80s. It was my first bike with light weight frames, 18 gears and the ability to release the front wheel with a deft touch to a small lever. The shop had pretty much everything you ever needed, they would even build you a bike if you wanted, there is still a metal shaped bike stand on the pavement where the shop originally stood. It was owned by a couple of brothers who sold it in 2001, I think, to a larger chain of shops and they retired.

[Q165]

Hi Q

It was BEARWOOD CYCLES. Flippin great place for cyclists, I brought my Raleigh Royale touring bike from there in the 80s. It was my first bike with light weight frames, 18 gears and the ability to release the front wheel with a deft touch to a small lever. The shop had pretty much everything you ever needed, they would even build you a bike if you wanted, there is still a metal shaped bike stand on the pavement where the shop originally stood. It was owned by a couple of brothers who sold it in 2001, I think, to a larger chain of shops and they retired.

Thanks for that Phil. The shop I remember then was on the right at the far end of Bearwood Road. It had the name of the bloke who ran it (very very possibly Maskell but not sure) His frames (possibly light blue) were much coveted amongst my mates.

[Albionic68]

Thanks for that Phil. The shop I remember then was on the right at the far end of Bearwood Road. It had the name of the bloke who ran it (very very possibly Maskell but not sure) His frames (possibly light blue) were much coveted amongst my mates.

From memory Bearwood Cycles was the one just down from the Windsor Chippy between Rawlings Rd and Reginald Rd. The chippy's now another take away of some sort and the bike shop was a furniture store last time I walked by.

Had a racer from Bearwood Cycles as a ****ager. While at primary school I used to pop in for the small toy soldiers to the left as you walked in, and for the model aeroplanes and tanks too. Happy days :) .

There were two others in Bearwood from memory. One was near the old bookies by the top of Talbot Rd, I had my three gear Raleigh Commando from there B) . Think it became a cafe, that or a cafe opened next door to it :confused: .

Another was on Three Shires Oak Rd down by the Chinese takeaway, almost opposite the builders yard as you head towards the Abbey Pub. Think it may have just been a repair/spares shop, but not sure.

[Q165]

From memory Bearwood Cycles was the one just down from the Windsor Chippy between Rawlings Rd and Reginald Rd. The chippy's now another take away of some sort and the bike shop was a furniture store last time I walked by.

Had a racer from Bearwood Cycles as a ****ager. While at primary school I used to pop in for the small toy soldiers to the left as you walked in, and for the model aeroplanes and tanks too. Happy days :) .

There were two others in Bearwood from memory. One was near the old bookies by the top of Talbot Rd, I had my three gear Raleigh Commando from there B) . Think it became a cafe, that or a cafe opened next door to it :confused: .

Another was on Three Shires Oak Rd down by the Chinese takeaway, almost opposite the builders yard as you head towards the Abbey Pub. Think it may have just been a repair/spares shop, but not sure.

Thanks 68. I am sure that shop was actually on Bearwood Road and it may have been Mansell but I could be totally wrong. All I know for certain is that I carried my bust bike there and picked up the replacement not long after. Thinking about it, it may have been a first and surname. 1965/6.

[Q165]

For what it is worth it was Bob Mansell. It came to me last night. Just had a quick Google and found a bit on him. Such as-

Bob Mansell had a shop at 504 Oldbury Road, Smethwick. He also had a shop in the main street Smethwick for a while, but mostly selling children’s bikes and toys. Bob was a top coach, and*he promoted races around the parks and schools in the Birmingham area. He also took groups of school children on cycle racing camps near Stourport. *Lots of the region’s top riders were helped along by Bob at sometime or other. I remember riding up from Ross on Wye and riding criteriums around Hadley Stadium, with Grant Thomas plus several other well known riders.

[phild]

As 55 mentioned earlier there were many cycle shops back in the day now not so many. But I predict a resurgence now the Government as gone all greeny with its planned electrification of moving from a to b.

If Governments are serious about electric transport then it will never happen by 2040 for those who would still want a car, because the grid will never cope and 23 yrs is no way near enough to satisfy the demand. The ideal will be to ban anyone travelling to cities and towns in cars electric or otherwise. You would then have to use electric powered transport such as buses trams and of cause cycles, which is definitely the way we are currently heading

[Prando]

Use to cycle long distance on a Sunday but after a near miss with an artic I felt it was no longer safe mixing it on the roads anymore.

What do you think about electric bikes Paul?

I feel that is the future as the towns and cities just dont want cars polluting the main arteries and shopping areas.

Well phild buddy, I'm a fan of them. I have some friends who for various reasons (essentially age !) are precluded from venturing too far. They both now go out regularly - country lanes and the electric bikes have given them the confidence to return to cycling.
No doubt as time progresses the cost will come down.