On yer Bike!

[#1]

Documentary on BBC4 tonight about Raleigh bicycles....  looks like it might be interesting...

BBC4 Freeview channel 9   20:00 to 21:00  "Pedalling Dreams".....

Alternatively..... on "Yesterday"   Freeview 19   at same time.... Impossible Railways.... all about how to make trains go faster ...

[#2]

My Dad worked at the Nottingham factory in the 50’s & 60’s.

Guess what I got for a Christmas present one year...

[#3]

I loved cycling on my Raleigh bike. At most I could do a round 60 odd mile trip in a day and loved every second of it!

[#4]

I had one one of these many years back

[#5]

I had a Raleigh bike as a youngster and can remember getting some lights for it one Christmas.

I could not wait to try them out and soon set off down a street-light lit suburban road heading for the unlit country section.

I soon saw the inky blackness ahead and peddled into it as fast as I could go.

It felt like another world and a great adventure.

[#6]

We were a poor family, however, my father was a genius at making things out of rubbish,... ( I follow in his footsteps with my postings on here ! ! )..

When I was old enough to go to secondary school, I needed a bike to get there ( and home again )... so my father went to the local scrap yard, and got a frame... and two wheels.  the back wheel was really special... it had an "off centre" 3 speed gear box...  and was made by Dursley-Pederson and it was very effective.

http://www.oldbike.eu/museum/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/1909-Dursley-Pedersen-3-Speed-gears-1.jpg

When he had repainted the frame, and put all the bits and pieces on, Brakes, lights, new tyres, chain, mudguards ( remember them?  seems like modern bike makers are trying to save a few quid by leaving them off, and selling them as accessories ! ! !       )  it was the best bike in the world, and I used to go for miles and miles and miles and miles on it...  Great memories ....

[#7]

I had a Dynamo front light, remember them? looks like you can still use them too.

[#8]

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@Champnet wrote:

Guess what I got for a Christmas present one year...

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A lump of coal to put on the fire?

[#9]

That was New Years Eve when we went first footing...............

[#10]

My first proper bike (if we assume that the Raleigh Chopper is a kid's bike) was built by my Grandfather in a similar manner @shutter's was.

Started with a frame and created a touring bike with drop handlebars, 5 speed Derailleur gears and Pannier racks over the rear wheel.

We had many weekends away staying in SYHA accomodation.

As you said @shutter, great memories...

[#11]

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@Champnet wrote:

My Dad worked at the Nottingham factory in the 50’s & 60’s.

Guess what I got for a Christmas present one year...

---

A duck.

[#12]

For those who missed it......   "Impossible Railways"  is repeated tonight on Freeview Ch 19 at 19:00

All about making trains run faster... and a very interesting idea updating Brunels "Atmospheric Railway"...

( don`t quite undrstand how they will do track changing, ( points ) manouvers thought ... ! ! ! )..

[#13]

@Browni

I always wanted a Chopper as I child. Recent reading I seem to remember suggested they were quite dangerous.

[#14]

They were quite dangerous for boys when you came forward off the seat on to the T gear changer. Enough to bring a tear to a glass eye!

[#15]

Mine was one I put together m'self back in the late 50's around a Dayton frame - not dissimilar to this one complete with those chrome front forks but with extra gears. The frame was incredibly light as well.

Happy days with many miles including a good half dozen round trips from Croydon to Brighton on the old A23 - no wonder the old knees are now knackered.