Record attempt scheduled

[LollyKat]

Reason? Challenge, eccentricity, raising money for the local primary school.

You can read about it on his blog. He made some modifications but IIRC the saddle was not great - part of the challenge!

[Mick F]

Thanks!

There's lots of threads on here somewhere about how it was going to go to the dump and I rescued it before it went. After inflating the tyres and fitting a chain, I went out for a ride on it .......... as original.

I was actually surprised how good it rode, though the brakes were awful. The saddle height was the first issue, and rather than fitting a custom made seatpost, I used a length of hardwood doweling to extend it. Trouble was, the "sissy bars" backrest goes in and out of the rear of the frame on springs, but the bars were too short when the saddle was raised. I had to make a bracket to mount the saddle further up the bars so the bars remained inserted correctly.

I was asking on here what should do with it, and someone suggested an End2End. That idea appealed to me ........... and everyone else.

Next issue was the chainset and cranks. Someone on here gave me a steel double chainset (square taper) with 170mm cranks . The trouble was, the Raleigh BB shell is way too wide for a square taper spindle, so I bought a new one and had it "telescoped" to the correct length. Cut it down the centre, turn it on a lathe so it's true, and make a tube so the two halves slide in and out. Measure up accurately and tack weld it. Trial and error got the spindle to turn properly in the original cups and balls. Remove it, and weld it up properly.

Next, the front mech I had from a scrap bike wouldn't clamp on the oversized set tube, so I had to bend the clamp and fit a long bent bolt and nut. Also, because the chainstay is very high, the tail-end of the mech fouled the chainstay, so I cut the end off and strengthened the plates using pieces of plastic cut from old car numberplates and glued on. It worked perfectly.

I fitted two cogs on the 3spSA by fitting them dished inwards, a thin spacer, and dished outwards, then the circlip. A rear mech from the scrap bike worked fine but I had to fit long limit screws to cope with the short distance of only two cogs wide.

A pair of thumbshifters from the scrap bike completed the gear derailleur controls, but as the saddle was high, I couldn't reach the 3sp gear stick, so fitted a long SA cable and a trigger shifter on the handlebars.

Brakes still terrible. I borrowed the hub and roller brake off the front wheel of Mrs Mick F's bike, and bought a new rim to build the hub into. The roller brake on the front on such a small wheel was absolutely brilliant. I fitted leather blocks to the standard rear brake and that was adequate.

Front panniers completed the stability issues by having stuff in the front, it held the bike down to stop inadvertent wheelies!

Other than the iconic saddle, it was a bike I could ride permanently. Excellent handling and predictability, excellent brakes, good set of gear range, and supremely comfortable so long as I didn't get a sweaty bum.

After my JOGLE, I reverted the bike to original, and sold it. ...................... I wish I hadn't.

[Jamesh]

Great morning read Mick thanks!

We all have those I wish I hadn't sold it stories

Mines a Volvo 740 with just 100000 miles on the clock!

And also my first road bike a wyndale 531

Cheers James

[charliepolecat]

Mick's bike is really a bits and pieces bike. Steptoe would have been proud.

[Mick F]

............ but it was still a Raleigh Chopper.
Watch the movies.
http://jogleonachopper.blogspot.com/201 ... go-at.html
http://jogleonachopper.blogspot.com/201 ... stock.html

[Jamesh]

What was the difference in teeth of the two cogs?
Do you think you could have done it without the rear mech Mick?
On just 3 speeds?

Fair play for doing it on a chopper!

Cheers James

[Mick F]

42/52 double chainset given to me.
28t and 18t on the 3spSA AW

This gave in gear inches:
42/28 = 1st 22.5 - 2nd 30.0 - 3rd 39.9
52/18 = 1st 43.33 - 2nd 57.78 - 3rd 76.84

I needed the 22.5 for the hills towing a trailer, and 76.84 was the highest I could get it though would have liked higher of course.
Without the range I had, I doubt I could have done it without walking up all the hills.

[philvantwo]

You've got a helmet on!!

[Mick F]

Yes.
I think 2010 or so was the last time. Wore one for about ten years. It became a (bad?) habit.
Considering I've been riding a bike since 1956(?), it's been 63years in total, meaning 53years lidless.

[charliepolecat]

I hope this thread isn't going to sink down into the helmet debate. Some of us - me for instance - believe they are a sensible choice and I don't harangue about it, so please let's not go down that road.

Ken.

[Mick F]

No probs with me!
I'm no zealot one way or another. I eventually saw the light, but it took going completely bald that made them uncomfortable. Since doing away with mine, I'm a much happier cyclist. I'm not saying that everyone should be bald, but it has loads of advantages, so don't dismiss it.

[philvantwo]

You've not got accent like Jethro Mick F, more Yorkshire?

[Mick F]

Wigan, Lancashire.
Born in North Wales of Wigan parentage, family and heritage. We were there because Dad had a new job in Chester, and we lived in a cottage up in the hills west of Wrexham.

We moved back to Wigan before I was three.
Left the place after joining the RN in 1969 but went "home" regularly until soon after marrying in 1973.
Not been back for years, other than cycling through.
Other than that, you wouldn't get me back there for all the tea in China.

[Paulatic]

The Penny Farthing attempt is up and running.
For the dot watchers among us https://pennyfarthingendtoend.org.uk/tracking/

[charliepolecat]

Amazing!