What was your first proper bike?

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
sjs
Posts: 1306
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 10:08pm
Location: Hitchin

Re: What was your first proper bike?

Post by sjs »

My first was my much older brother's abandoned 3-speed Raleigh "all steel bicycle", rescued from the back of our garage in 1969, just before I went to secondary school. Replacement cables, tyres/tubes and brake blocks, job done (a bit by me but mainly by a couple of slightly older friends, no adults involved). Despite the steel wheels the brakes were surprisingly effective, owing to ingrained rust on the rims.
Almost immediately we got hold of an old OS map of the area and set off for days out, usually 25-30 miles, sometimes 50. I rode the bike until post-graduate times, including a memorable 100-mile journey home from university, then above-mentioned older brother decided he wanted it back.
mattsccm
Posts: 5101
Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: What was your first proper bike?

Post by mattsccm »

Not including kids 24" wheels jobs etc as the OP doesn't seem to :roll: count them as a proper bike :roll: the first would be something green with a 4 speed block at the back. No idea now what it was. Think I had just started grammar school when I bought it. Bought a Falcon "Eddy Merckx" for my 13th Birthday
Ugly
Posts: 523
Joined: 14 Jul 2009, 8:34am

Re: What was your first proper bike?

Post by Ugly »

!0 or 11 years old a 19'' E. F. Russ, a frame builder in Battersea South London, 26 x 11/4 wheels, cyclo3 speed, Williams chainset, flat GB bars. I rode it until it was much too small for me. A lightweight at 11 years you may ask... Mum and Dad were both club riders.
Jim
Posts: 31
Joined: 15 Jul 2020, 12:40pm
Location: Cardiff

Re: What was your first proper bike?

Post by Jim »

A Dawes Dalesman 8 in cornflower blue (early 1960s) with Huret gears - 4 x 2
I recently saw a similar Dawes Red Feather at a cycle auction - the same (unnecessary) white rubber finger grips on the brake levers. It really took me back.
PAB855
Posts: 396
Joined: 26 Apr 2014, 3:07pm

Re: What was your first proper bike?

Post by PAB855 »

An 18inch bike named ' The Orient' supplied by Cruickshanks of Union Street Aberdeen and bought in Dundee from Mrs Green at her bike shop in Watson St in 1947. Single speed and rod brakes. I was 9 years old.

It was a step up from using my dad's 'New Hudson' which I rode with one leg through the frame!!

I wouldn't like to try that now!

Still cycling happily by continuing to ride by sitting on the saddle and know I'm a lucky guy,

Cheers
jimlews
Posts: 1476
Joined: 11 Jun 2015, 8:36pm
Location: Not the end of the world.

Re: What was your first proper bike?

Post by jimlews »

Harry Hall 'Italian',
Frame and forks in Champaign Metallic with black lug lining. 74/74 head & seat tube angles.
Bought from the shop in Cathedral Close Manchester for £ 80.00
I built it up with Maillard large flange hubs, shimano 600 gears, changers and shimano 600 double chainset 42/53t
My cycling chums were scornful because the kit wasn't Campagnolo. I compromised with a set of Campag d/t levers.
Rims were 27" Weinman Alesa. I 'built' the wheels myself. Knowing nothing about wheel building, I did everything wrong.
But the rims ran true(ish) and only broke one or two spokes per month.
The frameset was an entry level racer; close clearance and no MG eyes, but I managed to wangle mudguards onto it
with P clips etc after a few drenching's.
Then I became interested in doing a bit of touring and it acquired a rear rack - a horrible Pletcher; my flexible friend.
I cobbled together a pair of rear panniers using white canvas from the Art College. No lid - I just rolled the top underneath itself
and secured it with gents braces. Did I invent the roll top pannier? I doubt it.
Barrowman
Posts: 441
Joined: 8 Jan 2022, 6:35pm

Re: What was your first proper bike?

Post by Barrowman »

Raleigh Gran Sport secondhand repainted by my father .
And then a brand sparking new Claud Butler Competitor , 531 in Bianchi Blue, Small Flange Campagnolo hubs, Fiamme Alloy 27" Rims, Williams Steel Chainset, Campagnolo (Valentino? ) Rear Mech , 5 speed. Brooks leather saddle.
Ron
Posts: 1384
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 9:07pm

Re: What was your first proper bike?

Post by Ron »

A black 'Hercules' with step through frame which I inherited from my father just as soon a I could stand on the pedals and reach the seat with the seat nose turned down. It had been modified for one legged pedalling, conventional pedal on one side and footrest on the other, with fixed wheel back sprocket but was demodified when I became tall enough to use it.
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