Cycling UK Forum

pwa wrote: ↑30 Dec 2021, 5:02am I would expect Mike's Galaxy became an "appropriate" tourer as he modified it.

Yes, as knowledge and funds grew.
Most of my bikes since have been built up from a frame.
Perhaps there is a parallel with Hi-Fi enthusiasts, who once had to build their own systems.

The bike I started touring with in the 1980s was inappropriately geared (no photos). Richard's Bicycle Book helped a lot. My edition is from 1983, and has been a little bit eaten by woodworm.
I feel i should mention Ed Pratt and his unicycle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esLi9IUOiUw

I usually tour on either my custom spec Airnimal Chameleon or my Focus Mares CX similarly set up for touring. However back in 2016 i did an almost three week tour through the Austrian Alps on my CF 'race' bike - suitably adapted with rear rack and guards. Okay, its not as extreme as Mick's Chopper but a touring bike it aint! 20/24 spoke climbing wheels, 23c tyres, 52/34 x 11-28 gearing, carbon saddle, Well it was set up for the Oetztaler Radmarathon 255km with over 5000m of climbing which it managed nicely along with the Eddy Merckx Classic, 167km and another 2500m, the events book ending the trip

here it is on the Gross Gloeckner alpine road
and the Gerlos Pass
and the end of the EMClassic in Fuschl

1977: Viscount Aerospace Pro, with improvised front and rear racks. It was not particularly stable, although it helped that I was skinny at the time. Gearing was lowered to 36 front and 28 rear, with a Shimano Crane rear mech. 35 mm tyres. The rear wheel failed half way into France.
I still have the bike, and it is quite fun to ride without luggage.

willem jongman wrote: ↑4 Jan 2022, 5:19pm 1977: Viscount Aerospace Pro, with improvised front and rear racks. It was not particularly stable, although it helped that I was skinny at the time. Gearing was lowered to 36 front and 28 rear, with a Shimano Crane rear mech. 35 mm tyres. The rear wheel failed half way into France.
I still have the bike, and it is quite fun to ride without luggage.

Can you post a photo?

I'm interested to see if it had the "death fork".

No picture for now, but maybe later. Yes it has the aluminium fork, but no it was not the death fork. The lethality was not so much in the aluminium as many seem to think, but in the inadequate connection between the steel and the aluminium parts of the fork as used on some early models. Mine was fine.

Mine had the "death fork" and was also fine.

Touring on carbon? Used to be a total no- no, but since some manufacturers started beefing up their seat stays it's perfectly possible - although I wouldn't want to carry the whole kit and caboodle that goes with camping.

Theory of Relativity. Heinz Stucke's world tour Brompton
seems quite reasonable relative to the late Christian Miller's transAmerica tour on a Bickerton.
Of course, that seems absolutely mainstream relative to Regis Fender's 3000km Sahara crossing on a Strida
which in turn is relatively normal when contrasted to the late Paul Lim's bikepacking Carryme.

How do the pedals go round? You'd think his feet would ground out.

Blimey, Sid's come up with some crackers....but I'm voting for Mick F's LEJOG on a chopper.......splendidly daft idea.

Whilst touring in Tibet in 2007 on my very appropriate 1991 Hooger Booger Comp XT, I, for a while, acted as almost official photographer for this idiot ( in a technical bike choice sense only !):
I would wait at the top of a pass for 3 hours whilst Joff pushed it to the top. I waited....brewing coffee for his arrival ........ having found out that passing land cruisers with Chinese tourist paid him for selfies in CHOCOLATE....and the views were nice & peaceful whilst I waited.

Well, a bit dull really after the previous few posts, but my first bike I toured on was a Raleigh Winner - 18" frame, 26" wheels, 5 speed, 'safety brakes' which nearly had me in a Scottish harbour they were so poor! But it got me all round the country for 8 years. I wish I'd not got rid of it! So maybe it wasn't inappropriate at all - maybe the next bike would fit that bill instead - a Raleigh Touriste, 18 speed, loves carrying weight - but 19.5" so I couldn't reach the drops comfortably... Still got that one, it now has flat bars.

hoogerbooger wrote: ↑6 Jan 2022, 9:53pm Blimey, Sid's come up with some crackers....but I'm voting for Mick F's LEJOG on a chopper.......splendidly daft idea.

I really do wish I'd not sold it.

We were given an original condition Mk1 Raleigh RSW16 some years ago, I rode it round the village and up and down the hills for a while, and even Mrs Mick F had a go on it once.
Nice bike to ride.

The bike is now at the National Cycling Museum.
https://www.cyclemuseum.org.uk

a couple of mine in touring mode on this summers coast to coast
Andy

Mike Sales wrote: ↑30 Dec 2021, 5:52pm

pwa wrote: ↑30 Dec 2021, 5:02am I would expect Mike's Galaxy became an "appropriate" tourer as he modified it.

Yes, as knowledge and funds grew.
Most of my bikes since have been built up from a frame.
Perhaps there is a parallel with Hi-Fi enthusiasts, who once had to build their own systems.

Or multihull enthusiasts....

Have I got the right person!

Any one for a woods or Wharram!!