Sit up and beg

[Landy Mann]

The question is why don't more people ride sit up and beg bikes? The reason I ask is that I've just recommissioned my Grandmas old bike (standard sturmy archer 3 speed) and taken it on a quick ride round the block, it was a far more relaxing to ride than either my road bike or mountain bike, I've already found a taker for it (for the cost of new tyres + tubes) but am now considering the idea of a getting a sit up and beg, far better then your average hybrid IMHO, I'm converted!

[xpc316e]

The answer is that sit up and beg is indeed great for a spin around the block, or a short trip to the shops. Go on longer journeys and you will want less weight on the seat and more supported by your arms, and you'll want lower bars for less drag when cycling into the wind, etc.

I notice that like me, you have stable of bikes. I presume that is because they all have individual strengths and weaknesses, and are better suited to some tasks than others. A sit up and beg bike does exactly what it says on the tin and suits short town rides, but not much else - perhaps that (and fashion) is why not many are seen around.

[gentlegreen]

I think it depends on the individual. I know someone locally who does Audaxes on a modern version of the SAB.
Then there's the other rider on an MTB with a 52 tooth big cog, narrow wheels and bar extensions who sees off roadies..

I suppose my own roadified MTB is set up in a fairly sporty way, but I doubt I could ever go back to the road bikes I started out on - albeit second-hand 10 speeds - even though in the past I didn't feel safe unless I was close to the ground.

What gets me - living as I do in hilly Bristol - is how people used to manage with only 3 gears - they must surely have got off for hills and limited themselves in terms of top speed ...

[LowPlainsDrifter]

I have three bikes (was 4 until one got nicked) of different types. My Dawes Sadar with drops. A Falcon 26" hybrid with flat bars and my late dads old (55-60 year old?) Raleigh with cowhorn type bars. The Raleigh is the most comfortable of the lot for short trips not involving big hills or high head winds. The bike I got nicked was an old sit up and beg Elswick single speed with similar pull back (toward the rider)bars with rod brakes and this was just as comfortable.A joy to ride.
So comfortable were these two old bikes on round trips of 40 miles I have been thinking of fitting similar bars to my Dawes as I dont like drops anyway.

[karlt]

I think it depends on the individual. I know someone locally who does Audaxes on a modern version of the SAB.
Then there's the other rider on an MTB with a 52 tooth big cog, narrow wheels and bar extensions who sees off roadies..

I suppose my own roadified MTB is set up in a fairly sporty way, but I doubt I could ever go back to the road bikes I started out on - albeit second-hand 10 speeds - even though in the past I didn't feel safe unless I was close to the ground.

What gets me - living as I do in hilly Bristol - is how people used to manage with only 3 gears - they must surely have got off for hills and limited themselves in terms of top speed ...

I'm sure they did. I had a 10 speed as a lad and had to push up some hills in not all that hilly Bedfordshire and Northants. It's easy to forget how the MTBs taught us how low gears could go and what you could get up - albeit slowly - if they were that low. It spawned triples on road bikes - unfortunately a lot of roadies won't touch them so they're a bit of a rarity, but the popularity of compacts to get the low gears is telling. Back "in the day" of 3 speeds and the classic "10 speed racer" when I were a lad in the 70s/80s I suspect it was only the strong who never had to push. Or people in Norfolk of course.

[bigjim]

When I was a lad in the 60s it was a regular thing to get off and push. I toured as a youngster on a 3 speed Triumph sit up and beg although I did fit drops to it in the end. Pushing was never frowned upon and gave you a chance for a fag, fill your pipe, have a chat or admire the view.

[gentlegreen]

The standard 10 speed didn't have much of a low gear - 42 tooth front by 28 rear - I doubt I ever used the 52 tooth front cog much .. I was very bad at fixing my bike in those days and rarely had all ratios available anyway (or straight wheels / functioning brakes. ).
I walked one particular hill every working day for 13 years !

These days if my front derailleur's up the creek, I can just about get up the final hill of my commute on 38 front by 34 rear on 26 inch wheels and I'll tweak it to sacrifice the 48 tooth cog while I'm waiting for the new part to arrive.

[mattheus]

i wouldn't call that much of a sit-up-and-beg. The bars are quite a long way from the saddle. The 1955 Roadster I was given puts your back almost vertical (and there is no stem adjustment possible due to the rod brakes). I find it quite unstable compared to a more stretched-out position and have no doubt it would be uncomfrotable on long rides (longest so far - a few miles out to ride the Boxing Day 10 TT).

Yours is probably a better compromise.

Nevertheless, when switching between my various bikes I'm convinced the most comfortable for short rides is also the best ones for longer rides (drop bars a little below saddle height, and a decent distance from the saddle). I think I got CJ to agree to the same! Roadsters LOOK dignified and comfortable, but actually are lacking in ergonomics. Some advances really were progress.

[tyred]

I've done 40 - 50 mile rides on my vintage roadsters and have never felt uncomfortable. A wide, fully sprung saddle works wonders on poor road surfaces. In fact, I increasingly enjoy riding these bikes on country roads at an "admire the scenery" speed. I live in a hilly area but a large sprocket makes the hills easy. I would suggest if anyone finds a roadster tiring to ride, they have it over-geared (most were over-geared in the first place).

Remember that people used to tour on these bikes. A road bike would definitely be faster but that defeats the purpose of a leisurely ride through scenic surroundings. If you're really in a hurry, try a Honda Fireblade, it's even faster than a road bike!

[Alex L]

If you're really in a hurry, try a Honda Fireblade, it's even faster than a road bike!

Not if you've only got a sandwich to run it on

[tyred]

If you're really in a hurry, try a Honda Fireblade, it's even faster than a road bike!

Not if you've only got a sandwich to run it on

Yeah, I find bread crumbs clogs the jets in the carburettor.

[Alex L]

Well I'm glad that's your biggest worry

[mattheus]

I've done 40 - 50 mile rides on my vintage roadsters and have never felt uncomfortable.

Get back to us when you've done a long ride.

(Who said they were uncomfortable? I'm saying my modern bikes are MORE comfortable, that's all!

Actually I rather like the swept-back handlebar ends on my old thing, better than most modern flat bars - it's just unfortunate that they are too close to the saddle.)