On yer bike!

[feltfan]

BTW

That looks like my kind of riding. Wish I could join.

Where did you get those "plus fours"?

 

[Mike1973]

That looks like my kind of riding. Wish I could join.

Where did you get those "plus fours"?

I found mine at Ripley cycle jumble about 5 years ago now, for under a tenner. David had his especially made at considerable expence, and this was their first time out! They look great though, very well made compared to my vintage pair. Although mine are sturdy, they are very much built to a budget.

Nothing to stop you joining the VCC, but it's a bit of a trek just for a Sunday ride! Maybe you could start and Oakland Section, there must be a pretty big vintage lightweight following in your neck of the woods?

 

[Mike1973]

Cycling films...

Watched Belleville Rendezvous a couple of weeks ago, very well observed animation :eusa_clap

Got me itching to watch 'A Sunday in Hell' again now!

http://www.worldcycling.com/merchant.mvc?Category_Code=Hist-DVD&Screen=PROD&Product_Code=HSTDHELL

 

[Salv]

Watched Belleville Rendezvous a couple of weeks ago, very well observed animation :eusa_clap

Got me itching to watch 'A Sunday in Hell' again now!

http://www.worldcycling.com/merchant.mvc?Category_Code=Hist-DVD&Screen=PROD&Product_Code=HSTDHELL

Sunday In Hell has to be the ultimate cycling film - beautifully shot, with some superb racing. Watching Eddie in full flow is always a thrill.

 

[Salv]

While looking for images of 1930's cycle tourists to help identify a jacket in another thread I came across a page on the Adelaide touring Cyclists site with some fantastic photos taken by Ernest Capell, British Best All Rounder in 1934. There are photos from 1936 tours of Austria and Switzerland, and some 1932/33 photos taken in England.

Some examples from the Austrian tour:

The Swiss tour:

English photos:

 

[rickrise]

Elegant Cycling

Stoked to find this site! I was referred by a member of the iBOB list (Internet version of the old Bridgestone Owners' Bunch).


After years of being a slob, I have been guided reather reluctanctly towards a bit of elegance in dress by my dear wife, and, being dedicated both to vintage bikes and to encouraging folks to use their bikes for normal transport, and who must therefore get off their bikes and blend in somewhat with the crowd--which is difficult to do when wearing clothing that outlines your genitals!

So I designed and am currently producing a set of formal bicycling knickers (breeks or trews in UK) which I think the denizens of this list may find attractive. If you wish to see or perhaps even order a pair (hoping you'll forgive this bit of commercialism), look at http://www.bicyclefixation.com/wool_knickers.html.

Cheers,

Rick

 

[JeffOYB]

(Hi Rick!) I'm an iBOB, too. What a great forum you folks have here! Have you heard of L'Eroica yet? --It's a vintage bike rally in Italy, done on period bikes, in period outfits, on period (white gravel) roads! Supercool! Here's their homepage: http://www.parcociclisticodelchianti.it/eroicae.htm. And here's a pic of what I mean:

<IMG SRC="http://outyourbackdoor.com/articles2006/eroica.jpg">

I'm happy to have joined this forum. It seems to include the range of classic style that I like to encourage. (Like Rick, I sell stuff! I publish OutYourBackDoor.com, a website, books, luggage and other things that promote independent culture and adventure---most often with a classic style.) But I'm a user not a collector, myself. Offhand, it seems that being period correct is not required here: it's more the spirit that counts. Am I close?

As regards bicycling, I find that I often enjoy riding in streetwear that has a classic look. Sometimes all you have to do is tuck in the socks and have a nice vest to do the trick to get a classy cycling look! : ) Let's see if I can display a pic where I'm walking the talk:

<IMG SRC="http://outyourbackdoor.com/articles2006/jp.fancy.outfits/jp.atala.civvies.jpg">

Boy, this forum looks like fun! Wait'll you see what I went deer-hunting in this year. I'll have to put up a pic...

 

[Salv]

Welcome to the Lounge Jeff, and thanks for posting the link to L'Eroica - I hadn't heard of that before, and the photos on the site are excellent.

Nice Atala - Campag bits I presume; are they original?

 

[JeffOYB]

Thanks! That was a mixed-breed bike, with Super Record Campy on the back and a mix elsewhere of nice early 80's stuff. It's was a steady bike that loved to turn. Not twitchy at all. But my local roads are straight, so I ended up selling it. I mostly ride a '94 Bridgestone RB1 these days.

 

[JeffOYB]

PS: Do you folks know about Rivendell? --http://www.rivbike.com/ They helped me discover the vintage approach to cycling. They sell new stuff, but it has old style. And they promote classic ideas. Such as wearing pleasant-looking outfits when cycling. They're trying to get bikewear away from the Tour de France robo look. It truly ain't for everyone. They've also pushed a picnicking approach. They promote the use of bike luggage so that you can bring food, drink and a little stove along for a proper lunch break. They promote simple overnighting. Inspired and informed by them and their friends I did a bike tour a couple years ago where I brought a twig-stove (a simple stove that uses a real fire), coffee stuff, camp stuff...and my first pipe. I camped on a riverbank and had just the greatest time reading, puffing, enjoying a little brandy and sipping coffee the next morning. I have to say that I enjoy promoting this same approach myself, in my media work. It's so much fun! Biking isn't just about sweating, now is it. Here's a link to an email list that Rick and I mentioned here, the iBOB:
http://www.bikelist.org/mailman/listinfo/internet-bob. It includes lots of discussion of vintage bike stuff. It's a searchable list as well---many people just surf along on the archives. Any bike question is likely answered there! (The archives include the Classic Rendezvous posts, too.) Enjoy! --JP

<IMG SRC="http://outyourbackdoor.com/articles2006/small.world.fire.sm.jpg">

 

[Mike1973]

Haven't checked in on this thread for a while, great to see it's still getting interesting posts:eusa_clap

I've been following L'Eroica since I first heard about it two years ago, it sounds fantastic! Not for the faint hearted though, especially the longer routes... One day I'll pull my finger out and actually go!

JeffOYB, you might like this article I wrote ...

http://www.huntscycles.co.uk/Chums.htm

We toured the Passchendaele battlefields on reproduction MkIV Army Cycles, and camped in fields living out of our packs for about 4 days. A cycle tour with a bit of a difference...

And for anyone interested in Military Cycling the web site is a 'must see'

http://www.huntscycles.co.uk/index.html

 

[JeffOYB]

All I can say is WOW. Reenactment is amazing. Of all sorts. (I do appreciate it all.) But the cycling looks wonderful. --JP

 

[Salv]

More 100% merino wool retro cycle jerseys...

I've just found these classic looking merino wool jerseys from Endura - a nice affordable price as well at £59.99 for short sleeves and £64.99 for long sleeves:

 

[Mike1973]

youtube gems...

A couple of real gems for any fellow vintage bike enthusiasts, enjoy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyz5d3entBw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGYngjxJP1I

 

[Salv]

Lovely little films Mike - well found!

I'm trying to get a classic looking Bianchi fixie through the Cycle To Work scheme. I've applied for my voucher, but the only drawback is that I have to buy the bike from Halfords. However, I've spoken to the Halfords C2W department and they reckon they can get one for me. It looks like this

...and there are more details here. That stem is going to have to be turned upside down though, and I'll have to fit a front brake to make it road-legal, but it has a nice old-fashioned look to it. There was a version in a dull green last year, and I'll see if I can get one of those, but if not the chrome will do me nicely.

In fact, you can see the green here, with the stem in its proper position.

 

[JeffOYB]

Great movies! Thanks!

Here's my fixie, of late, with my vintage "OYB Normal" bags fitted as panniers, no sweat. Cool! The world's only "5-way" bag! Available at my website...

<IMG SRC="http://outyourbackdoor.com/images2007/trek.bags.sm.jpg">

---JP

 

[JeffOYB]

Hey, here's a project you folks might like: I'm trying to create a larger rear-rack bike pannier. I want to repurpose a military surplus rucksack or shoulderbag for this purpose. I want them to end up as dual-use items, easily converted back to rucksack/shoulderbag.

They'll be the only affordable, "rumply" looking vintage-type canvas bike panniers on the market.

The size would be: 11-12" by 13-16".

If anyone has leads/pics/ideas they're appreciated! I'm testing some items right now.

Actually, I have no idea how I would work the mounting/convertibility. A shoulderbag strap is easy. How to do the rest... There are complex metal hook rigs out there for sale, but I want simpler, less obtrusive, that lends itself to convertibility. I don't need expedition grade load bearing security.

I believe there are a couple very upscale canvas bike bags out there---Berthoud and Ostrich. They're more like fine luggage, which is great. Just out of my market. And they're not brown or olive-drab. And they're not dual-purpose.

Just an idea!

 

[Salv]

I saw a convertible nylon pannier bag/rucksack yesterday which had the hooks attached to a flap that was stitched to the back of the bag. The flap was the same size as the back of the bag, but the lower half was sewn on to the lower half of the bag leaving the upper half free. Two pannier hooks were attached to the top of the flap, and the flap could be fixed to the upper half of the bag with velcro and plastic clips. When the flap was fixed in the upright position the hooks could be clipped on to the pannier rack - with the flap folded over the hooks were covered by the flap so they didn't dig into your back. It should be easy enough to rig up something similar using decent leather straps and proper metal buckles.

I've just found the bag - it's the Knog Rak 'n Bak. There are plenty of online stores selling them, but none of them seem to have pictures of the flap.

 

[JeffOYB]

Thanks! I had seen that Knog bag but also couldn't stell how they did it. Your explanation is very clear and makes sense! Good description! I should probably order a sample to study it. Interesting...must mull over... --JP

 

[Salv]

You're welcome - I kept reading and re-reading the description, and editing it until it seemed clear to me, but even so there's no guarantee that someone else will read it the same way I read it <...phew...>