OT - Classic style bicycles

Hey folks - an OT for you Wife and I have just received two beautiful bikes we’ve had on order - a step away from days of my youth on mountain bikes, these are handbuilt Pashley bikes, made in the UK Love to chat with others who like a nice bicycle - I’m ranting about mine on the blog here - http://pashleyguide.blogspot.com/ People are starting to call me totally eccentric - I take snuff ( as I am typing this, on J&H WIlson SP no1), I play Ukulele, and now I’m riding a classic style bike. I say, they all go together perfectly!

Yes, I’ve seen them on Sheldon Brown’s web site…nice looking bikes! Kind of remind you of the old Raleigh bikes with 3 speed Sturmey and a Brooks saddle. Real BIKES!! Oldest bike I had was a Raleigh Robin Hood 3 speed as a boy. I still have a Raleigh from the 50’s…a good bike can actually last a lifetime All you have to do now is take up Bee-keeping and sit back by your hives, snuffing and drinking porter, randomly shouting orders at the worker bees and sporadically laughing…THEN, you are a nut!

@ Bart: you are describing me! I shout orders at my worker bees and I don’t even have any yet! Although I’m told I will turn into a queen if I keep eating honey at my present rate. @Pauljmuk: I strongly recommend the webcomic Yehuda Moon and the Kickstand Cyclery. There are a few Pashley nuts over there in the forum, and the comic itself appeals to the ecclectic, anachronistic, and even quixotic cyclist types. I fit somewhere in there, being a bicycle commuter/tourist and raging against the machine all day long.

One of these days, I gotta pedal to Cinci so I can rage at Bart’s bees for a spell.

Thanks all - Xander - thanks for the link too! Yep - the Pashley has Sturmey Archer drum brakes, and drum 5 speed gearing. Love it!

"Bicycle Times 'mag is a good one for regular people who just plain like to ride. I didn’t see a photo of your ride on your site, Paul. Xander, I will send a swarm out to meet you on the outskirts of town. They drink porter as well :slight_smile:

Paul, one of the vids on your blog (“Pashley Princess Sovereign Explores Edmonton”) is set in my old hometown! Yay Edmonton! I got all nostalgic for a few minutes. She rode around some places that I used to ride too (including the High Level Bridge, Old Strathcona, U of A etc.), although I rarely wore high heels and a dress while riding my bicycle… Geraldo

I ride a Worksman M2600 with a factory-added Shimano Nexus 3-sp hub and a front drum brake. Very robust machine; more like a lunch-powered motorcycle…

Wish I could lay my hands on an old style bike like the Pashley. I love the Sturmey Archer gearbox and I believe that it’s available as a 7 speed as well. I own two bikes, a GT hybrid and a GT Zaskar mtb.

I just saw an article the other day in a UK publication complaining about the Royal Mail’s decision to decommission their bicycle fleet. Pashley was their primary supplier.

I’ve also been following the U.S. Bicycle Route System taking shape. I think in the US we’re a bit late planning bicycle routes after the town is done opposed to European countries where there is walking and biking routes already in place in most towns. But, it’s a start. I would consider being a mail carrier if they rode every day.

I thought you meant the old-timey spine-rattlers with the big wheel in front–now that would be a sight to see!

That’s a Penny-farthing. I’d like to try one of those. There are always a handful that show up at local bicycle events.

thanks all - there is a stock pic of my bike on the blog. I will get around to a review and pictures this weekend - too dark on getting home from work during the week. That Royal Mail pashley news is sad - cost cutting due to our deficit. The Royal Mail bikes are built like tanks. I presume a whole fleet of used mail bikes will be on second hand market soon - worth picking one up I reckon