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
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