This is a nice post about bikes.
I have since cancelled my new bike, having lost all my patience. Since the frame on my red single speed bike was bent, I threw it away. Responsibly too, not into a hedge. It wasn’t worthy of being recycled though. Looking for a functional bike to ride whilst I wait for my perfect road bike to come up for sale, I bought this Raleigh Stratos for £36.
I’m assuming Stratos meant rusty garden gate in the 80′s. I thought there was some potential however, and immediately took off the mudguards and luggage rack. I used it like this for a while, cycling to Castell Coch 3 times in one week, enjoying gears and brakes, as any cyclist should.
After a few days I tired of it and went to B&Q for some Hammerite. I’m sure such paint is highly regarded when it comes to a smooth, even finish, rite? I went for Hammered Green, because I didn’t want black. One evening I took it all apart and quite carefully painted it. Then I did the lugging details in some left over black Hammerite, probably from an actual garden gate.
Then I went to the cycle shop and asked if my £50 deposit for the bike that didn’t turn up could be used on tyres & lights, they obliged. And so today it was finished, and I took some wanky photos, because it’s raining outside.
Some disctinctly average tyres.
I just painted around the badge.
I nearly crashed into a bin changing gear once.
Hammerite “Smooth” in action. It’s like Custard mixed with PVA glue, and it doesn’t ever come off. Lovely stuff.
Drilling holes reduces weight.
Suntour: Mediocre at best.
Those notoriously unreliable brake levers for people who don’t use drop bars.
And some quite good brake calipers.
Total cost:
Bike: £36
Paint: £5
Tyres: £15×2
Not bad! Anyone for a bike ride?!
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