Retro/Replica bikes...
Discussion
As per the thread title, really.
Anyone other than Raleigh currently trading on past glory?
While scrolling through the "reduced" bikes section of a retail website, I spotted this ^^^
First thoughts (from viewing the thumbnail image) were "WTF? What's a second-hand snotter doing on a new bikes website?" Then I opened the item window, and it was revealed in all it's glory.
Available for the princely sum of 1,475 of your Great British Pounds!
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/r...
(sorry, but 'Frauds was the cheapest stockist I found, and ordering today gets me 'Collect in Store' at my local branch next Wednesday - the rest were selling it for closer to £2k)
Reynolds 525 CrMo frame and forks, a claimed weight of "9Kg approx", Campagnolo Veloce gear-set with VELOCE 50/34T chainset and 11-27T cassette, with Campagnolo Athena dual pivot brake calipers. Wheels are Mavic Open Pro rims built on Campagnolo Record hubs with stainless spokes, fitted with Challenge Criterium "open tubular" tyres, all topped off with Cinelli Giro D'Italia handlebars and a Cinelli 1A quill stem (110mm).
It's not what I'm looking for right now, but as a child of those heady days when Raleigh were one of the real big players in the bike industry, and their sponsored teams actually won stuff, I reckon it looks very good. Nowhere near the quality of the originals in terms of frame material, and the lack of friction shifters is disappointing to purists, but on the whole a good stab at recreating the 'look' of the race bikes of the period.
So, is anyone aware of any other manufacturers (big factories, or smaller framebuilders, I'm not fussed) who are producing anything similarly 'retro' and 'threaded headset'?? Or are you more of a purist, choosing to keep a genuine "period classic" bike (of any standard) on the road???
Oh, and pictures/linkies please...
Anyone other than Raleigh currently trading on past glory?
While scrolling through the "reduced" bikes section of a retail website, I spotted this ^^^
First thoughts (from viewing the thumbnail image) were "WTF? What's a second-hand snotter doing on a new bikes website?" Then I opened the item window, and it was revealed in all it's glory.
Available for the princely sum of 1,475 of your Great British Pounds!
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/r...
(sorry, but 'Frauds was the cheapest stockist I found, and ordering today gets me 'Collect in Store' at my local branch next Wednesday - the rest were selling it for closer to £2k)
Reynolds 525 CrMo frame and forks, a claimed weight of "9Kg approx", Campagnolo Veloce gear-set with VELOCE 50/34T chainset and 11-27T cassette, with Campagnolo Athena dual pivot brake calipers. Wheels are Mavic Open Pro rims built on Campagnolo Record hubs with stainless spokes, fitted with Challenge Criterium "open tubular" tyres, all topped off with Cinelli Giro D'Italia handlebars and a Cinelli 1A quill stem (110mm).
It's not what I'm looking for right now, but as a child of those heady days when Raleigh were one of the real big players in the bike industry, and their sponsored teams actually won stuff, I reckon it looks very good. Nowhere near the quality of the originals in terms of frame material, and the lack of friction shifters is disappointing to purists, but on the whole a good stab at recreating the 'look' of the race bikes of the period.
So, is anyone aware of any other manufacturers (big factories, or smaller framebuilders, I'm not fussed) who are producing anything similarly 'retro' and 'threaded headset'?? Or are you more of a purist, choosing to keep a genuine "period classic" bike (of any standard) on the road???
Oh, and pictures/linkies please...
18 months ago I purchased a new Raleigh Clubman:
The list was £1000, I got it for circa £700, as I wanted a decent quality steel frame winter commuter . Its all tiagra and nice solid components
The bike did stirling service service and was a superb winter bike, whilst a touch heavy I could get a great turn of speed out of it and used to love racing others on a bike they thought I nicked from the 1950s!
Its the only bike that women have ever shown any interest in, the women I work with came up and told me how much they like my bike! Another couple stopped me outside shops and told me the same! Odd as normally females tend to show no interest if they are not cyclists.
It looks completely different now, I swapped the brooks out for an ISM , the silver wheels have gone for some low spoke shimanos and the mudguards have been swapped. I also replaced the brown bar tape for black. Looks less genteel now.
I think Raleigh had a good range over the last couple of years, but they just dwindled away to nothing, their brand image was too associated with the past. Whilst my bike is great its a very old fashioned looking thing that didn't sell at all.
I thought it was well priced @ £1000 for the quality, I think I got a good deal @ £700. Then I saw it @ £150 on Hotdeals UK. I think it was a Halfords mistype but apparently they did honour a few of the sales.
The list was £1000, I got it for circa £700, as I wanted a decent quality steel frame winter commuter . Its all tiagra and nice solid components
The bike did stirling service service and was a superb winter bike, whilst a touch heavy I could get a great turn of speed out of it and used to love racing others on a bike they thought I nicked from the 1950s!
Its the only bike that women have ever shown any interest in, the women I work with came up and told me how much they like my bike! Another couple stopped me outside shops and told me the same! Odd as normally females tend to show no interest if they are not cyclists.
It looks completely different now, I swapped the brooks out for an ISM , the silver wheels have gone for some low spoke shimanos and the mudguards have been swapped. I also replaced the brown bar tape for black. Looks less genteel now.
I think Raleigh had a good range over the last couple of years, but they just dwindled away to nothing, their brand image was too associated with the past. Whilst my bike is great its a very old fashioned looking thing that didn't sell at all.
I thought it was well priced @ £1000 for the quality, I think I got a good deal @ £700. Then I saw it @ £150 on Hotdeals UK. I think it was a Halfords mistype but apparently they did honour a few of the sales.
Edited by TwistingMyMelon on Thursday 5th March 13:45
There are a few Campag equipped steel bikes in the Genesis range this year which look pretty retro
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/road/a-road/eq...
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/road/a-road/eq...
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/road/a-road/eq...
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/road/a-road/eq...
Holdsworth have also recently started making frames and bikes again too.
You can have a 531 or stainless Columbus SL Professional frameset in the Orange and blue racing colours.
Plus others from Planet X: https://www.planetx.co.uk/brand/q/Holdsworth
You can have a 531 or stainless Columbus SL Professional frameset in the Orange and blue racing colours.
Plus others from Planet X: https://www.planetx.co.uk/brand/q/Holdsworth
Matt_N said:
Planet X have also recently started selling Holdsworth branded frames and bikes again too.
You can have a 531 or stainless Columbus SL Professional frameset in the Orange and blue racing colours.
Plus others from Planet X: https://www.planetx.co.uk/brand/q/Holdsworth
EFAYou can have a 531 or stainless Columbus SL Professional frameset in the Orange and blue racing colours.
Plus others from Planet X: https://www.planetx.co.uk/brand/q/Holdsworth
notwithstanding that that raleigh bike is no doubt beautiful, it does seem like a lot of money.
a couple of years ago i built up a bike from a 1973-ish holdsworth equipe frame for about half the price.
main details were:
open pro wheels
sturmey archer chainset and crank
alfine 8 speed hub gear (wanted a cleaner look than derailleur set up)
bar end shifter (you can see on the photo)
rode very well although i decided the saddle was a bit uncomfortable.
i wouldn't use it as my daily ride, but as an N+1 bike I'm delighted with it.
my point being if you like the retro look you can achieve it for much less.
also i had my LBS build it up for me. they also helped advise on the build spec:
a couple of years ago i built up a bike from a 1973-ish holdsworth equipe frame for about half the price.
main details were:
open pro wheels
sturmey archer chainset and crank
alfine 8 speed hub gear (wanted a cleaner look than derailleur set up)
bar end shifter (you can see on the photo)
rode very well although i decided the saddle was a bit uncomfortable.
i wouldn't use it as my daily ride, but as an N+1 bike I'm delighted with it.
my point being if you like the retro look you can achieve it for much less.
also i had my LBS build it up for me. they also helped advise on the build spec:
Now. It's actually an old bike, rather than a modern 'retro' build, and apologies for repeat posting the pics (from the "Show off your bike" thread), but I've just refreshed this old thing...
My 1997 Falcon Pro-Line, 14 speed, 53/39 x 13-23 Shimano Exage 300 gearing. All original bar the brake pads and tyres.
...now with added Ultegra 6700 brakes, recycled cables, bar tape and saddle, plus Garmin mount, speed/cadence sensor from my (written off) modern Merida road bike, second-hand (and free, thanks to PHer 'richardxjr'
) SPD pedals, plus a new threaded headset.
This is 'Phase 1' of the "Frankenbike Experiment". Phase 2 will involve the transplant of some modern wheels to take a 10 speed cassette, and the replacement of the rear mech with the Ultegra unit from the dead Merida. Some cable stops, to allow the use of modern STI shifters, or a set of 10 speed Dura-Ace downtube shifters though? Not sure yet. Phase 3 needs the purchase of a modern band-on dérailleur (the Merida's is too large a diameter) and the swapping out of the 53/39 chainset with the Ultegra compact and BB from the Merida too.
Eventual plan is to run this with large (possibly 38c) tyres, a full Ultegra 10 speed compact groupset, and use it for 'gentle' off road stuff, sort of "cyclo-cross lite", byways, tow paths, fire roads, that sort of thing. As many of the donor parts as possible will be salvaged from broken bikes lying about in the garage before those (broken) frames get slung in a skip, in order to keep the budget to the absolute minimum. Cost so far? Aside from the 1997 purchase price of £229, I've spent £35 for the new headset, including fitting and having the front wheel trued properly.
My 1997 Falcon Pro-Line, 14 speed, 53/39 x 13-23 Shimano Exage 300 gearing. All original bar the brake pads and tyres.
...now with added Ultegra 6700 brakes, recycled cables, bar tape and saddle, plus Garmin mount, speed/cadence sensor from my (written off) modern Merida road bike, second-hand (and free, thanks to PHer 'richardxjr'
) SPD pedals, plus a new threaded headset. This is 'Phase 1' of the "Frankenbike Experiment". Phase 2 will involve the transplant of some modern wheels to take a 10 speed cassette, and the replacement of the rear mech with the Ultegra unit from the dead Merida. Some cable stops, to allow the use of modern STI shifters, or a set of 10 speed Dura-Ace downtube shifters though? Not sure yet. Phase 3 needs the purchase of a modern band-on dérailleur (the Merida's is too large a diameter) and the swapping out of the 53/39 chainset with the Ultegra compact and BB from the Merida too.
Eventual plan is to run this with large (possibly 38c) tyres, a full Ultegra 10 speed compact groupset, and use it for 'gentle' off road stuff, sort of "cyclo-cross lite", byways, tow paths, fire roads, that sort of thing. As many of the donor parts as possible will be salvaged from broken bikes lying about in the garage before those (broken) frames get slung in a skip, in order to keep the budget to the absolute minimum. Cost so far? Aside from the 1997 purchase price of £229, I've spent £35 for the new headset, including fitting and having the front wheel trued properly.
love retro bikes ,
Here's an early 90's Colnago that i built up for my Nephews 21st Birthday
finished bike
My Dads bike , that he designed himself in the early 50's ( as a fixed gear )copied from one of Reg Harris' world record track bikes. , all that was left was the frame , which i had renovated and presented to him on his 74th Birthday , he rode it up until his death at 79
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