CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Bikes when you were young

CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Bikes when you were young http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Bikes when you were young en Wed, 17 Jun 2026 05:52:09 +0000 Trixie on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=3#post-294631 Wed, 31 Oct 2018 09:34:24 +0000 Trixie 294631@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ My bike was also from 'the club book'. An Elswick Sovereign folding bike which was essentially a copy of a Raleigh Twenty. It once folded on me while riding along a road, something a proper Twenty physically can't do. A kind man washing his car saw me in tears and helped me with the latch to close it again. I never quite trusted that bike after. When I wanted to start cycling again, I decided modern bikes intimidated me so Mr Trix got me a proper vintage Twenty, only 5 years younger than me, in tribute to the one that wasn't. I am now well past being intimidated by multitudinous gears etc and, after not turning a wheel for a year, Fenella the Twenty went to the Bike Station a couple of weeks back. I hope to see her out and about sometime. gembo on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=3#post-294623 Wed, 31 Oct 2018 08:25:31 +0000 gembo 294623@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ My Raleigh Chico which was cheapest bike in the Club Book (name for Kay's catalogue £25 now or £2 a week for 52 weeks - which was what my mum went for) was in fact a single speed hipster bike, little did I know its skinny tubes and lack of gears made it cool when all the chopper gang and grifter boys were mocking me.. Being mocked for having presents bought out the club book does not constitute an adverse childhood experience but it still rankles. Wish I had kept the LED watch I was given when everyone else was given LCD, would be on antique road show with it now. Black strap Matt silver casing with big button for illuminating the red screen Arellcat on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=3#post-294613 Wed, 31 Oct 2018 00:09:41 +0000 Arellcat 294613@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Fignon is quite bitter about his 8 second defeat which came in the last day which was a time trial of 24.5 km during which Le Mond took more than two seconds a kilometre out of him. It would seem that whilst Laurent had a Raleigh, Greg had an illegal tri-bar set up? Now that I've just finished reading Richard Moore's Etape book, this finally makes sense to me. I don't think LeMond's tri bars were illegal, per se, just not in common use. Fignon was using disc wheels and otherwise conventional bars. (Also thought it was worth the thread-bump for all y'all newcomers.) recombodna on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=3#post-131257 Mon, 04 Nov 2013 09:24:14 +0000 recombodna 131257@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Lolz sallyhinch on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=3#post-131253 Mon, 04 Nov 2013 08:08:41 +0000 sallyhinch 131253@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Yeah - I did a bit of googling after I wrote that and realised but decided not to pedant my own post. It didn't reach our shores (or at least the corner of Scotland where I was) till a good deal after that though... recombodna on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=3#post-131242 Mon, 04 Nov 2013 00:18:50 +0000 recombodna 131242@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Na BMXing was invented in the early to mid 70's and Kick start was first aired in 1979....... Sorry for the pedantry... sallyhinch on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=3#post-131239 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 23:02:24 +0000 sallyhinch 131239@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ I have absolutely no idea what make my bike was although I do remember it was blue and I was a bit embarrassed by it (I think because of its swept back handlebars). I did spend many a happy afternoon riding it in and out of streams and up banks pretending I was a competitor in Kick Start <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kick_Start_(TV_series)" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kick_Start_(TV_series)</a> which I now realise means I was BMXing before it was even invented. EddieD on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=3#post-131237 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 21:11:09 +0000 EddieD 131237@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ RSW 14, until I "borrowed" my older brother's single speed tourer with big wheels, I lost control of it on Berry Hill lane, crashed into the side of a Triumph, smashing out my front teeth. Banned from cycling till the age of 15, when I was bought a beautiful matt black Puch Prima 12 - 2x6 glorious gears. This was stolen from outside Mansfield library, and I used the insurance to buy my first guitar (which I still have and love, but I still can't play it well :). A summer job in '85 got me my Edinburgh Country, which I lost during a flat move in 94. In '99 my best friend gave me his ex-wife's Giant Chicago, which ignited a love of bikes, even though it was far too small for me, I graduated to a Spec Hardrock Sport in 2001, which carried me for over 25k miles before I gave it to my boss in '09 when I got my beloved Croix on cycle to work. In between times I got an HPVelotechnik StreetMachine in '03, an Airnimal Chameleon in 08. I still ponder what to do with the Mercian frame and forks I have in my attic, or whether I have enough bikes already. wee folding bike on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=3#post-131235 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 21:04:14 +0000 wee folding bike 131235@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ A couple of years ago someone worked out that Fignon would have won if he had lost the pony tail. His bike from that race was in the London science museum for a while when I lived down there. recumboris on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=3#post-131233 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 20:53:41 +0000 recumboris 131233@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Red trike with solid non-pneumatic tyres that I remember ending up getting stitches in my head after falling off the pavement. Then graduated to a Raleigh Commando followed by a grasshopper (not of the recumbent version!). I remember being very jealous of a friend with a Raleigh Arena until ... untill I tried to stop suddenly using the suicide brakes - why were they called that? Student years was a Falcon Black Diamond (?) which was brilliant. Uberuce on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=3#post-131232 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 20:31:27 +0000 Uberuce 131232@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Doesn't really count for the title of this thread, but on Friday I finished servicing the iron horse, a '77 Raleigh Esquire I got in the Omni car boot sale for £50. I gave it away to make room for newer bikes, and to help out a colleague whose bike had dissolved, and for ages we never quite got round to arranging a time for me to tidy it up. Then I saw the same beast in the Bike Staton for £200, and used that fact as emotional blackmail to ensure I got to give it TLC. Rode it back over to hers, and it's almost heartbreaking that it's too small for me. Still rides beautifully. gembo on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=3#post-131219 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 14:12:05 +0000 gembo 131219@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ All good links Fignon is quite bitter about his 8 second defeat which came in the last day which was a time trial of 24.5 km during which Le Mond took more than two seconds a kilometre out of him. It would seem that whilst Laurent had a Raleigh, Greg had an illegal tri-bar set up? Laurent also ad a saddle sore or spot under his buttock that was uncomfortable and appears to have prevented him giving a urine test at the doping station and giving it later on the train to the last stage. Laurent also accusing Le Mond of being a wheel sucker. chdot on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=3#post-131216 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 12:36:37 +0000 chdot 131216@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2010/jul/22/tour-laurent-fignon-greg-lemond" rel="nofollow">http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2010/jul/22/tour-laurent-fignon-greg-lemond</a> <a href="http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=245188&sid=a388f2a3957c8c8d718b8eacb0657406&start=10#p1840186" rel="nofollow">http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=245188&sid=a388f2a3957c8c8d718b8eacb0657406&start=10#p1840186</a> Charterhall on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=3#post-131215 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 12:34:22 +0000 Charterhall 131215@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Just found an interesting link via google. Note the 1979 time trial machine weighing in at 17lbs ! <a href="http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/builders/raleigh-sbdu-builders.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/builders/raleigh-sbdu-builders.html</a> Charterhall on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=3#post-131214 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 12:27:00 +0000 Charterhall 131214@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Thanks Gembo for pointing out the heritage bikes in the current Raleigh range, I'll have to look those up. It begs the question though as to what their marketing dept is about, on cycling web sites I frequently see references to steel bikes from Genesis and Charge, not to mention Colnago, never seen any ref to Raleigh. On subject of TdF, not forgetting Laurent Fignon's 7 second defeat by Lemond was on a Raleigh. gembo on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=2#post-131210 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 11:08:26 +0000 gembo 131210@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Good link to the Carlton website, now being taken over by another owner? A bit like the cycle company. If you talk to people from the midlands you were posh if your owned a Carlton The factories were in different locations from the main Raleigh factories. And the owner previous to Raleigh buying the company in early 1970s Gerald O' Donovan seems to have had some creative ideas tht Raleigh declined to pursue. sand yachts in Reynolds steel, a SIDECAR for a chopper oh yes, there is a picture on chris's link Gerald o'donovan then went to a special Raleigh division, maybe the team raleigh one? The original telegraph article above has actually covered many of the points. Also good to see the name Joop Zoetemelk again. Team raleigh's only ever TdF winner. I like a Dutch name Usually from their seventies football team Johnny Neeskins etc but Joop also a favourite, think he might also have competed in superstars. Will now be googling that Very enjoyable google. Zoetemelk famous for managing ONE dip in the gym tests on superstars, up there with Alan minter's diagonal canoeing, Geoff capes swimming and stan Bowles shooting a table. Unfair as Zoetemelk finished the TdF 12 times and was second six? Times. He was criticised for sitting on the cannibal's wheel too much. Too quiet and turned out he had bad accident in 1974 and an alcoholic wife that have been put forward as theories regards his under-performance. Then linked to Raymond poulidor who apparently fared better than Zoetemelk on superstars but never won the tour. He was always beaten by Anquetil and became known as the eternal second. He is alleged to have visited a terminally ill Anquetil and Jacques said to him something like "looks like you are going to be second again". Anquetil died the next day. chdot on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=2#post-131207 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 10:20:12 +0000 chdot 131207@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ "looks like Raleigh are at least aware of their heritage again" One thing that always surprises me is that they have never revived the Carlton name. At one time it was Raleigh's racing brand, but I don't think it's been used for about 30 years. <a href="http://www.carltoncycles.me.uk" rel="nofollow">http://www.carltoncycles.me.uk</a> gembo on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=2#post-131206 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 10:08:04 +0000 gembo 131206@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ @charterhall Google raleigh, get their website, click on classic bikes 1980s team replica £2000,Reynolds 525 Nice tourer £1100 Reynolds 631 with discs, one for £850 without discs Reynolds 520, one for £575 with cromo 4130 Clubman road bike £1000 Reynolds 520 And a road bike for £750 Reynolds 520 They all look good, the dearer ones have brooks saddles, campagnolo groupsets etc, the cheaper ones lower spec. Obviously Reynolds steel has moved on to 825 and 925 but it also looks like Raleigh are at least aware of their heritage again Charterhall on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=2#post-131202 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 09:22:12 +0000 Charterhall 131202@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ It's high time that Raleigh started producing top end steel again, they could really cash in on their Ilkeston heritage. But instead they just seem intent on putting their name on the same identikit carbon that everyone else is peddling. chdot on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=2#post-131201 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 01:02:46 +0000 chdot 131201@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ " Where it all went wrong Raleigh suffered with the rest of the industry in the 1960s when small cars became widely affordable for the first time, turning bikes into reverse status-symbols associated with the poorly paid. As the cycling journalist Roger St Pierre told The Telegraph, "Suddenly, if you rode a bike, you were a pleb." " <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/active/recreational-cycling/10243275/How-Raleigh-became-Britains-most-famous-bike-brand.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/active/recreational-cycling/10243275/How-Raleigh-became-Britains-most-famous-bike-brand.html</a> Zenfrozt on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=2#post-131199 Sat, 02 Nov 2013 23:52:00 +0000 Zenfrozt 131199@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ I had a wonderful Raleigh Black Magic bike that had a sound box on the handle bars and a box on the back that had a picture of a rabbit coming out of a hat (as far as I can remember). I adored that bike so much. neddie on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=2#post-131185 Sat, 02 Nov 2013 16:27:23 +0000 neddie 131185@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ My first bike was a green and orange 3-speed Puch Calypso. How 1970s. It wasn't very cool, but it got me to St Andrews. Of course I really wanted a Grifter or a Chopper like the other kids. That was followed by a silver Falcon Black Diamond, that ended up getting resprayed white with fade-in light-blue and the addition of tubs! I did eventually get a (painted black by brush) Chopper, but that was stored down at my Grandmother's in a small seaside town. I remember getting a few 'looks' from girls on it! After that was a Raleigh Record Ace, my late teenage pride & joy, which I still own to this day... Other bikes I've owned: <ul><li>Muddy Fox Courrier MTB</li><li>Cannondale M500 MTB</li><li>an unknown MTB I used in New Zealand</li><li>an unknown road bike I used in NZ</li></ul> gembo on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=2#post-131127 Fri, 01 Nov 2013 22:06:17 +0000 gembo 131127@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ I think my Dawes came from thomsons in causeyside street in paisley. Diarmid would it have been there 1978? kaputnik on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=2#post-131117 Fri, 01 Nov 2013 20:14:18 +0000 kaputnik 131117@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ I think this was my very first bike, inherited off my sister who no doubt got it off another family member as hand-me-down <a href="http://i1240.photobucket.com/albums/gg489/twomooses/WP_000750.jpg"><img src="http://i1240.photobucket.com/albums/gg489/twomooses/WP_000750.jpg">Raleigh Play Master</a> Charterhall on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=2#post-131114 Fri, 01 Nov 2013 19:43:32 +0000 Charterhall 131114@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ First real bike Falcon Eddie Merckx racer at age 14 - magic ! I had one of those too, my first '10 Speed'. Yellow with blue panels. Weighed a ton, bottom gear 42x28, suicide brakes. My first proper bike a Major Nichols, 531 with Nervex lugs, Campag Gran Sport, Fiamme sprint rims. The owner was selling up in order to take up golf. How times change ! Min on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=2#post-131015 Fri, 01 Nov 2013 08:10:54 +0000 Min 131015@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ I had a Gresham Flyer from when I was 5 until I was 13. Why yes I did grow a lot in that time. Here is what it looked like. <a href="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Raleigh-Gresham-Flyer-1970s-girls-vintage-Bike-super-cool-retro-girls-bike-/111200659303?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item19e4136767" rel="nofollow">http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Raleigh-Gresham-Flyer-1970s-girls-vintage-Bike-super-cool-retro-girls-bike-/111200659303?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item19e4136767</a> It didn't fly. The Peugot 10 speed I then got did though - in comparison! It was amazing. Diarmid on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=2#post-131013 Fri, 01 Nov 2013 08:08:10 +0000 Diarmid 131013@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ First bike I bought was a secondhand Holdsworth Mistral from Dooleys in Paisley. Fantastic bike - started going camping weekends with it (over to Argyllshire mostly) Still love touring! Wilmington's Cow on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=2#post-131011 Fri, 01 Nov 2013 01:20:48 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 131011@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Strika! <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackpuddinonnabike/10600332105/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7341/10600332105_3ee80d670f.jpg"></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackpuddinonnabike/10600332105/">Strika</a> by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/blackpuddinonnabike/">blackpuddinonnabike</a>, on Flickr Graduated to the inevitable BMX (a 'Highway'), then an Emmelle Cougar 12 MTB - that was a beaut, and I saw one in Edinburgh, chained up, a few months back. If it wasn't for the fact it was a tiny frame I'd have left a note offering to buy it. kaputnik on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=2#post-131005 Thu, 31 Oct 2013 23:58:45 +0000 kaputnik 131005@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ so it might be another 25 for Carbon They haven't yet invented what we'll be making bikes out of in 25 years le_soigneur on "Bikes when you were young" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11514&page=2#post-131002 Thu, 31 Oct 2013 23:39:36 +0000 le_soigneur 131002@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Young: Raleigh to learn on and then onto high-nelly stylee Raleights complete with rod brake linkage:<img src="https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/993714_10201816359112663_1985099494_n.jpg"> Youngish: One or two second-hand steel road style 5-speeds, then a new Peugoet: <img src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/1376328_10201816337352119_2028560485_n.jpg"> Not quite Young: A second-hand 1971 Carlton 531 10-speed that I explored the central belt on, still does the spin to the shops, stolen 3 times and recovered 3 times. (Nostalgia ain't what it used to be) Then back to Raleigh with a 531C. Took me 25 year to get to Aluminium, so it might be another 25 for Carbon.