http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Mini Cooper Bicycle Reviewed instead of car in Grauniad Motoring Page en Sun, 19 Apr 2026 21:57:16 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505&page=2#post-35739 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:58:06 +0000 chdot 35739@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yes -</p> <p><a href="http://roadcyclinguk.com/news/event-news/chris-boardmans-lotus-to-display-in-liverpool.html" rel="nofollow">http://roadcyclinguk.com/news/event-news/chris-boardmans-lotus-to-display-in-liverpool.html</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505&page=2#post-35738 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:54:00 +0000 Bhachgen 35738@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The very one. Thanks chdot. If I remember rightly Boardman won at Olympics on a Lotus-designed bike, and they brought out their range on the back of all the publicity. Don't know how well they sold, I never saw another one. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-35723 Sun, 17 Jul 2011 00:54:39 +0000 chdot 35723@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>This one perhaps-</p> <p><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6029/5944217295_6bd5240c0f.jpg"> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-35722 Sat, 16 Jul 2011 23:37:55 +0000 Bhachgen 35722@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Coming late to this thread on the (off) topic of bikes by car makers. I used to have a Lotus, which nobody mentioned. Loved it and heart still regrets selling it, even if head knows it was right! Doesn't really count I concede as it was just branding I think. British (ex Coventry) Eagle made them. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-35717 Sat, 16 Jul 2011 17:06:08 +0000 SRD 35717@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Another <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jul/15/charge-tap-hybrid-bike-review">bike review</a> in the grauniad magazine motoring section. perhaps becoming common enough not to need mentioning anymore? </p> <p>Maybe they'll rename it the 'transport' section. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-31593 Wed, 18 May 2011 19:06:43 +0000 chdot 31593@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"If you really can only spend £140, buy secondhand."</p> <p><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/may/14/review-apollo-haze-womens-hybrid-bike" rel="nofollow">http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/may/14/review-apollo-haze-womens-hybrid-bike</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-31592 Wed, 18 May 2011 19:00:40 +0000 gembo 31592@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>yes a pink appollo which Ms Pidd felt was cheap and nasty (I agree, but at least it was cheap) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-31556 Wed, 18 May 2011 10:58:06 +0000 SRD 31556@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Another bike review in the magazine this weekend. Sorry can't find link. You're not missing much. it was basically a review of a cheapo halfords bike which concluded that it was put together wrong. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14441 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 20:20:17 +0000 LaidBack 14441@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>I think they all "got there" via motorcycles </em></p> <p>Think the first <em>differentials</em> were for trikes in the late 19th / early 20th Century.</p> <p>Not to mention that a certain bike manufacturer went straight to aircraft. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14438 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 20:00:55 +0000 kaputnik 14438@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Land Rover bikes are produced/marketed by a different company now. </em></p> <p>I've looked at <a href="http://landrover.tagworldwide.com/LR_bikes/090/lr_bikes_090_en_GBv2.php">their online catalogue</a> and I'm sincerely underwhelmed. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14433 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:31:05 +0000 chdot 14433@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"keen on the magazine From A to B"</p> <p>Moultons get mentioned occasionally. Bromptons are mentioned on 94.5% of its pages. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14431 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:28:31 +0000 gembo 14431@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@chdot<br /> That would be a Pashley/Moulton APB.</p> <p>Yes Moulton. The guy also keen on the magazine From A to B </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14430 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:26:06 +0000 chdot 14430@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"he liked it as it came to bits and could be stored on his yacht"</p> <p>That would be a Pashley/Moulton APB. </p> <p>Land Rover bikes are produced/marketed by a different company now. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14428 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:17:46 +0000 gembo 14428@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>New a guy who had a land rover bike, he liked it as it came to bits and could be stored on his yacht.</p> <p>Landrover started the off road prams for people who like to jog with their babies. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14425 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:04:41 +0000 kaputnik 14425@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>impossible usually for a car brand to make a decent bike</em></p> <p>What about bike companies to make a decent car?</p> <p>Rover? Triumph? Sunbeam? Humber? (Peugeot)</p> <p>I think they all "got there" via motorcycles and there's others never made the full leap to 4 wheels (BSA).</p> <p>Are any of Land Rover's bikes "decent"? (a question I genuinely don't know the answer to) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14424 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 18:58:08 +0000 LaidBack 14424@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Looks like none of us are 'the target market'. Nothing wrong with famous brands but it's <strong>impossible usually for a car brand to make a decent bike.</strong> </p> <p>...apart from Peugeot, Austro Daimler, Moulton LandRover, Triumph(?)</p> <p>I think we need to start a thread on <em>'bikes we don't like'</em> and why. </p> <p>Or <em>'bikes we do like'</em> which is partly covered on Spotted. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14380 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 09:56:12 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 14380@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sorry, I've just been a little bit sick in my mouth.... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14350 Sun, 10 Oct 2010 13:25:00 +0000 LaidBack 14350@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><strong>Min </strong><em>I don't think I have ever taken such a violent dislike to a bike before now! </em></p> <p>Braking is pretty fundamental - but not in the bike fashion market it seems! </p> <p>These are not for bike users but posers I reckon. </p> <p>With LB bikes you can do both but at least they have BB7 discs or drums just in case you need to stop in a hurry. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14348 Sun, 10 Oct 2010 13:16:38 +0000 cb 14348@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>A further bike related snippet appeared in the the Blog Roll section in the Guide.<br /> The topic this week was "crap" and crapwalthamforest.bloodspot.com got a mention. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14344 Sun, 10 Oct 2010 10:20:56 +0000 gembo 14344@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I have frog legs on my tri-cross and reach for them on my other bikes, but they are not there [not too serious as it is normally when I have sat up to slow down in the firstplace], but if the same applies for everyone else and also in reverse, ie you are used to normal brakes, tanking along and start pulling on non-existent brakes and then have to sit up to actually brake I think this is actually dangerous. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14340 Sun, 10 Oct 2010 08:48:01 +0000 Min 14340@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I can't help wondering if the design is all to make it look like a fakie fixie. No brakes on the drops (too obvious), the barely existant chain guard, the wee frame levers so as not to have any noticable shifter on the handlebars. Just makes me hate it even more. :-P </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14337 Sun, 10 Oct 2010 08:12:28 +0000 gembo 14337@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>does seem the negatives outweigh the positives, I did wonder why I couldn't see it on the mini-cooper website so a less than auspicious inaugural bicycle review where normally there is a motor [ also Helen Pidd's first journalistic outing in grouniad, there is a wee picture in the paper review cf. on-line of Helen Pidd pedalling the bike in upright mode, well you would in case brakes need applied. Only go fast when you won't need to apply the brakes? Actually quite dangerous. One point of hub gears was indeed shifting to cross bar changer [or grip shifter? or chopper gear lever? I am not sure about his one] Also I wasn't keen on the colour. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14333 Sat, 09 Oct 2010 23:48:26 +0000 Min 14333@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"I've just taken a second look. Does it have dropped bars but chicken brakes on the flats only?"</p> <p>Yes. Stupid isn't it? It also seems to have the most pathetic chain guard I have ever seen and is not even a proper step through frame (I used to have one like it). I don't think I have ever taken such a violent dislike to a bike before now! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14315 Sat, 09 Oct 2010 18:40:40 +0000 kaputnik 14315@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've just taken a second look. Does it have dropped bars but chicken brakes on the flats only? That's a bit silly - how are you meant to slow when you're going fast on the drops?</p> <p>On closer inspection it's nothing like as lovingly designed as a Pashley and I second what Min said about it looking like it's been done up. The modern-fangled seat pin, brakes callipers and rims spoil it. And a downtube shifter for a hub gear just seems a bit daft. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14314 Sat, 09 Oct 2010 18:09:46 +0000 Min 14314@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It's not really a review either. Did she even ride it? Apparently so since she remarked on the upright riding position but that is pretty much the only thing. </p> <p>? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14313 Sat, 09 Oct 2010 18:06:50 +0000 Min 14313@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I don't like it. It looks like a crap old bike someone found in the back of their garage and did up. </p> <p>There, I've said it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14312 Sat, 09 Oct 2010 17:32:39 +0000 LaidBack 14312@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The first link though - has great copy (I jest of course!).<br /> Would anyone be swayed by this...? Yes of course... small wheeled bikes are very popular in Japan (and maybe China where most of them are made). </p> <p><strong>Strong Taste of England</strong><br /> The old Classic Mini is perhaps the most beloved model in Mini history, and it is from this model that we bring you Mini Cooper Bicycles. Licensed from British Motor Heritage Limited, these bikes sport the old Mini Logo, which is green instead of the BMW black <em>(boo hiss)</em></p> <p>The details on the bike reflect the classic English style. The Classic Mini logo appears on the body, handles, front, frame, and seat. The body color strictly follows the original car colorways: British green, classic red, or sky blue.</p> <p>With sleek lines, vibrant colors, and the distinct Mini charm, the bikes embody vintage and modern sensibilities at once. For collectors and bike-users alike, they radiate ironic elegance and earn their place in Mini history. Explore the bikes. Enjoy the ride.</p> <p><em>The other 'real' <strike>fake</strike> Cooper bikes are ok. None match the Pashley Guvnor - it's retrotastic with drum brakes too. </em> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14310 Sat, 09 Oct 2010 17:15:31 +0000 SRD 14310@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Page 2 of the 'money' section also has replies to a 'bicycle widow' whose husband bought an £800 bike last year and now wants a £2000 one, even though she thinks they need a new kitchen more. Some amusing replies. Sorry no link - doesn't seem to be on the website. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14308 Sat, 09 Oct 2010 14:46:25 +0000 kaputnik 14308@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Just to remind everyone - the man behind the suspension that made the small-wheeled Mini (car) possible was Mr. Moulton</em></p> <p>Also behind equally ingenious Hydragas and Hydrolastic suspensions used by BMC on some less memorable vehicles now quietly consigned to the annals of motoring history.</p> <p>And Challenger tanks... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1505#post-14307 Sat, 09 Oct 2010 14:42:49 +0000 kaputnik 14307@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Is it that game where you give someone the answer and you come up with the question?</p> <p><strong>"what looks like a fixie, but isn't a fixie?"</strong></p> <p>It does look lovely though, but you certainly pay for it. Which seems to be where Cooper are aiming. They had a "race" across Oxford in one of the cycling magazines a few months back, a Mini Cooper limited edition vs. a Cooper Reims I think.</p> <p>Bike won. </p>