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Any Edinburgh Pashley owners out there?

(19 posts)
  • Started 10 years ago by bueller
  • Latest reply from bueller
  • This topic is not resolved

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  1. bueller
    Member

    I'm in the market for a new bike, I am looking at the Dawes Duchess (7 gears) Pashley Brittania (5 gears) or the Pashley Princess Sovereign (3 gears)

    Are there any lady Pashley riders out there? Would a 3 gear Pashley get me around Edinburgh? Would be cycle path riding initially but once my fitness/confidence improves I would probably want to cycle into town up Dundas St (yikes!!)

    Any ideas much appreciated, have already posted about gears already in another post so would love to hear from owners of any of the bikes above - ta very muchly .

    Posted 10 years ago #

  2. wingpig
    Member

    "Would a 3 gear Pashley get me around Edinburgh?"

    Depends what the lowest gear is. In conjunction with the other thread it should be possible to check the gearing on the items of interest, comparing them with what you have at the moment to see if it's be easier or harder on slopes.

    The Dawes is a 38-tooth chainring, with 14-28 cassette and 26*1 3/8 tyres. Unfortunately, Pashley don't give their chainring sizes and only state the wheel diameter (26") without the tyre size, so comparison will require some Googlework and possibly counting the teeth on the chainrings on the pictures.
    The Britannia's 5-speed SA is an XRD-5[W]. The Princess Sovereign is purportedly the same, with the non-Sovereign Princess an Sturmey Archer XRD-3.

    It would also be possible to pop to a shop with them on display and physically compare the number of pedal-rotations-to-wheel-rotations of their lowest gears.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  3. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I have a 3-speed Sturmey hub bike, chainring is 44T. I can get it up most hills in Edinburgh, but it can be a bit of a chore on the steeper ones involving standing up and a slow slog using lots of leg strength. It's not the lightest bike in the world but it would be certainly lighter than a Pashley.

    I think you'd be good to try and get a test ride on the 3-speed.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  4. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    If I were you I'd keep your current bike until you are confident and riding the stuff you want to ride. Without noticing, you will have become fitter than you are now.

    At that point, note the gears you are using and you know what you need from a new bike. Voilà!

    The first corner on the way up the Mound is one of the steepest bits of Edinburgh, but quite cyclable. The gear you need there is probably the lowest gear you'll ever need.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  5. Morningsider
    Member

    Nice looking bikes - but they are seriously heavy. The Pashley Soverign is almost 45lb! A veritable Blue Whale in bike terms. Personally, I wouldn't fancy riding that up Dundas Street - regardless of the gearing.

    Also, given you have such a hilly route, it is worth considering how good the brakes are for the steep descents. I don't have any experience of hub brakes - but I imagine someone on here does.

    I agree with IWRATS - get used to cycling on what you have before committing to a new bike. You might well go off the idea of a classic roadster style once you find what sort of cycling you like.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  6. Stickman
    Member

    I mentioned in the other thread that my wife has a Bobbin Birdie. This could be a cheaper (and lighter!) alternative to a Pashley. They also do similar step-through bikes with derailleurs, so could offer wider gear options.

    I've also got a Bobbin (the Daytripper) with the Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub. I changed the sprocket to make hills a bit easier and I'm now really pleased with it.

    One of the chaps in the Bicycle Works was very impressed with the build quality of the Bobbin - his view was that it was as well made as a Pashley.

    Bobbin Bikes.

    Perhaps something to consider? BikeTrax stock both Pashley and Bobbin, so maybe look at them both.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  7. SRD
    Moderator

    Don't want to say anything against pashley - I love the look of them myself - but I do think a bobbin birdie might be a good call. There are two of them regularly locked up along my commute, and I always admire them.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  8. Iratesheep
    Member

    Yes! I own/ride a Pashley Poppy. 3 gear, SA hub, hub brakes and I totally love it. I got it secondhand at soulcyle and I spent ages deciding if three gears wouldn't be enough. In the end I bit the bullet, and got it. It was the first bicycle I had owned in ten years. No regrets.

    Hubbed gears means acceleration from lights and junctions is easy.

    However - I do push it up Dundas street, the constant stopping at lights is just too much like hard work most days. YMMV, it is not a common route for me.

    I cycle it most days, including rain and snow because the enclosed brakes and gearing stay reliable.

    The Poppy is a little lighter (because it lacks some things) than the Britannia and Sovereign, but I tend to overload the front basket with ridiculous quantities of shopping and if it was stolen I would replace it with a near identical model (rear rack this time).

    I am more than happy to let you have a go on it if you like, let me know, you can take it out for a long ride.
    (I am madly evangelical about it)

    Posted 10 years ago #

  9. Baldcyclist
    Member

    The Bobbin Birdie is a pretty bike, and the pannier rack looks nice on that bike.

    But if you covet a Brooks saddle, by the time you have bought one the price becomes pretty similar.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  10. Baldcyclist
    Member

    I have a Parabike which I use for shopping, and commuting if I get the train in. And my wife has a Little Black Bike which she loves. I think the 3 speed gearing on her bike is better than the 5 on mine. If anything I prefer riding her bike.

    The Little black bike is a cut down Sovereign, Poppy Spec with Sovereign looks from what I can tell.

    We live in Burntisland which is essentially on the side of a hill, and she manages on that pretty well.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  11. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I don't have any experience of hub brakes - but I imagine someone on here does.

    You will stop. The feel of them is different, they don't suddenly "bite" if you pull hard on the brakes, more progressive to slow and the braking power increases as you hold the lever, but they are effective. And better than rim brakes in the wet for sure.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  12. Stickman
    Member

    Sounds like whatever you decide you'll have made a good decision! It's a nice position to be in!

    Posted 10 years ago #

  13. Stickman
    Member

    I can confirm that Iratesheep's Pashley Poppy is lovely.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  14. bueller
    Member

    oh Iratesheep that's very kind!!

    Thanks again to you all for indulging my 'retro bike fetish'

    The Bobbin Birdie and Metropole all look good too, might have to mooch around Evans/Co-op this week so I can drool over new bikes :-)

    Posted 10 years ago #

  15. gembo
    Member

    As
    With the other thread the three speed is I believe more reliable than the five speed and if the bottom gears are the same then I would go three. I need to stand to get up dundas street on my three speed.

    Possible to take a longer route to avoid the hill? Heavy bikes good for bowling along on the flat and downhill of course.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  16. fimm
    Member

    bueller, go to BikeTrax too:
    http://www.biketrax.co.uk/index.php
    they have Pashleys and other bikes like that.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  17. Baldcyclist
    Member

    ^^ Yep, do that. I got my Pashley from Evans, wasn't particularly well put together. If I had known at time BikeTrax were a stockist I would happily have given them my money instead. Had good customer service from BikeTrax when (eventually) not buying a Brooks saddle.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  18. Stickman
    Member

    Bueller, to echo the above advice:

    I was in BikeTrax at lunchtime and they have a good selection on display at the moment: Pashley Princess and Poppy, Dawes Duchess and several different Bobbins. They all look really nice so I'm sure that one of them will be just what you're after.

    Remember that a mooch about to drool over new bikes often becomes a purchase!

    Posted 10 years ago #

  19. bueller
    Member

    I love you people!! Thanks for all the fab advice

    As a matter of fact I visited the Co-op and Evans last night, couldn't even lift the Pashley in Co-op not a great sign - what a BEAST it is though (swoon....)

    Looked at the Metropole in Evans - hmmm not sure, seems a bit flimsy....

    Walked back via BikeTrax and it was shut, so with my nose pressed against the glass (probably on their CCTV now) I spotted their selection of fancy girls bikes, might need to visit soon!

    Posted 10 years ago #

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