80s Pashley Picador

[GeekDadZoid]

I built a nice cruiser style bike for mother in law last year to get her into two wheels, she had tried before but got confused with gears etc. She uses this to go to her mum's once a week to drop some shopping off, but she cannot build the confidence to go further afield.

She has been tempted on buying a tricycle to help her overcome her balance worries, but the high price has put her off. I found this gem for £80 on FB which I think is a bargain. Initial inspection shows it just needs some new brake blocks and a new brake cables to allow the handle bars to be raised. Other than that my only issues is I find it impossible to ride to give it a proper test ,🤣🤣🤣

I'll take it to the car park over the road at the weekend and see if I can get the hang of it.

 

[AndyRM]

That looks lovely. Fun little project too.

 

[a.twiddler]

That looks useful. With a box or big basket on the back, should be just the thing for carrying the shopping.

 

[a.twiddler]

I wonder if Pashley do rear mudguards that don't cost an arm and a leg? It would finish it off neatly, as well as keep spray off whatever is carried at the rear. Interesting to see that the front wheel has a rim brake and a drum brake too.

 

[T4tomo]

Interesting to see that the front wheel has a rim brake and a drum brake too.

that's normal on trike isn't it, as in 2 brakes at the front, nothing at the back.

 

[a.twiddler]

More elegant than 2 rim brakes back to back, and easier on the rim, I should think.

 

[MichaelW2]

On a bicycle you lean to steer and steer to balance.
On a tricycle to steer to steer and lean to balance.
If your mother is not happy balancing on a bike she probably has the advantage on a trike.

 

[GeekDadZoid]

That looks useful. With a box or big basket on the back, should be just the thing for carrying the shopping.

I wonder if Pashley do rear mudguards that don't cost an arm and a leg? It would finish it off neatly, as well as keep spray off whatever is carried at the rear. Interesting to see that the front wheel has a rim brake and a drum brake too.

I'll keep my eye out for some mudguards. We haven't decided on the box we are fitting yet so I might be able to attend them to the box and just use some generics.

On a bicycle you lean to steer and steer to balance.
On a tricycle to steer to steer and lean to balance.
If your mother is not happy balancing on a bike she probably has the advantage on a trike.

I went out for a test ride yesterday to see what needed doing. Managed to kind of get the hang of it, but it only took a lapse of concentration to end up heading towards to road, wall or grass.

Spent a ages hours replacing the brake blocks, raising the bars, replacing the front brake cable and getting the shifter shifting. All seems pretty good now, I'll try and ride it to hers tomorrow to deliver, I can go a quiet route fortunately.

Luckily she lives in a flat where they have a nice long flat carpark, so she has ideal practice space.

 

[GeekDadZoid]

Dropped it off tonight and she hopped on and rode off with no bother.

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/KRWQrv_jfXU?feature=share

 

[wafter]

This is great - I do keep getting thoughts about a trike for my mum. She's never learnt to ride a bike, rarely gets out of the house and has unfortunately got pretty porky in her old age. I really think getting out and about around the village on a trike would do her the world of good; if she could be persuaded / there was space to store it as I'm already struggling with my own bikes and they're hardly "space efficient"..

 

[T4tomo]

Dropped it off tonight and she hopped on and rode off with no bother.

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/KRWQrv_jfXU?feature=share

It just needs some disco lights and a boom box on the back and she'll be the trendiest grannie in town.

 

[GeekDadZoid]

It just needs some disco lights and a boom box on the back and she'll be the trendiest grannie in town.

Ha ha I'll tell her that 🤪