Rhythm Thief
Legendary Member
- Location
- Ross on Wye
On a 1977 Mercian Campionissimo frameset, which was Mercian's cheap and cheerful off-the-peg frame. I bought this as a complete bike which had been stored in a shed unused for years, covered in old engine oil to preserve it. I thought about getting it refinished but I couldn't afford it and in any case, I love the way it looks with its faded paint and patina.
It was initially built and ridden as a single speed, but when the back wheel started lunching spokes I stripped it down, intending to sell the frameset. Then I had a rootle around the bits box and put it back together as a 1x6 cafe racer. And here it is!
The gearing is, er, challenging by modern standards: bottom gear is 45x21. But it'll be easier to get up the hills than it was when it was a single speed.
I'll use it for occasional longer rides, if I feel my knees have done something wrong and deserve punishment, but mostly it's intended as a knockabout town cruiser and pub bike.
It was initially built and ridden as a single speed, but when the back wheel started lunching spokes I stripped it down, intending to sell the frameset. Then I had a rootle around the bits box and put it back together as a 1x6 cafe racer. And here it is!
The gearing is, er, challenging by modern standards: bottom gear is 45x21. But it'll be easier to get up the hills than it was when it was a single speed.
I'll use it for occasional longer rides, if I feel my knees have done something wrong and deserve punishment, but mostly it's intended as a knockabout town cruiser and pub bike.
