Buy a bike and cycle it home?

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frazzled

Active Member
Done this once, when living in Norfolk. It was probably only 40 miles though (and nice and flat).

No problems but, i knew the seller. He is a mechanic and very fastidious, so no worries about it being fit for purpose. Don't think I'd attempt it if not knowing who I was dealing with.

Upthread was a mention of taking your own saddle. Back then I'd never have thought of that, but it's a good point.

My sister is not much of a cyclist, but was given a Scott Contessa which is a lovely bike, but the saddle really is like a razor blade.

With fuel prices as they are she wants to cycle more, and encourage her daughter too. She mentioned the saddle on my bike being so much more comfortable than hers. When I said that you can pretty much put any saddle on any bike, she reacted like I'd found a practical application for nuclear fusion ^_^
 

Jameshow

Veteran
I've done it the other way around, ride a bike to pick up a car (van) wish I hadn't as the engine gave up 6 months later!

Good fun though going to different parts of the country - Suffolk in this case!
 
I've done that, albeit it was only five miles.

Chain dropped off after about a mile, and it was then that I discovered I was (at the age of 18) far better at bike mechanics than my late father... :tongue:

Incidentally, I still have the bike nearly 29 years later (late 80s steel MTB), although it's been stripped for spares and mostly used for "learning how to do the more fiddly stuff before doing it on the posh bikes" :blush:
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
If there's a train line, I'd do it. But I'm an idiot.
I once got the train to Peterborough to buy a trike, with the intention of riding it back to Stevenage.
I made it as far as Huntington before a comprehensive air of 'Sod that!' forced me to get a train.
That trike weighed the same as a small baby elephant, and had all the aerodynamics of a shed.
 
Location
España
At the risk of stating the bleedin' obvious have you asked the folk at the recycling centre if it's up to a 50 mile ride?

Bring the basics with you, including a few chain links and and short of a calamitous failure you have the makings of an adventure and great story!

Pack a tent and take the long way home^_^
 
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