Commuting on a old classic bike

[ren531]

Does anyone commute regularly on an old classic bike ,by that I mean something shiny and cherished not just a uncared for old bike ,2 years ago I got interested in restoring older bikes usually just stripping the bike cleaning re greasing it and keeping it as original as possible ,I have been using them to ride to work on in fine weather and there does seem to be a deeper joy in using them for this ,riding to work on a 1981 Carlton or Hercules with a Sturmey Archer 3 speed in the sunshine knowing it can do the job just as good as a modern bike is rather satisfying , and I wondered if anyone else enjoys doing this also .

 

[Drago]

I'd love to commute on a cherished old favourite, but I can't be bothered to get a job.

 

[gbb]

My winter hack is a heavily modded 531 framed Raleigh Clubman, I don't commute any more but when I did.....
Normal road bike in the summer, at the time a Bianchi, agile, light and fine for what I was doing in rush hour traffic.
In the winter, what I found was the Clubman gave a supremely smooth ride but, the heavily swept rake of the forks...which contributes to a damping effect and a smooth ride, actually makes it like steering a battleship, utterly and completely useless if you like to get in and out of cars and traffic. Fine on the straight, very slow to respond to turning although some of that may be due to a longer stem as well.
I'm guessing the Clubman was a tourer really, a vintage 'race' framed bike will almost certainly handle better.

Added, I used to see myself as a relatively aggressive commuter, aggressive in the sense of wanting to get on, not afraid to move around in traffic, that's why I never really enjoyed the Clubman.

 

[southcoast]

Yes used to enjoy commuting in 1981 on my Raleigh.

 

[biggs682]

@ren531 this My 50's Raleigh Roadster has been one of commuting bikes for a couple of years now as has many of my other older bikes .
Current commuter is a 1992 Marin Bear Valley .
And i get great enjoyment when i put it in the bike rack at work next to all the much more modern machine others use

 

[wisdom]

Regularly commute on a 1994 dawes galaxy.

 

[Slick]

@ren531 this My 50's Raleigh Roadster has been one of commuting bikes for a couple of years now as has many of my other older bikes .
Current commuter is a 1992 Marin Bear Valley .
And i get great enjoyment when i put it in the bike rack at work next to all the much more modern machine others use

I know some emotions are difficult to explain, but I would be interested to hear why you get so much enjoyment from the Roadster just parking it beside modern machines, especially as it's a relatively modern purchase?

 

[biggs682]

I know some emotions are difficult to explain, but I would be interested to hear why you get so much enjoyment from the Roadster just parking it beside modern machines, especially as it's a relatively modern purchase?

I think it's to do with how a lot of people look at older and less expensive things and think that they can't be reliable and enjoyed as much as a new item can .

 

[Slick]

I think it's to do with how a lot of people look at older and less expensive things and think that they can't be reliable and enjoyed as much as a new item can .

Interesting, as it's maybe just me but I think most people I know would look upon an old car for instance with great interest and slight envy and I would have imagined it to be the same for bikes. There's certainly not many classics around where I cycle which is a pity, so can't really put my theory to the test, but I'm happy to take your word for it.

 

[Drago]

No one looks upon my old car with interest or envy!

 

[biggs682]

Interesting, as it's maybe just me but I think most people I know would look upon an old car for instance with great interest and slight envy and I would have imagined it to be the same for bikes. There's certainly not many classics around where I cycle which is a pity, so can't really put my theory to the test, but I'm happy to take your word for it.

That could be true with people who have been cycling for a long time but a lot of today's cyclist wouldn't know how to change gear on a sturmey archer 3 speed

 

[Bodhbh]

I do it sometimes on the Raleigh Twenty, but tbh they paint has been breached in the odd spot and it's too much of a rust magnet...even with regular greasing. Doesn't help that sweat from the helmet has a tendancy to dribble all over the folding joint in the middle.

 

[confusedcyclist]

That could be true with people who have been cycling for a long time but a lot of today's cyclist wouldn't know how to change gear on a sturmey archer 3 speed

Last time I posted pictures of my retro inspired build with bar end shifters I had some know it all (but ironically, never tried it) tell me they were ludicrously dangerous and I needed STI levers on my drop bars, less I get into an accident and lose my scalp or worse.

Makes you wonder how people got about before 11 speed cassettes and flat bar bikes were a thing.

 

[southcoast]

That could be true with people who have been cycling for a long time but a lot of today's cyclist wouldn't know how to change gear on a sturmey archer 3 speed

Yep I can remember how, you need one of these lol.

 

[biggs682]

View attachment 434993

Yep I can remember how, you need one of these lol.

I still remember the blue on of those i had when i was a teenager