Hedgehog71
Regular
- Location
- Wymondham, Norfolk. (currently)
Hi all,
Long overdue for me to join a cycling forum; I've been a cyclist my whole life and don't drive.
I moved to Wymondham in March, it's great to see that there are so many cyclists here. Always see serious racers out on time trials, and a great number of recumbents around here too, it seems.
I own a Claud Butler Urban 100, I've spent many hundreds on it over the almost 2 years that it's been with me, there's a bit of history there:
Certainly I could have bought a couple of brand new bikes with that money, but this bike has great sentimental value: A friend of mine, who is far from well-off, won it on ebay for £40 and drove all the way from Harlow to Portsmouth to pick it up and give it to me for a birthday present, bless 'er
It was hard-ridden and in a poor state, but I was determined to keep it for good and show my appreciation for the effort she made to get me a bike that I wanted.
In September last year, it was stolen from a car park in Harlow, certainly not a town where you'd have any hope of seeing your bike again, the police were useless, of course, despite having clear cctv footage of the thief. I was gutted, being a non-driver, my only transport and my independence had been taken away.
Well, six weeks later, my friends other half, SB, called to say that he'd spotted a Claud at a local boot sale. It turned out to be mine, and I retrieved it immediately, with very little fuss from the thieving **** who'd been caught red handed.
Just hours later, SB was killed in a tragic car accident. To both myself and my friend, this bike now has a kind of iconic status. The bikes name is Binky, and I wouldn't give him up for a million quid
I'm not particularly fit, but Binky and I still manage about 11-15 miles per day, my record is 52 miles in a day: from Harlow to Broxbourne, then along the Lea to the Thames and back. Obviously it's nothing compared to many members here, but not bad going for an overweight smoker!
I'll doubtless be bugging members on this forum for all sorts of advice on maintenance, parts, cycle clubs etc etc, and I look forward to chatting about anything to do with cycling.
I've had a peek at some members pics of the beautiful restoration work that they've carried out on their cycles. I've done what I can with Binky, but I hope to do much more. This could turn out to be like Triggers broom, but the way I see it: if I retain the frame, it's still the same bike in spirit.
P.S: Please tell me I'm not the only member to have named their bike!
Long overdue for me to join a cycling forum; I've been a cyclist my whole life and don't drive.
I moved to Wymondham in March, it's great to see that there are so many cyclists here. Always see serious racers out on time trials, and a great number of recumbents around here too, it seems.
I own a Claud Butler Urban 100, I've spent many hundreds on it over the almost 2 years that it's been with me, there's a bit of history there:
Certainly I could have bought a couple of brand new bikes with that money, but this bike has great sentimental value: A friend of mine, who is far from well-off, won it on ebay for £40 and drove all the way from Harlow to Portsmouth to pick it up and give it to me for a birthday present, bless 'er
It was hard-ridden and in a poor state, but I was determined to keep it for good and show my appreciation for the effort she made to get me a bike that I wanted.In September last year, it was stolen from a car park in Harlow, certainly not a town where you'd have any hope of seeing your bike again, the police were useless, of course, despite having clear cctv footage of the thief. I was gutted, being a non-driver, my only transport and my independence had been taken away.
Well, six weeks later, my friends other half, SB, called to say that he'd spotted a Claud at a local boot sale. It turned out to be mine, and I retrieved it immediately, with very little fuss from the thieving **** who'd been caught red handed.
Just hours later, SB was killed in a tragic car accident. To both myself and my friend, this bike now has a kind of iconic status. The bikes name is Binky, and I wouldn't give him up for a million quid
I'm not particularly fit, but Binky and I still manage about 11-15 miles per day, my record is 52 miles in a day: from Harlow to Broxbourne, then along the Lea to the Thames and back. Obviously it's nothing compared to many members here, but not bad going for an overweight smoker!
I'll doubtless be bugging members on this forum for all sorts of advice on maintenance, parts, cycle clubs etc etc, and I look forward to chatting about anything to do with cycling.
I've had a peek at some members pics of the beautiful restoration work that they've carried out on their cycles. I've done what I can with Binky, but I hope to do much more. This could turn out to be like Triggers broom, but the way I see it: if I retain the frame, it's still the same bike in spirit.
P.S: Please tell me I'm not the only member to have named their bike!
to CC
