How old is this ?

[BADGER.BRAD]

Hello All,

I found this bike rescently, I walked past it about 6 times whilst walking my dogs in the middle of no where leaning against a tree over a three day period. The back wheel had come loose and jammed in the frame and at a rough guess the owner had a temper fit and stamped on the front wheel ( I reckon the only way you could have damaged the wheel so bad without leaving a body behind !) I carried the thing to my car (about a mile) And popped in an old front wheel I had and then put some new air in the tyres ( no expense spared) A few adjustments later and both me and my lad were ridding around on it. It should make a great rat/hack camping or dog walking bike( all the bikes get piled on top of each other on the trailer or roof) How old do you think it is ? I'm quessing by the fitted components about 1990 ! What do you think ? All it need now is a wacky paint job !

 

[mickle]

1993 ish

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Well blow me down - I guessed early 1990's

 

[ohnovino]

Looks similar to the old MTB in my garage that I keep intending to winter-hack-erize. Based on that I'd say 90-95.

 

[Ravenbait]

I bought one of those when I was at university. Let me see. Living on Lobelia Road, which makes it... um, add 2, subtract a bit... 1992/3.

Edited to add: wait!

The '92 version had side-pull brakes, so that must be slightly later. Mine was called Lee Harvey Oswald and was rubbish, incidentally. I swapped it for an oversized Raleigh Chloe in hot pink (called Arabell) about 18 months later.

Sam

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

Thanks for the replies all seem to confirm as I thought, Why Lee Harvey Oswald Ravensbait ? Strange name for a bike ! My lads test technique after I put the new front wheel in and baring in mind that's all I had done was to wheelie the thing to the top of the road at which point he announced great ? I have used it to nip to the local shop and a quick ride with one of my dogs, my opinion is it's crude but should do the job as required. I do like the friction shifters in my opinion much better than cheap indexed gears, it weighs a ton has a nice buckle in the rear (steel) wheel which should pull out ( when I find what my lad has done with the spoke key) the brakes work well after a lot of playing and I'm not scared to leave it outside the shop/pub with an ok lock on a nice dodgy paint job should help !

 

[fossyant]

Early 90's - those Marbled frame colours were all the rage - I remember. My MTB was soon repainted blue instead of marble grey.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

100GS groupset was around 91-92; similar time as Shimano pratted with cantilevers by replacing the normal straddle wire with the other short wire (can't remember what that was called now) and the accompanying range of little plastic guides that were supposed to set the brakes up for optimum efficiency

Although being Universal branded, they may have had stocks of parts after the 100gs ceased production so it could be anything up to 95

 

[mickle]

Like I said. 93 ish.

 

[Mad at urage]

Hello All,

I found this bike rescently, I walked past it about 6 times whilst walking my dogs in the middle of no where leaning against a tree over a three day period. The back wheel had come loose and jammed in the frame and at a rough guess the owner had a temper fit and stamped on the front wheel ( I reckon the only way you could have damaged the wheel so bad without leaving a body behind !) I carried the thing to my car (about a mile) And popped in an old front wheel I had and then put some new air in the tyres ( no expense spared) A few adjustments later and both me and my lad were ridding around on it. It should make a great rat/hack camping or dog walking bike( all the bikes get piled on top of each other on the trailer or roof) How old do you think it is ? I'm quessing by the fitted components about 1990 ! What do you think ? All it need now is a wacky paint job !

OK, it's not going to be someone's pride and joy! But maybe the owner had parked too far away to collect it immediately and was going to come back the next weekend (or whenever work commitments allowed)? Or maybe it was nicked and dumped by the thief?

Someone might be wanting their bike back?

 

[Angelfishsolo]

OK, it's not going to be someone's pride and joy! But maybe the owner had parked too far away to collect it immediately and was going to come back the next weekend (or whenever work commitments allowed)? Or maybe it was nicked and dumped by the thief?

Someone might be wanting their bike back?

Valid point. Maybe let the Police know where it was found and that you picked it up for safe keeping. Then again three days in the same place.....not sure what I would be TBH.