My current bikes

[MattyP]

Hi All!

Been registered a few weeks now and not made many posts so thought I'd add some pictures here of my current rides!

Raleigh Strata - circa 1995/6
This is my old sturdy general pottering around - morning training bike (do a 6m ride most mornings). Had it for 19-20 years and given sterling service. Still running great after all these years. I have completed many rides on her including cycling around the Isle of Wight. Not the lightest of bikes but very robust and has a decent sized frame. Will maybe put some thinner wheels on her at some point and turn her into a hybrid.

Marin Bear Valley SE (circa 1995?)

I bought this from my brother around 7-8 years back. He did some major updates on wheels/brakes/gears. Nice and light and just completed a blat over the edge of North York Moors recently with her. Bit of a boneshaker though with it being a hardtail! Picture below was taken at Cod Beck near Osmotherly, North Yorkshire. Ride there often.

Carrerra TDF (2013)
My most recent bike and the first road bike I have bought for a long time. Got this in a recent promotion at Halfords as a starter bike to get me back into road biking. Have been impressed this far other than the pedals with toeclip being a bit rubbish (which I replaced promptly with cleats) I love it. Nice weight handles well and perfect for what I need of it. Racked up around 50 miles or so in the past couple of weeks. Hills are taking a bit of getting used to though as I've been used to mountain bike ratios for a long while and this has only 16 gears geared for speed so hills need a bit more effort! Again taken at Cod Beck...

 

[lip03]

great pictures!, especially like that old Raleigh! there is something I like about an old "work horse" of a bike you just know its not going to let you down haha

 

[MattyP]

Yeah love the old Raleigh. Supposed to part with it when I got the new road bike but its such a nice bike to ride around - really comfy and chunky and soaks up the bumps on the road very nicely. Also have a child seat mount on which I take my youngest on (although he is bordering on being a bit heavy for it!). Just can't part with it..... Weird how you can sometimes get emotionally attached to bikes.... That bike has personality.... It's got scuffs and scratches gathered on many adventures.

 

[Easytigers]

+1 for the Raleigh! I had an old mountain bike that did me well for years and years...never washed it or lubed the chain and never had a problem with it. All the bikes since have been cleaned regularly and serviced and they've cost me a fair penny in replacement bits...maybe I should stop cleaning them!!!!

 

[lip03]

as you progress through bikes I think you become a bit more obsessed by them, with cleaning! and buying new parts for that matter! but on an old hack there is nothing that a cable tie of some chewing gum wont fix!! and that's why I love em! like you say matty it gives it personality!

 

[lip03]

also is that iggle piggle on the floor?? hahaha

 

[MattyP]

Kids... Thankfully they have grown out of that program now....

 

[MattyP]

Not sure if bikes aren't built as well as they used to be.... don't think the bike I recently got will be as healthy as the Strata in 20 years somehow...

 

[lip03]

haha I have a two year old and we haven't long been out of the "in the night garden" stage!

Kids... Thankfully they have grown out of that program now....

 

[cyberknight]

haha I have a two year old and we haven't long been out of the "in the night garden" stage!

My 6 year old has started watching "baby tv ", he says its for his 18 month old sister ........
Nice selection of bikes there and as others have said in other posts about the TDF it is a good bike but a bit overgeared for most, you could swap the rear deraillier + cassette to give you a bigger range for hills or just grind away .