Your first proper bike?

[niggle]

For me it was a metallic green Dawes Junior Kingpin when I was 7. Just the basic single speed one but I loved it and rode it until I got too big for it.

It's the first proper one coz it was the first bike that actually took me places rather than just up and down the street I lived on.

I just Googled 'dawes junior kingpin' and this thread was the fifth hit. Freakily my first proper bike was also a Dawes Junior Kingpin, also when I was 7 (bought for my 7th birthday in fact) in 1970, only difference is that mine was gold. Mine was also single speed, but I suppose that was the way the Junior came, and it did not fold. My sister got one for her 7th birthday as well, in red. They were so well made, I treated mine just like a BMX, years before they were invented, but it withstood this to the end when I was about 12 and was given a second hand Hercules Hustler. I cannot seem to find a picture of the Junior version of the Kingpin anywhere, or anything about it.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I just Googled 'dawes junior kingpin' and this thread was the fifth hit. Freakily my first proper bike was also a Dawes Junior Kingpin, also when I was 7 (bought for my 7th birthday in fact) and this was also in 1970, only difference is that mine was gold. Mine was also single speed, but I suppose that was the way the Junior came, and it did not fold. My sister got one for her 7th birthday as well, in red. They were so well made, I treated mine just like a BMX, years before they were invented, but it withstood this to the end when I was about 12 and was given a second hand Hercules Hustler. I cannot seem to find a picture of the Junior version of the Kingpin anywhere, or anything about it.

Mine was bought for my birthday too only it was in 1980. I do remember having a Dawes catalogue in the early 80's showing two models - the basic one and a 3 speed. I'm pretty sure (although I'm happy to be corrected) that the junior version was never offered as a folder it just copied the frame shape of the adult version.

I think I used mine 'til I was about 14 (and too big for it really) then it sat in the shed 'til a couple of years ago when it went to a collector who was going to restore it.

 

[niggle]

Mine also was a Raleigh Tomahawk but in fantastic purple!
View attachment 8110 just like this one, oh the memories.

I remember falling off many a time with the small front wheel slipping on gravel or not making it up curbs.

Can't remember what happened to it, brings a tear to my eye as many an hour was spent playing out having so much fun.

My cousin had a Raleigh Chipper in yellow, just like this one:

I 'borrowed' it once and rode it round the village hall 'power sliding' in the mud, then dad made me clean it from top to bottom as a punishment, took ages. TBH non of these Choppers, Chippers or Tomohawks were a match for my ancient Hercules Hustler, like this one:

 

[User16625]

I was just thinking earlier about my old bikes and what one I would love to have back just to own it.

I remember having an old Peugeot mountain bike that had a knackered rear derailleur so I removed it and made it a single speed without removing the cassette. I ended up getting rid of it due to buckling the frame! The bike I would love to have back though would be my old claud butler enduro in silver with bar ends 18 gears and knobbly tyres! It was what made me love cycling to begin with. Anyone got one? Lol.

A claud butler for me aswell. It was a £300 San remo I had. Cant say I wanna have it back coz I got a £1500 carbon fibre job now. I never had problems with gear mechanisms or any other parts on any of my bicycles (dramatically excepting my Carrera I had, dam thing was scrap metal on wheels).

 

[Herbie]

My cousin had a Raleigh Chipper in yellow, just like this one:

I 'borrowed' it once and rode it round the village hall 'power sliding' in the mud, then dad made me clean it from top to bottom as a punishment, took ages. TBH non of these Choppers, Chippers or Tomohawks were a match for my ancient Hercules Hustler, like this one:

Very handsome machine

 

[Xiorell]

I remember having a range of "kiddie" type bikes, but the first propper one, was a Claud Butler MTB, in a glorious shade of blue. I can't recall the model, I've been trying to figure it out, I'd buy one now and restore it to a mint condition. I think it had 18gears, I recall friction shifters and that it was awesome lol

 

[Cyclist33]

Can't find my old pics on my computer despite searching far and wide, but it was one of these in the silver...

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?arc=2005&spid=20844

Stu