Your First True Racer What Was it and Year

[lane]

Mine was an Eddy Merckx. I had it in my late teens in the early 1980s or maybe very late 1970s. I can't remember much about it and also I have no idea what happened to it. Research indicates it was probably a product of Falcon Cycles based in Brigg North Lincs and was a low end bike. I did some enjoyable leisure cycling, commuting and even cycle camping on it. I wish I could remember more about it and what happened to it.

Edit: I can remember some of the rides which I suppose is the main thing.

 

[Grant Fondo]

I had one of those mail order bikes that you had to build. Learnt some good stuff regards tinkering, the bike was absolute garbage though!

 

[Dayvo]

Mine was a Raleigh Olympus in 1974-ish. Five gears and the dog's bollox (at that time). Several of my mates had one. We rode them to school and parked them in the bike shed, as if on display, but when one got nicked (not mine) we decided we weren't going to take the chance and have ours nicked, too. So back to walking to school.

Something like this but with white bar tape.

 

[velohomme]

Think I've lied. Just remembered the second hand Raleigh Lenton Grand Prix my father bought me for passing the 11 plus. Paid off at 10 bob a week I believe.

 

[Houthakker]

In the early 70's I found a racer dumped by the side of the road. It was a Sid Mottram frame with campag on it. I rode it to the police station and they took all the details but no-one ever reported it stolen/lost, so I got to keep it. With hindsight it was proabably too small for me, but it was my first proper bike so I was delighted with it.

 

[raleighnut]

In the early 70's I found a racer dumped by the side of the road. It was a Sid Mottram frame with campag on it. I rode it to the police station and they took all the details but no-one ever reported it stolen/lost, so I got to keep it. With hindsight it was proabably too small for me, but it was my first proper bike so I was delighted with it.

It could well have been a Mercian built frame if it had Campagnolo on it.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I had one of these "racers", one of Nottingham's finest! Got it new about 1980. Great fun to ride and utterly bomb-proof, used to thrash it through woods and places where these days you'd be told you absolutely must have a full-sus MTB. Steel 26" x 1 1/4" wheels, steel cottered cranks, Weinmann suicide levers, mini-mudguards - and a rock hard plastic saddle. Must be why I have a tough backside and can still ride anything wearing jeans and not fancy padded cycling shorts!
Almost all the kids round my way rode basic steel Raleighs apart from the odd "posh" boy, who might have had a 531 Raleigh or even a Dawes. You could have racer, or a Grifter, or a Chopper - but it still had to be Raleigh. it was the law!

 

[Smudge]

Early 70's, Sun racer.
Cant remember much about it, apart from it was white with black decals.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I swear most of those mass-produced Raleigh family "racers" of that era, regardless of whether it had a Raleigh, BSA, Sun etc, badge, were all built around the same basic steel frame and the main thing that varied was the paint job! Doesn't take anything away from the fact they tended to all be strong, dependable bikes. Good job they were, considering the sort of treatment dished out to them by the typical teenage boy rider.

 

[Drago]

^^^ aside from paint, saddle, cable outer colours and bar tape, they were indeed identical.

 

[EltonFrog]

When I was 15 my uncle built me a racing bike out of an old frame he’d been given, put new wheels on it, gears, chain set, saddle. Painted it British Racing Green, it looked the puppies private’s, and rode beautifully. He built it because he wanted me to have a proper bike and not the shopper bike I had.

I only found out a couple of years ago the frame was a Gillott.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

A lot of those so-called racers weren't actually that racy either. Take a look at the fairly slack geometry, long wheelbases, and a fistful of clearance between the rear tyre and the seat tube. They often looked the part with their eve-catching metallic paint, chromed bits, and token mudguards, but really they owed more to touring than racing in their design. Possibly why they tended to be very versatile multi-purpose bikes, and fondly remembered. They were still relatively lively compared to heavy old bomber type bikes, but weren't twitchy or unpredictable.

 

[Gravity Aided]

From the web. 1972 Schwinn Varsity. Weighed a ton. Used it on my commute to junior high school and start of high school, because I lived 100 feet too close to the school in each instance to get a school bus. Uphill, both ways. Fell off it once, skidded through an intersection, lucky I was wearing jeans. Must have been going near 30 mph.

 

[midlife]

The Carlton Tru - Wel frame of the 70's with Crespera lugs was the basis of many a bike. They did a great job..... light enough, good geometry, rode well and looked a million dollars when chromed and dressed up

 

[mustang1]

I remember my bike was called Gold Wing which I bought from Halfords circa 1984. I can’t recall the brand though, it was either Halfords own brand or Dawes.p and was a kind of metallic oyster colour.