back to the future

Back in 1963 my Dad bought me my first ‘racing’ bike.  I’d just joined a cycling club and had begun racing.  Hence a racing bike.  Couldn’t really compete on the old Raleigh Roadster that I used for my paper round.  The bike had lots of lovely shiny bits on it, something I’ve been a sucker for ever since. 

We’re at the bike show at the NEC today.  The place is full of new ‘old style’ bikes (complete with shiny bits).  There’s a lot of black carbon as well, but the bikes that seem to gather the crowds are those that look like someone has actually made them by hand.  Steel frames, leather saddles and highly polished brakes and gears and handlebars.  Hipster heaven. They don’t make them like that anymore - although clearly they do.

I get to test ride a couple of electic bikes which is fun.  My fav is an electric Moulton (if you know about bikes you’ll know about this small wheeled wonder, designed in the 1960s by Alex Moulton who designed the suspension system for the original Mini).  Although it goes like a rocket, it was just a bit too small for me.  Shame - it had a lot of shiny bits.

Then I go from one extreme to another. See the extra in Annimay’s blip.