WDB
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Posts: 7,352
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Post by WDB on Jul 29, 2019 13:28:43 GMT
Left-over thoughts from the Rhône Valley trip. ...Boy2, meanwhile, is cross that his iron-bedstead hardtail is so slow on good and even moderate roads that he’s given up riding it altogether. Disappointing but understandable; I’d be content to match his pace for the sake of an outing, but Boy1 is like lightning on anything smooth and just disappears. He’s now got me thinking of a 700C hybrid I might ride to town at home but that would be fast enough to be his on-road holiday bike. Since he and I are near enough the same size, it might just work — but guess who’d be paying for it! Back at work and with Google to fill lacunae in conference calls, I found this: whyte.bike/products/portobelloNot sure I’d pay £800 for something to ride to the bank but it’s pretty and will fit. It also has... - a 1x drive train, which I really like on my other Whyte bike
- hydraulic discs, likewise
- 650b tyres, which would make it fun for moderate off-road too.
- And it’s brown, which Vić will approve of.
No rush for this; I could always recommission my 20-year-old steel Trek hybrid to test the viability of the town-bike idea. Hoping for an end-of-summer sale on something. Or I could take leave of my senses and get one of these: www.schindelhauerbikes.com/en/Bikes/Ludwig-VIII-XI.html I’ve handled one in a shop and it is an unbelievably gorgeously made thing. Perhaps not what I’d want to leave chained to a bin outside Poundstretcher, though.
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Post by Alanović on Jul 29, 2019 14:37:28 GMT
I like brown.
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Post by Humph on Jul 29, 2019 14:49:30 GMT
On that general sort of tack, I first saw these in Berlin a few years back. Beautiful things. Want one, but have no visible use for one... www.tokyobike.co.uk/
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Post by Alanović on Jul 29, 2019 14:57:19 GMT
Is just pushbike, shirley.
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Post by Humph on Jul 29, 2019 14:59:37 GMT
Indeed, in much the same way Cameron Diaz is just kind of pretty I suppose.
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WDB
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Posts: 7,352
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Post by WDB on Jul 29, 2019 15:31:18 GMT
On that general sort of tack, I first saw these in Berlin a few years back. Beautiful things. Want one, but have no visible use for one... www.tokyobike.co.uk/Yes, I now want one too. In green, I think. Although even a 61cm might come up small for me. And a 42:25 bottom gear, even on a 26-inch wheel, might be a struggle up the hill back from town. But ... pretty ... shiny ... nice.
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Post by Alanović on Jul 30, 2019 9:08:56 GMT
Indeed, in much the same way Cameron Diaz is just kind of pretty I suppose. High on-going maintenance costs in both cases, I expect.
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Post by Humph on Jul 30, 2019 10:26:29 GMT
Aye but if you going to swing your leg over something on any kind of regular basis, you might think the costs were acceptable?
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Post by Humph on Jul 30, 2019 16:01:59 GMT
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WDB
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Posts: 7,352
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Post by WDB on Jul 30, 2019 16:10:23 GMT
Happy to help, Humph.
I took my Friston back to the dealer today for its free running-in check. There was a Portobello on display, although not in my size. I resisted the temptation to enquire further. It is handsome — although the website pictures don’t show that the 47mm 650b tyres are practically slick, which looks a bit odd on something so bulbous.
Vić should pop in for a look at it, though. He’d like the colour — and it’s just up the road for him. (AW Cycles in Caversham.) Boy1 came with me and was appalled by the desolation of the back streets behind the shops. “I thought Caversham was supposed to be the swanky part of Reading.” 🤔
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Post by tyrednexited on Jul 30, 2019 16:16:50 GMT
Here you go WDB, and if you'd be so kind as to order me a navy one while you're at it, ( size L please ) I'll see you right sometime... 😉
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Post by Humph on Jul 30, 2019 16:20:48 GMT
I've just changed my mind, "Willow" I think...
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WDB
Full Member
Posts: 7,352
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Post by WDB on Jul 30, 2019 16:28:29 GMT
T&E always seems to know of a source. Some sort of caravan park underground network, I suppose.
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Post by Humph on Jul 30, 2019 17:11:49 GMT
Prob'ly has pampas grass too, shouldn't wonder...knees gone too y'know, always a sign that... 😬
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Post by Alanović on Jul 31, 2019 8:55:07 GMT
Happy to help, Humph. I took my Friston back to the dealer today for its free running-in check. There was a Portobello on display, although not in my size. I resisted the temptation to enquire further. It is handsome — although the website pictures don’t show that the 47mm 650b tyres are practically slick, which looks a bit odd on something so bulbous. Vić should pop in for a look at it, though. He’d like the colour — and it’s just up the road for him. (AW Cycles in Caversham.) Boy1 came with me and was appalled by the desolation of the back streets behind the shops. “I thought Caversham was supposed to be the swanky part of Reading.” 🤔 It is the swanky part, on the whole, particularly my tree-lined avenue of enormous prestige and sophistication (apart form the tribe of heathens next door to me). But even we have our down-at-heel corners. Boyo Beest would be even more amazed that those rough arsed houses push half a million quid, due to proximity to the station. You have identified what is known as an "up and coming" area.
Chippy in that parade of shops is pretty good, but still not a patch on Wings Fish Bar round the corner.
Amazing though that folk from "better" towns have to come in to our no-go areas for basic services like bicycle shops though. Huh. ;-)
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