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Learning to ride a bike

Smudger said:
Did anyone ride a bike with a fixed gear? My mate had one & it nearly killed me. Try to stop pedaling & the pedals would give you an almighty clout. Horrible type of bike. My own bike was a bitzer. Bits of this & that, sometimes cowhorn handlebars, sometimes straight or dropped. It had old fashioned Sturmey Archer gears ( stop pedaling to change gear or was it pedal backwards?) Weighed a ton!!
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yes smudge they was evil. i got most of my bikes from the tips, garrison lane and clay lane.there was a front Dynamo on one and i put loads of lamps front and rear. :) posing.
 
Smudger said:
Did anyone ride a bike with a fixed gear? My mate had one & it nearly killed me. Try to stop pedaling & the pedals would give you an almighty clout. Horrible type of bike. My own bike was a bitzer. Bits of this & that, sometimes cowhorn handlebars, sometimes straight or dropped. It had old fashioned Sturmey Archer gears ( stop pedaling to change gear or was it pedal backwards?) Weighed a ton!!
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Once rode one from New Oscott to Clee, up Clee standing on the pedals, but Mucklows beat me on the way home and I don't think my legs and thighs have been the same since. My friend who rode with me had a Vechietti with a Campagnola gear system that just seemed to be gearwheels on the axle with a small pulley and the wheel position moved when he changed gear, it was supposed to be the latest thing but he struggled with it. My fixed was 12/44 ratio a killer, but coming down Clee was fun, I overtook a bus.

Bob
 
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Smudger said:
Did anyone ride a bike with a fixed gear? My mate had one & it nearly killed me. Try to stop pedaling & the pedals would give you an almighty clout. Horrible type of bike. My own bike was a bitzer. Bits of this & that, sometimes cowhorn handlebars, sometimes straight or dropped. It had old fashioned Sturmey Archer gears ( stop pedaling to change gear or was it pedal backwards?) Weighed a ton!!
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Fixed gear was all we rode in the 1940s 1950s Gears just getting popular Simplex Cyclo nad expensive Campagnolo This is me on a fixed gear racing in 1950 winning a 10 mile time trial near Brum You stopped a bike like this by appying pressure back on pedals and using the only front brake Real easy once you get used to it001.jpg
 
oldbrit said:
Fixed gear was all we rode in the 1940s 1950s Gears just getting popular Simplex Cyclo nad expensive Campagnolo This is me on a fixed gear racing in 1950 winning a 10 mile time trial near Brum You stopped a bike like this by appying pressure back on pedals and using the only front brake Real easy once you get used to itView attachment 142529
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That looks like a 12/44

Bob
 
oldbrit said:
Fixed gear was all we rode in the 1940s 1950s Gears just getting popular Simplex Cyclo nad expensive Campagnolo This is me on a fixed gear racing in 1950 winning a 10 mile time trial near Brum You stopped a bike like this by appying pressure back on pedals and using the only front brake Real easy once you get used to itView attachment 142529
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John, No mudguards, must have been great fun in the rain! If you had removed the bike pump you would have shaved at least a tenth of a second off your 10 mile time. ;)
 
oldbrit said:
Fixed gear was all we rode in the 1940s 1950s Gears just getting popular Simplex Cyclo nad expensive Campagnolo This is me on a fixed gear racing in 1950 winning a 10 mile time trial near Brum You stopped a bike like this by appying pressure back on pedals and using the only front brake Real easy once you get used to itView attachment 142529
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South of France Handle Bars? What make of bike was it? Good action photo, you are obviously pushing it there and as Smudger says..why the pump? Mind you ever since I saw the picture, I can feel the pain in my calves and thighs. Since my hip went, have had to give the bike up, but at least I am on the list now, only 12 months long! Presumably, all jesting aside, you do not do your daily mileage in the snow, because remember what happened at the Donner Pass.

Bob
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Amazing where BHF can lead. I was tempted to ask what happened at Donner Pass instead I consulted Google. Tragic yet fascinating story of human endurance.BHF certainly widens ones horizons.
Sorry if this is off thread
 
You had to have a pump and spare tyre (TUB Tyre and tube in one you glued on) under the saddle in case of a flat. The bike is a Billy Gameson custom made. I still ride 40-50 miles a day, did 5k last year hope to ride today will be 87 in June (I HOPE)
 

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oldbrit said:
Fixed gear was all we rode in the 1940s 1950s Gears just getting popular Simplex Cyclo nad expensive Campagnolo This is me on a fixed gear racing in 1950 winning a 10 mile time trial near Brum You stopped a bike like this by appying pressure back on pedals and using the only front brake Real easy once you get used to itView attachment 142529
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Marginal Gains Alert : If you hadn't had so much clothing and hair flapping about you might have got a PB ;)
 
oldbrit said:
You had to have a pump and spare tyre (TUB Tyre and tube in one you glued on) under the saddle in case of a flat. The bike is a Billy Gameson custom made. I still ride 40-50 miles a day, did 5k last year hope to ride today will be 87 in June (I HOPE)
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John, Keep it up mate. You`ll get your 100th birthday card from the Queen ( Or more likely King Charles }
 
All this fuss about waterproofs and clothing slowing you down while cycling. There is an alternative as seen on this charity ride in London. Might be a bit chilly in the Colorado winters.
P1000450 (3).JPG
 
oldbrit said:
You had to have a pump and spare tyre (TUB Tyre and tube in one you glued on) under the saddle in case of a flat. The bike is a Billy Gameson custom made. I still ride 40-50 miles a day, did 5k last year hope to ride today will be 87 in June (I HOPE)
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What altitude are you riding at? Saw from Wilipedia that Parker is close to Denver. By the way in that other photo, you are on the wrong side of the road, keep doing that and you ain't going to get to 87. When I look around me and listen to the old 65 year olds, moaning about their health, nothing to do, the weather and then look at that picture, I realise what a sorry state a lot of people are in, luckily on BHF, it is all people with sharp minds, superb photography skills and sufficient interesting information to rewrite Wikipedia.
Bob
 
Bob Davis said:
What altitude are you riding at? Saw from Wilipedia that Parker is close to Denver. By the way in that other photo, you are on the wrong side of the road, keep doing that and you ain't going to get to 87. When I look around me and listen to the old 65 year olds, moaning about their health, nothing to do, the weather and then look at that picture, I realise what a sorry state a lot of people are in, luckily on BHF, it is all people with sharp minds, superb photography skills and sufficient interesting information to rewrite Wikipedia.
Bob
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My house is 6400f Denver is 5280F it is called the "Mile High City" I ride up to 14k Feet at timesCIMG1235.JPGF on the mountain passes, Photo is me at the height of my cycling career!!! on a 500 mile tour of Colorado mountains a few years ago I was 80 then. The Mercian Bike I ride has 27 speeds with a low gear of 30x28
 
oldbrit said:
My house is 6400f Denver is 5280F it is called the "Mile High City" I ride up to 14k Feet at timesView attachment 142569F on the mountain passes, Photo is me at the height of my cycling career!!! on a 500 mile tour of Colorado mountains a few years ago I was 80 then. The Mercian Bike I ride has 27 speeds with a low gear of 30x28
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Is the altitude the secret of your youthful looks,, the only photo of me looking active is on the Facebook page of Absolute gym Barnstaple. I am sure you will make 87 and beyond providing you ride on the correct side of the road. With that I will withdraw from this topic.
Bob
 
This is relevant to OldBrit and his youthful looks. Article in The Times today on how to reduce your biological age. One suggestion is to take up cycling; "Research published by Kings College London and the University of Birmingham discovered how a lifetime of regular cycling helped to sustain levels of testosterone---which has an anti-ageing effect, but which usually drops with age---in men aged 55 to 79. The activity also seemed to prevent the usual drop in immunity-boosting T cells (a type of white blood cell) that occurs with passing years, helping to bolster the immune system" Dave.
 
My age is nothing compared to some that still cycle. I have a friend who lives in Oregon USA his Dad is almost 100 on his 90 birthday he RODE HIS BLODT BIKE 90 MILES!!! But I intend to keep doing the most enjoyable thing there is having sex (or at least thinking about it) OOPS 20200304_130227 (2).jpgHaHa. I mean of course riding me bloody bike Thanks for all your comments. Photo taken at the bench my dear daughter Sarah had installed on the bike path for me, read the plaque.
 
Bike was a "Billy Gameson" GB SOF bars, stem, Bluemels pump. Sew ups (Tubs) Single fixed gear. Funny about the bike, it belonged to a team mate Brian Gravestock, he raced the 10 mile TT on it, I asked him if can I ride it next, as I was thinking about having Billy Gameson build me one, So I rode the bike and beat his time on it. So that bike that day did two 10 mile TTs, both good times. (I even came second on it) after, I went to Billy Gameson shop on Golden Hillock Rd, by William Bloye studio, I worked at. Had Billy Gameson build me a frame and forks, kept it for years. (photo was in 1950) Would love to see a photo of the Gameson shop from then, gameson7-builders.jpganyone have one?10mile TT 1950 001.jpg
 
farmerdave said:
Article in The Times today on how to reduce your biological age. One suggestion is to take up cycling; "Research published by Kings College London and the University of Birmingham discovered how a lifetime of regular cycling helped to sustain levels of testosterone---which has an anti-ageing effect, but which usually drops with age---in men aged 55 to 79. The activity also seemed to prevent the usual drop in immunity-boosting T cells (a type of white blood cell) that occurs with passing years, helping to bolster the immune system" Dave.
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I know quite a few "senior" cyclists and do think that the activity of cycling does help longevity. However, I also know a number that have had to pack it in due to MOT failures - generally knees, hips etc. This is not necessarily down to cycling but general degradation of the body. The numbers of people cycling over 70 are modest and cyclists like OldBrit are rare so hats off to the Colorado wheeler.

Quite a few people have posted remarks on how much they loved their bike and have recounted tales of adventure - well, it is never too late to recapture those fun moments on two wheels. Cycling in middle or old age still provides exhilarating experiences. Personally, my climb of Mont Ventoux in 2015 remains the best day of my life - and I mean the best above anything. My wonderful partner understands - particularly as she is also a cyclist.

Mont Ventoux.jpg
 
My Grandfather who did nothing in the way of sports, that I know off, smoked a pipe and sat in his easy chair, most of his later life, apart from Working at the Carriage works all his life, Lived to be 92 My Dad who likewise. did nothing, but chain smoked, lived to be 81 I have never smoked my whole life, but of course ridden my bike now 87 But I do have creaky knees and had a hip replacement a few years ago, so go figure. maybe it is in the geens? Living in the very beautiful state of Colorado USA with many great rides to be had, how could I not ride my bike? But have to admit it gets tougher as I age recovery time longer. In true Bitish fahion "Keep calm and ride on" My other bike IS a car HaHa!!!51887587_1671954836237879_128672920925896704_o.jpg
 
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