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Vintage bikes

4 replies

borednotboring · 08/11/2012 15:59

I'm thinking about getting a vintage bike so I can use it for pottering round the village, popping out to buy milk etc. I have hybrid which I like for slightly longer rides, but there's no where to put milk and bread :)

I've looked at some in cycle shops and also online and can't work out how much I should be spending. I asked the man in the cycle shop who basically said the more expensive ones were hand made, real leather seats etc, but I can't work out if they are actually nicer to ride. Raleigh do one for under £200 with seven gears, which seems good to me, but is it worth spending more?

Any advice on whether it is worth spending more or if cheaper bikes are fine would be appreciated.

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malinois · 08/11/2012 16:12

Do you mean actual vintage bikes or 'retro' bikes like Pashleys etc?

How hilly is it near you? If not too hilly, then I would look for a single-speeder or a 3-speeder - they are cheaper and other than a bit of oil on the chain once a week are maintainence-free.

Dutch single-speeder
Dutch 3-speeder
Pashley Princess

I would look to spend £300-ish new, and not go for anything with derailleur gears - town bikes should have hub gears and a proper chainguard.

Whatever you get, prepare for it to be slow and heavy :)

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borednotboring · 08/11/2012 20:40

Sorry, yes I mean retro style bike. I had seen the Viking Prelude

prelude

or the Raleigh Oakland

oakland

I guess I need to try them in the shop to see how heavy they are. We live just outside Cambridge, so there are no hills (or even slight slopes) anywhere to be seen

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TapselteerieO · 08/11/2012 20:49

This is my <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=www.bicycledoctor.co.uk/graphics/pashleyparamount.jpg&imgrefurl=www.bicycledoctor.co.uk/p_pashleyparamount.html&h=656&w=800&sz=90&tbnid=AUy91BaqS2bgVM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=110&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dpashley%2Bparamount%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=pashley+paramount&usg=__0Lg9RAl5MWnJHSLfBUQypStxL-s=&sa=X&ei=OBqcUP3NHOml0QWN1oGYAg&ved=0CCQQ9QEwBQ" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">bike, bought second hand and still going strong, if looking slightly neglected after 10 years - 5 of pretty heavy use. It is a brilliant bike, I see they do a more female friendly one now, but I wouldn't part with this.

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holmessweetholmes · 16/11/2012 14:13

I just got a Victoria Pendleton 'Somerby' bike from Halfords. It's very retro-chic and gorgeous. Very comfy to ride, too!

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