She might be ugly but she is mine

[floydster]

I've been loving my bike recently. A couple of weeks ago I was the only vehicle to make it up one of the hills near where I stay

This week I've still been riding through snow and ice but this guy is showing us what's really possible on a bike.

Floydster

[damekiri]

Alas, I no longer have Beryl (the shopper), I gave her to my sil when I got this little beauty! A lovely, if excruciatingly rusty, 1953 Raleigh Superbe Dawn Tourist. She is a treat, so long as you don't try to ride her in 3rd! With the bottle dynamo on it's rather akin to trying to cycle through concrete. Splendid bike though! She was free from a delightful lady on freecycle. Came with a child's seat on the back which I still have but it is somewhat dangerous, plus I am without child so it was somewhat pointless! I'd like to put panniers or a basket on the back, but I think it'll look too "new"! She is splendid though.

[jim]

Dear Damekiri,

Rod and roller brakes, sturmey archer 3 speed and even a skirt guard on the back wheel! What a delightful old lady!

Love and Peace
Jim

[damekiri]

Thanks! I'm very fond! The skirt guards are a very recent addition by me; I used to ride Beryl in a skirt with no problems but Agatha seems rather more keen to shred my clothing, so they were added recently. They are not very handsome I'm afraid, all plasticky and awful but they were the best I could find. I got a back rack today so that I can pop another basket on the back so I can carry more toot around with me. It's very handy for collecting flowers for wine, I find!