She might be ugly but she is mine

[evelyn]

Yesterday i got my hands on the uglyst shopper bike ever to hit the road, i got her for free!! out of the loot.
My kids are not impressed at all and dont understand why i chose to get it. I have told them but they still think i am mad, so i am hoping you will understand and aprove of my madness.

I did have a very tidy mountin bike, payed £200 for it and it got stolen , before i that i have had 4 others that all met the same fate, so the method in my madness this time is that she is so ugly and old that she is not worth steeling, plus she was free! my favorate price

I am chuffed to bits with the ugly old girl and she rides like a dreem, just hope the kids will warm to her.

Eve

[jim]

Dear Evelyn,

Any chance of a picture of the ugly duckling? Or is she too shy? My friend Jane has a salvaged bike. Sit up and beg riding position, rod and roller brakes, no gears .... she has painted every tube of the frame a different colour and even the spokes are veriegated. Her reasoning is the same as yours .... no one will nick it!

Love and Peace
Jim

[evelyn]

I will try to put a photo up it may be beond my IT skills though.

"Gloria" as she is now known is at the cycle shop because she likes beeing in second geer so much that is the only one she will let me use, she is also getting fitted out with a new sadle it is going to cost me £20 but as she was free is 28 years old and will last for another 28 years i think it is a good investment.

Mad paint job is under concideration.

Eve

[Thomzo]

Good for you. I bought a brand new bike last year as I'd had a couple of second hand ones that had caused me problems. But I deliberately chose a style and brand that I thought wouldn't appeal to theives. Several people at work have had mountain bikes stolen but so far (touch wood) mine has been fine.

Cheers
Zoe

[Big Al]

Yesterday i got my hands on the uglyst shopper bike ever to hit the road, i got her for free!! out of the loot.
My kids are not impressed at all and dont understand why i chose to get it. I have told them but they still think i am mad, so i am hoping you will understand and aprove of my madness.

I did have a very tidy mountin bike, payed £200 for it and it got stolen , before i that i have had 4 others that all met the same fate, so the method in my madness this time is that she is so ugly and old that she is not worth steeling, plus she was free! my favorate price

I am chuffed to bits with the ugly old girl and she rides like a dreem, just hope the kids will warm to her.

Eve

Why don't you use a lock and chain ??
someone will nick it EXACTLY because it's a crap looking bike.

[evelyn]

Humm, a lock and chain dont seem to be much of a deterant for a skally with bolt crops, wich by the way they seem to carry as standard issue.

All my previous bikes were locked up when they got pinched.

I am hoping that even skallys have some standards and will leave "Gloria" alone.

Eve

[jim]

Not just bolt cutters ....... As part of a young citizens project I went with my Y6 class to the local police college at Netley. The crime prevention officer was exhorting the kids to secure their bikes with a D shackel.
"Useless," Luke informed him, "My brother just pops them open with a car jack."

If they're gonna nick it, they'll nick it!

Love and Peace
Jim

[damekiri]

I had exactly the same thing happen! I had a fairly expensive mountain bike which was stolen whilst chained up AND inside of a halls-of-residence building, and then got a Raleigh Twenty on freecycle. Lovely little thing it is. None of my friends will be seen dead with me when I have it, but it gets me from place to place. Longest journey so far was 4 and a half miles to a pub then 4 and a half back, which was a bit heavy going after a while cos it's got such tiny wheels and is apparently made of granite and lead. Mine also has a gear preference, unfortunately it prefers the highest gear which is very trying uphill. But good on you! I love my little bike!



Please excuse the mess in the background! That's my bike!

[Shirley]

It's a lovely bike - you can come and be my friend. I'd be happy to be seen with you riding that. Great idea to have a basket on the front.

[John Headstrong]

I once had a bike like that it was get but being a young man at the time it was not cool.

so I got a old BMX frame striped them both down, I used the back wheel, back cargo rack and seat from the shopper and the frame, front wheel from the BMX. it was the only 3 speed BMX I have ever seen

it was a awesome bike for blating around and could fit in the car when I went off places.

I now have a bike that is basicly a bigger version of it, mountain bike type but with a 3 speed hub.

I don't like derailers they just break.

[damekiri]

It's a lovely bike - you can come and be my friend. I'd be happy to be seen with you riding that. Great idea to have a basket on the front.

Hehe I would love to come and be your friend! Alas, I think it's a bit too far for me on my bike hehe!
The basket is REALLY handy to be honest, I know it looks a bit awkward but I don't like rucksacks too much when I'm cycling, and I get to see my handbag at all times. My boyfriend has said he'll make me a basket for the back, too, but we will see... Hehe I hope I get one though!

[liskeardjane]

I love it! my mum went to work on one of those for years and did her shopping too! I love bikes and love wizzing down to the station and seeing my bike locked there when i get off the train and wizzing off to the shops on the way home - so much quicker than walking and more exciting than bungee jumping in the recent ice!!!! well other than needing new knickers I was ok!!!!

[tiggy]

I too have an ordinary sort of bike made out of 2,one from next door supplied a nice ladies frame and one Trev the Train found in a skip supplied all the works.I too am a Sturmey Archer fan,never got used to derailliers

[liskeardjane]

Oh bikes! I take it all back! I did not like my bike today - I teetered down the road avoiding the ice patches looking like Miss Marple! I felt a proper old fool! then at the station it was so cold that I couldn't work the lock and just got it done as my train was coming in! I was so glad to get on the train today and wished it came right past my house. But I got some stunning bike gloves for gristmas with rubbery palms and made of 'thinsulate' and padded like ski gloves - totally brilliant _ I was frightened of the ice but my hands were toasty!!!

[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