31 July 2013

The bikes of the London-Edinburgh-London

Even though I was on volunteer duty most of the Saturday and Sunday, I could not resist to go and have a look at the LEL's bikes. As usual in audax events, pretty much all types of bikes were on display and ready for the extended 1400 km journey to Scotland and back...which proves that it's all about the rider, and not the bike!

Not sure if these qualify as a bicycle as such...

Much admired £15K Moulton

Great for siestas

Love the rear wheel

Nice choice of colour for the American bike

Probably owned by an American also

Steel is real

Fixed all the way

Not sure this is going to Edinburgh...but still

Aluminium still going strong


Plenty of Canyons around

Plenty of titanium bikes also

Note the dynamo, converter and well broken in Brooks

Touring recumbent with a Rohloff

UK-custom made Mather

Quite a few Bromptons were doing LEL...surely (very) hard work

More titanium

Possibly one of the most elegant upright trikes I've seen...all 953

Traditional UK-steel made frame

Your average aluminium Cannondale

More Ti

Bachetta recumbent

Not what I would call "travelling light"

Old fashion steel fixie - note the old dynohub and front light

ICE trike plus trailer

Moulton TSR 30?

Interesting frame bag

Steel upright trike

Much admired Colorado-made rando bike. Cable-activated hydraulic disc brakes!

Brakes of above's bike

Old Miyata frame with S&S couplers

Note the oval chainrings

Dutch recumbent rode from the Netherlands

Tourer with front suspension (it's all about the rider!)

Quite a few tandems at the start

Long haul trucker - one single chainring, and 26 inch wheels. 

Interesting braking system

The famous cargo bike without the dogs (unfortunately he packed early on)

Lovely Roberts tandem with S&S couplers

Without doubt, the best bike of all. Two gears, pedal backwards for an easier gear uphill!  


And clothing to match (but he did have a flashy GPS on the handlebars!)

7 comments:

  1. It is good to showcase these innovative designs by the bicycle lovers.I think that these are the most weird design you may ever seen in bikes. Thanks for sharing with us.

    Regards
    Henry Jordan

    Hydraulic Seal Kits

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  2. Umm... you seem to have called a spaceframe Moulton a Brompton.

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  3. Ha! A £15k Brompton would have to fold into the shape of a swan or something I think! Thanks, it's fixed now.

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  4. Indeed, very interesting machines..some of which proves that it is all about the rider and not the bike! Thanks for pointing out about the Moulton...blame to my volunteer sleep-deprived mind! Wish I had had more time to go around checking other peoples' machines

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  5. The one Brompton you showed didn't ride: it looks like someone rode down from the campsite with their significant other. There was an orange Brompton on the Prologue, but that one seemed to be involved in the filming of the Prologue. As far as I know there was only one Brompton that actually took part, a black S6L with Shimano hub front and BWR hub rear (new-style rims); a custom-built Ortleib bag on the front luggage block and a standard seat-post Ortleib bag to the rear. Rider goes by the name of Nick or Wilkyboy. T'was me :)

    That said, I am a big fan of the Moultons and am looking forward to having a go on one :D

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    Replies
    1. (Oh, and yes it was very hard work on the Brompton: lowest gear is 36", so climbing can be a big like on a singlespeed, and the small wheels means it's very susceptible to potholes and road-surface chatter.)

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  6. Hey Nick, I think I registered you on the Saturday and briefly chatted about your Brompton. Totally agree, I ride a three-gear one every day and would not imagine doing anything longer than 20km in one go. Very unstable machines they are! Also fancy having a go at one of the Moultons, but cannot justify having n+1 at the moment, so best not to do it ;). Well done though, must've been hard riding 1400 straight km on that!

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