Changing Lanes

Hi folks,
Well, i've been writing this blog for over a year now and I think it's time to move on.

Virtually anyway!

You can now find me at Twowheeledronin.com

Same great content, just on a bigger, better website. For the moment you can find the same posts that were here but all future, two wheel adventures will be posted there.

So come and take a look and let me know what you think.

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What it's Raleigh All About

If I asked you to name a motorcycle brand and a bicycle brand, it seems unlikely that anyone would give the same answer.

Today, I don't think there is a single company that makes both bicycles and motorcycles, but if I'd have asked the question 100 years ago, this would've been more common than you think.

I'm sure, many of you are aware, that back at the beginning of the 20^th century, many bicycle manufactures dipped their toes into the world of motorcycle manufacturing. Ariel and BSA being two companies that spring to mind.

But perhaps the most surprising is Raleigh.

I've visited a few places since I started this blog last year, such as the Morris Museum in Oxfordshire (read here) and the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham. There was one bike brand that just keeps cropping up. Raleigh.

Obviously Raleigh is a brand known for bicycles and the ups and downs of the company are well documented. The company was first founded in 1885 and is one of the oldest bicycle companies in the world. But in 1899 they had a go making motorcycles but unfortunately this first attempt didn't last that long and in 1908 they stopped production to focus primarily on bicycles.

Until 1919 when they tried again. It went a little better this time but sadly, production ended in 1933 and was never picked up again.

However, during this time was when they built, one of my favourites, the 1924 V-twin.

This one is on display at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham.

I really like Raleigh. I've ridden them ever since I can remember. Its a brand that brings back fond memories for me. My first mountain bike was a Raleigh Bolder. I also remember a time, during my rebellious teen years, finding a mangled, old Raleigh Grifter, fixing it just enough so me and my friends could ride it until it was mangled all over again! Even now, I have a Raleigh as my daily steed and a vintage resto project in the shed.

It would be an absolute dream to own one of their vintage motorcycles, but a brief interweb search will tell you prices start around £16k. It might stay on the wish list for a while!

As I said, when I first stared this blog, Bicycles and Motorcycle seem worlds apart today. But looking back to a time when they weren't is something I love to learn about.

And who knows, with electric bicycles and electric motorcycles both on the rise, maybe there will come a time when asked to name a motorcycle brand and a bicycle brand, the answer might just be the same.

Words & Photos By Craig Willis

Thanks for reading.

This blog post marks the one year anniversary of the Two Wheeled Ronin and I just wanted to say a big thank you for all of the support over the last year. 

I've got even more content to come over the next 12 months. But if there is anything you would like me to cover please drop me a line -

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Book Review: It's All About The Bike

It's All About The Bike: The Pursuit of Happiness On Two Wheels

Author: Robert Penn

In this day and age, it's easy to forget that there once was a time when cars were not the dominant vehicle on our highways, and bicycles were in fact king of the road. In Robert Penn's book, It's all about the bike, he goes a long way in explaining how that used to be the case and just how far the bicycle has come.

I find Robert Penn's writing to be fantastic. His style is complex and detailed but somehow accessible to all. He's a man who is clearly passionate about his subjects. I first picked up his book on woodworking, The Man Who Made Things Out of Trees and I couldn't put it down.

In that book he includes a chapter on a company that manufactures wooden bicycle frames. He mentions that the story of going to visit this particular company was omitted from his first book “It's all about the bike”.

“He's also written a book about bikes?!” I thought.

I think it took me all of 30 seconds to order it.

But what about this book?

Well, it really is all about the bike. Robert's dream bike to be exact. It is a chronicling of Robert, putting together all of the elements of a bicycles. Each chapter is broken down into each component part.

The Frame, the Steering system, the drivetrain, the wheels and the saddle

Each chapter tells the story of Robert getting these parts for his own dream machine but also delves deep into the history of each of these areas. The reason I liked this book, is the same reason I liked the book in my previous review, Shop class as soulcraft (Read here). It combines personal story and grounds it with historical, factual information. If fact they are pretty similar in terms of style, so if you liked that one, give this one a try too.

If there has to be a negative, for me, it's that there is a lot of information and detail covered over very few chapters. It can be a little jarring to go from a historical story about the penny farthing straight into a story about visiting a wheel factory in America today.

But in the end, they are connected. And I think that's the point of the book.

Bicycles connect us all, in so many ways and have shaped a lot of our automotive lives today. Roads, for one thing-The bicycle literally paved the way for all road users today. Tarmac roads where used to aid cyclists, years before the car was even invented (A useful piece of info in the never-ending car vs bike debate).

Just one of the many interesting facts I have learnt from reading this book.

Thanks for reading folks.

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Game Review: TT Isle Of Man – Ride On The Edge

Available on: PS4, Xbox360 and PC

Surely, motorcycle racing games hit their peak with 1991's Road Rash for the Saga Megadrive. If you don't remember it, it was essentially a racing game in which you had to hit your fellow bikers with a chain or iron bar in order to win the race. Since then motorbike games have been few and far between and like many others I've been worried that there might never be a game as good as Road Rash ever again.

But fear not, as this month sees the release of a brand new motorcycle racing game, TT Isle of Man - Ride On The Edge.

For those not familiar, The Isle of Man TT is perhaps the biggest and most dangerous motorcycle races in the world. Dating back to 1907 its probably one of the oldest too. The TT (Tourist Trophy) is raced on closed public roads around the Isle of Man – known as the Snaefell Mountain TT course.

TT Isle of Man - Ride On The Edge gives you the chance to race the entire Isle of Man TT circuit from the comfort of your own home. All 37.73 miles of the track have been lovingly recreated in game and you can ride all of it. I have to say, even a novice like me recognised some of the more iconic landmarks.

I'd see a demo of the game at Motorcycle Live last year and was very impressed at the graphics side of things. It's really good, not quite photo-realistic, but still amazing to look at. For any gamers reading this, the rural locations of the Isle of Man are very reminiscence of “Everyone's gone to the rapture”.

I've been playing this game for about two weeks now and I have to say, either it's a really difficult game or I'm just not good at it. I get the impression it's a bit of both. There are lots of different setting for you to get your head around. It has the standard “easy” to “difficult” settings, but then various options for the motorcycle too. Automatic or manual gear change, stoppie and wheelie assists. So you can really customize the experience.

My first trophy in the game - It means I fell off 10 times.

What I liked most about this game is just how much fun it is. At time of writing, I've fallen off more times than I can remember and have not won a race. But I'm still having a great time playing it. I particularly like the career mode. You design your own character and work your way up to becoming a professional rider in the TT itself. Of course, if you don't want to do that, you can jump straight to the action with the solo races or time trials.

One thing that was a little disappointing was the amount of bikes to choose from. OK, there are actually 40 unlockable bikes, but unless you know your stuff, a lot of the models look very similar. If you're a fan of the newer super-bikes and the machines that are ridden today, then your favourite is probably here. I was hoping for a few of the classic bikes to be available.(Although I do like the Norton V4 SS).

However, I understand that some side-car DLC is being released at some point, so perhaps some classics will be along in the future.

All in all, the game is a lot of fun, looks gorgeous and will keep me entertained until the next motorcycle game comes out.

Thanks for reading.

Until next time.

MCN Motorcycle show 2018: Highlights

16-18 Feb 2018

My report from the first event of the year.

Last Saturday I was at the Excel Centre in London, visiting the MCN Motorcycle show.

For regular readers, you will remember I visited the Motorcycle Live show in Birmingham back in November.

(Read here in case you missed it)

I was expecting the same kind of thing and for the most part, it was. Which is no bad thing. The centre was bursting with a variety of people all with, at least a passing interest in two wheels. It's so great to see this sort of event bringing so many people together. Men, women and children of all ages, coming together to appreciate motorcycles.

This show may not have been as big as Motorcycle live but all the big names were there with their latest models on display. Harley-Davidson, Triumph, Kawasaki to name just a few. I particularly enjoyed visiting Herald Motorcycles again.

This is me on their Classic model. I look grumpy because I couldn't take this one home.

The whole event had more of a motor-sport vibe to it. The main arena, the Michelin Thunderdome! A small track featuring famous riders from the world of motor-sports, entertaining the crowds throughout the day.

Unfortunately, that sort of thing just isn't really my bag. Obviously I prefer the older stuff, so I was very pleased to discover the “Classic Zone”. Classic bike magazine (of which I am a regular reader) was there, with their barn finds of the year. I particularly liked this Triumph with the birds nest in the headlight!

It was also great to see the National Motorcycle Museum there too. They brought along this 1906 Imperial which was one of the first bikes to use a disc brake. The sad thing is, Imperial shut up shop in 1910. Who knows what other inventive thing they would've come up with.

Anyway, since the event I have discovered that I actually missed a few things that would've been get to see. Another demo of the new TT game out next month (review coming soon) and the Coy's motorcycle auction, but that's probably for the best! So at least I've learnt a lesson, which is plan your events.

So there you have it folks, just a few highlights from a nice event. As always thanks for reading.

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Christmas Blog - Feels like the first time.

Seasons greetings all, welcome to the Two Wheeled Ronin Christmas Special. It's not that Christmassy and pretty much only special to me but I hope you enjoy it none the less. 

They say everyone remembers their first time. She was tall, blonde and pretty comfortable to ride. I am, of course, talking about my first time on a motorcycle. (I say blonde, it was more of a yellow colour). As regular readers will know, I’m a bit of a novice when it comes to actually riding a motorbike but like every biker, I had to start somewhere. My journey begins at the NEC in Birmingham. I was there for Motorcycle Live (Read my highlights here).

As I said in that post, I visited the guys at “Get On”, who give the opportunity for non-riders to have go at riding a motorcycle for the very first time. So I thought I’d tell you a bit more about my experience. I arrived at my agreed time slot and get kitted out with a jacket that was slightly too small, a helmet that was slightly too big and gloves, that fit…the way gloves are supposed to fit.

I joined one of the instructors there and five other non-riders. I was clearly the oldest person there, but I try not to let this bother me. The instructor asked if anyone had ridden a motorbike before. We all shook our heads.

“Has anyone ridden a push bike?” A question I was surprised by. I happily said yes. I guess the basic foundations between bicycles and motorbikes are still there after all. He then asked if there was a particular model we would like to try. I had my eye on a bike from the new company, Herald. The Herald Motor Company are a relatively new company and I really like their bikes (check their site here). They have a vintage style with all the modern elements that you need. Unfortunately, the model I wanted to ride, Classic 125, was already taken. But they very kindly brought out another model for me to try, The Maverick 125. As I said, she was pretty tall, probably too tall for me, to be honest but a beauty none the less.

First lesson, if you wear glasses (like me), take them off before you put your helmet on. Perhaps the most important lesson I will take away from today!

As for the actual lesson, I really enjoyed it. The instructor went through a few of the basics, starting the engine, controlling the clutch and using the brakes. As it was the first lesson we only used the first gear. To begin with I just rode a few feet, without lifting my feet up (as instructed). But soon enough I was actually riding. Granted, it was only about 30ft, a couple of times up and down the hall and all in first gear, but it felt amazing.

I would certainly recommend “Get On” to anyone who is curious about riding a motorcycle for the first time or even for people who have ridden before and are looking to get back into it.

So where do I go from here? I honestly don’t know. Maybe a DSA next year…maybe. But one thing I do know is that this year I rode a motorcycle for the first time and I loved it.

Thanks for reading.

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I’d like to wish all my readers a great

Christmas and a wonderful 2018

Motorcycle Live 2017 (18th – 26th November)

Last Saturday (25^th of November) I visited the Motorcycle Live show at the NEC in Birmingham. It was my first time visiting the show so I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised at what a great time I had.

For those of you who read my first blog post, you will both remember I mentioned I was a bit of a novice when it comes to motorcycles and that is mostly still the case. So I saw this as an opportunity for a bit of education and boy did I learn a lot.

So if you’re here for technical information and an in-depth look at the latest models, I’m afraid you’re in the wrong place. But what I can offer you is a few highlights of a wonderful event.

The first booth I visited was a company called “Get On”. Link to their website here. They are a fantastic bunch, who give non-riders (or returning riders) an opportunity to ride a motorcycle for the first time. This was exactly what I did. Yes, ladies and gents I have officially now ridden a motorbike! It was an amazing way to kick off the event and I am going to write up this experience in a separate blog post, later this month. Let’s call it my Christmas special, so keep an eye out for that.

Earlier this year I was at the NEC for “The Cycle Show”. Whilst that event wasn’t all that great, on the way back I visited the National Motorcycle Museum. And I was pleased to see they had a presence at Motorcycle Live. Obviously this was a particular highlight for me as I prefer the vintage stuff, especially this green 1950 Royal Enfield in the centre.

And speaking of Royal Enfield, I also got to sit on this amazing silver “classic”. No chance to ride this one unfortunately.

There was a rather large Isle of Man TT stand, with talks throughout the event from famous riders. But what really interested me was the new Isle of Man TT game, that is being released on consoles next year. Being an avid gamer this was pretty exciting. The graphics look incredible, and I’m sure will stand shoulder to shoulder with other big name racing games like Forza or Gran Turismo. Unfortunately, the booth was so busy I didn’t get a chance to actually play it, guess I’ll have to wait until March 2018 when it’s finally released.

One person who has really inspired me when it comes to motorcycles is Henry Cole. It started with watching “Shed and Buried” repeats on the Travel channel, then the discovery of “The Motorbike Show” and “World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides”. These aren’t just programmes for me, they are lessons and Henry is my new favourite teacher. So when I found out he was going to be there, I was pretty much first in line to meet him. We had a quick chat and he very kindly took a picture with me and signed my programme, it was great to meet one of my heroes.

And I finished off the day with a ride on a Harley Davidson. Their “Jumpstart” rolling road is a great opportunity to non-riders to have a go on a bike from this legendary company. It was loads of fun, but apparently I was a bit throttle happy. I was told “if you did that on a real road, your front wheel would be in the air!”

I’m still not sure if it was praise or criticism.

All in all, it was a brilliant event and I am definitely going back next year!

Thanks again for reading folks.

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OFO - A good reason to buy a real bike.

Recently, a company by the name Ofo set up shop in my home city of Oxford and being of a two wheeled persuasion, lots of people have asked me what it's all about. So I thought i'd investigate.

Here are the facts. Ofo is a bike hiring service, dubbed “Uber for bicycles”, you download their app, find a bike and away you pedal.

Full disclosure, I live just out side of the city and I did have to ride my own bike to get to the nearest ofo bike.

The app includes a map that tells you all the locations of all the Ofo bikes so you can easily find the one nearest to you. It showed me that the closest one was at the Park & Ride. Which makes sense. You've parked up, but don't fancy paying the extra for the bus. Then unlock an ofo bike and head into town. For me, this is where the problems began.

I scan the bike that was there and received an error message: Bike is locked, out of authorised zone. Off to a flying start. The Park & Ride is not in the authorised zone! So I checked the map and the next nearest bike was at the train station – another 10 minute cycle.

Just outside the station I find the distinctive yellow bike and attempt to unlock it. Success this time, the timer starts. This is how the app knows how much to charge you. (There is currently a six week free trial, but in the future its £1.00 an hour).

So I decide to take a little trip around the city.

The bike it's self is ok. They have been designed for all types of rider, so it's a fixed gear with a low cross bar, responsive brakes and pretty light weight. I have to adjust the seat almost immediately as the last user left it on the lowest setting. I've never used a fixed gear bicycle before and I did learn that I don't like them, so the day wasn't a complete waste.

I decided to stop in the centre of town. To end your journey you simply slide the in-built lock into place and because your app and the bike are connected, the timer stops and your journey has ended. However, I hadn't stopped at a very good place and I spotted a bike rack just ahead, so I thought I'd just unlock it again, put it in the bike rack and that'll be that. Except that when I turned on the app it still thought I was riding.

But it was locked!

Seeing no way to resolve it I called the ofo phone line that is printed on the bike. They told me that there is an issue with the app and they are working hard to resolve it but there was nothing she could do right now. So that was it, I had no choice but to leave the bike where it was and walk back to the station.

I think my biggest question still remains with these bikes.

Exactly who are they for?

I assume they are supposed to be aimed at students, but then I would argue that you can pretty much walk across Oxford (for free) and even if you went a bit further, the bike would be out of the authorised zone.

Time will tell if this actually takes off but for now I wouldn't recommend it. You'd be better off spending your money on a real bike.

Thanks for reading folks.

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Book Review: Shop Class as Soulcraft

Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into The Value Of Work

Author: Matthew B. Crawford

Let it never be said that this blog isn't diverse! Yes, this weeks two wheel adventure takes the form of a book review.

One note before we begin. This book was published in 2009 so i'm a little late to the party with this review. Fortunately it's content should be of interest to those who enjoy motorcycles and motorcycle culture.

Matthew B. Crawford has a Ph.D in political philosophy and owns his own independent motorcycle repair shop. Whilst this may seem like a contraction at first glance, Shop Class as Soulcraft, goes a long way in describing how these two subject go hand in hand, particularly for the author himself.

If shop class is a term you are unfamiliar with, it is a subject that is taught in American schools. Essentially what we would call in Britain “Design and Technology”. Although shop class has a lot more to do with motor mechanics and according to the author, it's on the decline, along with similar types of jobs that require working with your hands rather that just your brain.

In a series of articles exploring the idea of “the value of work”, interwoven with the authors personal stories, it looks deep into how we perceive manual work as something that doesn't require as much brain power as high paying, management type jobs. When in fact it is precisely those manual jobs that require more brain power. It also highlights the decline in “Craftsmen” and the rise in “knowledge workers” and how being self-reliant is no bad thing.

I will say there were a few things I didn't like about the book. Now I might not be the sharpest bulb in the shed, but this is a tough read. Especially at the beginning, I felt as though I could have easily been reading his actual Ph.D thesis. He goes into great detail about all of the topics covered in his book, but if you aren't put off by talk of mathematical theory behind Volkswagen Bugs, then this could be the book for you.

Despite that, I think the book is full of enough interesting ideas to keep you turning those pages, but to be honest the areas I found most interesting were the authors personal stories. From his beginnings as an electrician then working in a Porse repair shop as a teen, getting a Ph.D and a high paying job and then jacking it all in to open his own, independent motorbike repair shop, his own life is an inspirational tale that will leave you wondering if there is more to life that sitting behind your office desk.

Thanks for reading folks.

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Two Wheeled Heroes: William Morris

RIDE MORRIS CYCLES

William Morris is something of a legend in the automotive industry. Being from Oxford, his name is well known to me as much of his life and career was based here.

For those who don't know the name, William Morris was one of the founders of Morris Motors and if you don't recognise that name, you will surely recognise the car they are probably most well know for; The Morris Minor.

But obviously i'm not here to talk about cars.

A few months ago I visited the Morris Motor Museum in Long Hanborough, Oxfordshire. You can read all about my visit in my previous blog post here.

I found lots of interesting things in the Morris museum, including some truly stunning cars, but the most interesting thing of all was that William Morris actually started his career on two wheels.

In 1893, aged just 16 years old, Morris started a business repairing bicycles in his parents back garden. Not content with just repairing bicycles he also started making them. It was during this time that Morris also began racing bikes, becoming a champion in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxford. He'd compete on bicycles that he'd made himself as a way to advertise his company.

Then in 1896, he opened his first shop on Oxford High Street and also the workshop on Longwall Street. One of the first bicycles that Morris built was a custom bike for an Oxford vicar, the Rev. Pilcher. The Reverend was, by all accounts, a very tall man and required a 27 - inch frame. While I found out this story at the Morris Motor Museum, I was disappointed to discover that they don't have this bicycle on display there. It is, however, on display at the British Motor Museum in Warwick. And what do you know, I was there just a few weeks back at the VMCC Banbury Run!

And here it is. Kept in immaculate condition, looks as good today as it probably did over 100 years ago.

This photo is of the Morris works in 1903. Eight men including William Morris himself. (The man in the suit!) On a side note, I absolutely love this photograph, look at those t-shirts. This was over 100 years ago and they wouldn't look out of place today. Just the t-shirts. Although I am all for bringing ties, caps and waistcoats back to the work place.

Although Morris owed much of his earlier success to bicycles, he could see the future was in the motor industry and in 1908 sold the cycle business and focused his attention on the automobile.

Of course this isn't the end of the story for William Morris, it is, in fact, just the beginning. He would go on to do amazing things, including designing and building some of the most popular cars in British motoring history. He was also a great philanthropist, often giving generously to charities and worthwhile causes, like building 1700 iron lungs in his factory to give to hospitals across Britain. He also began a car manufacturing legacy here in Oxford and it's one that continues to this day.

If you would like to find out more about this two wheeled hero, I would recommend taking a weekend trip to the Morris Motor Museum in Long Hanborough, Oxford.

Thanks for reading folks. Hope you are enjoying the blog so far.

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VMCC Banbury Run 2017 – Sunday 18th June

This past Sunday was the 69^th Vintage Motorcycle Club's Banbury Run.

I first heard about the event watching a repeat of “The Motorbike show”, when good ol' Henry Cole covered it a few years back. It's held at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire. As it's not too far from me, I thought i'd go along. In a spectating capacity, obviously.

So what is the Banbury run? Well, it's somewhere between a race and a ride out. Approx 500 vintage motorbikes leave the start line and the goal for most of the riders seems to be, make it around one of the three routes available in a reasonable time! The routes are based on class of vintage bike and when I say vintage, I mean vintage. The Banbury run is only open to motorcycles that were made before 31^st of December 1930. Class A are veteran bikes built prior to 1915. Class B are early vintage (1915 – 1924) and Class C is late vintage (1925-1930).

Some absolutely amazing bikes were being ridden here. Traditional classics, some flat tankers and even some strange two wheeled contraption that can best be described as a steampunk segway. It's truly astonishing that some of these machines are still here, some over 100 years old and still running.

The conditions on the day were far from perfect. It was one of the hottest days of the year so far and even for the spectators it was a struggle in the red hot sunshine. I wouldn't want to imagine what it was like for some of the riders. Especially some of the gents dressed in tweed.

Which brings be on to the picture above. As you can imagine not all of the bike are perfect runners and unfortunately this chaps machine broke down just in front of me, not far from the start line. What I saw next will stay with me for a good, long while. This gentleman took off the petrol cap and blew a long, hard breath into the tank. He was literally giving mouth to mouth resuscitation to his motorbike! The best thing is, it worked and he was soon on his way again.

Included in the price of a ticket was also free entry to the British motor museum itself. It's great museum thats more gears to cars than bikes but a really interesting place to visit. It even has the first bicycle made by William Morris, who you might remember from my previous post and a full post about him is in the pipeline.

Next year is the 70^th Banbury run and I can't wait to come back again.

Hope to see you there!

Oxford Bike Week 10th - 18th of June 2017

This week is National Bike Week, a week of rides and events all over the country, celebrating everything thats great about getting out on two wheels. (The non-motorised kind!)

In my home city of Oxford, cycling is obviously very popular amongst the town and gown alike. There are lots of cycling events scheduled this week and hopefully I will get to attend a couple. All of the events can be found at www.bikeweek.org.uk/events

One of the ideas behind Oxford Bike week is to encourage more people to get out there and do some cycling.

I think cycling is not only good for the environment and your general health, but it can also be good for the soul. There are some amazing buildings and landmarks that I get to see and enjoy that I would otherwise miss if I were driving.

Like thousands of other people, my journey to work sends me through the heart of the city. It can be tough sometimes, especially with our current infrastructure but cycling through this beautiful city does have a few perks.

So here are my top five soul stirring sites of my daily commute. (I'm no expert on these places and I'd like to thank Wikipedia for the information).

NUMBER 5: Osney Bridge

When I first started cycling into Oxford I used to dread it. For a novice rider it can be a little tough to get over, but after a while I got used to it. But it really is the point in my journey when I know that I'm in the city.

NUMBER 4: The Oxford Playhouse.

The playhouse was built in 1938. A wonderful looking building that has seen some of the greatest actors and actresses of all time. Sir Ian McKellen, Judi Dench and perhaps most notably Richard Burton and Elisabeth Taylor, who now have a studio within the playhouse named after them.

NUMBER 3: The Randolph

Possibly the best hotel in the city. Certainly the best looking!

NUMBER 2: Ashmolean Museum

Exactly opposite the Randolph, is the Ashmolean Museum. The ancient Egyptian stuff is a particular highlight but don't take my word for it, if you've got time, park up your bike and have a look. It's free 

entry.

NUMBER 1: The Eagle and Child

Not just a great place to get a pint after a long cycle, but an amazing part of Oxfords history. A group of poets and writers known as the Inkings used to meet here. Amongst them were such literary greats as C.S Lewis and J.R.R. Tolken.

So thats about it. And this is just the quickest route to work for me. I know there are many, many more site to see around the city.

So why not give it a go yourself, who knows what you might find.

Restoration Desperation

As previously mentioned i'm pretty handy when it come to repairing bicycles. I can handle a puncture or two and I've replaced my fair share of brakes. So with this in mind I thought it might be fun to try my hand at a restoration project.

It was about a year ago, my neighbours were moving house and out on the front lawn was an old bicycle. We got into a conversation and I asked about the bike. She said it belonged to her husband and he used to ride it to school everyday, back in the 70's.

She then told me they were about to take it to the tip. (For any none UK readers, the tip is a recycling centre).

I don't really know why, but I felt like I couldn't let this bike go on the scrap heap. I wanted to save it. At least what was left of it. So we did a little deal and I got to keep it.

It wasn't in the worst condition. The wheels turned, so that was a start. It had been in a garage for, who knows how long. It must have been a while.

Which brings me too my first problem with this restoration. This bike belonged to my neighbour, who rode it to school. It didn't really click with me until I actually got on the bike around six months later. He rode this to school. As a child. This was a child bike! I suppose I was just so excited by the idea of fixing up something that was around 50 years old, that I didn't stop to wonder why the handle bars and seat were so low.

I was initially disappointed as I wanted to restore something for myself. I wanted a cool, vintage bike that I could call my own. But basically it didn't fit.

So, what did I actually have here? Well it the classic Raleigh Hustler. Unfortunately I can't work out the exact date. The model is from around the 60's and 70's and according to some online sources they are quite rare. Not sure how true this is, given the low prices people have sold them for but none the less it's a pretty cool, little bike. This one is a two tone green affair, with a few small rusty bits, and some pitting on the chrome, but this just adds character, right?

The first thing I did was inflate the tyres. They are the originals and to my amazement they still hold air. In reality, if I were to give it the full restoration treatment I think I would replace both wheels entirely.

Next, I remove a weird plastic bracket thing that was added on at a later date. I raise the seat a little and giver her a test ride. It's difficult to describe what the bike was like. It obviously hadn't been ridden in years and it shows. Also it being a child's bike, it was very difficult for me to ride with my knees under my chin. But nonetheless it did ride, all three gears worked and the brakes worked.

After that, a couple of weekends is all it took to get 50 years of grease and grime off and a wire brush for some of the more stubborn rust patches. But I think the best discovery was the Sturmey Archer Hub. All of the detail was buried under the dust and muck and uncovering it just made the whole bike look ten times better.

To be honest, if I were fixing this up for myself I would love to spend more time on it, but I think what i'm going to do is try and find it a new home. Some younger, smaller framed person might think it's cool!

Oxford Bus Museum & Morris Motor Museum

Last week I visited the Oxford Bus Museum & The Morris Motor Museum in Long Hanborough.

First thing to say is this blog will not do the museum justice. I would whole heartedly recommend a visit. It's only £5 entry to two museums and you will get to see some amazing vehicles. Obviously, as the name suggests, it's home to a number of classic buses from around Oxfordshire, but it also contained a few two wheeled surprises.

First up a 1923 Raleigh Motorcycle, it was a little worse for ware, but then at 94 what would you expect. But it was exactly the kind of thing i'm interested in. Raleigh made their name as bicycle manufacture, certainly thats what I know them as. But to see one of their motorbikes was just fantastic.

Also amongst the wonderful vintage buses, was a BSA Bantam. Unfortunately I didn't get the year of manufacture but based on the rust i'm going to say old! I know from the “old man programmes” that I watch that BSA are considered one of the best british bike manufacturers out there. And whilst this one too has seen better days it's still a thing of beauty.

One of the reasons I wanted to visit this museum was i'd heard a whisper that inside the Morris Motor side of the museum there is a selection of vintage bicycles. And boy, it didn't disappoint.

To be honest, its not the largest of collection at around 40 or so bikes. But what they do have are amazing. Most of them are around 100 years old, including some thing from 1869 called the “English Boneshaker”! I discover a couple of bicycle made by Rover and BSA. There is also a companion cycle, which is a little bit like a tandem but it allows you and a fellow rider to sit side by side, both of you can control the steering but only one of you can control the brake. I wonder why these aren't in production any more.

One really interesting area I discover is a display all about Morris Motor Cycles, but there is so much to the story I think i'll come back to this at a later date.

All in all, a really great place to visit. Pubic transportation isn't really my bag but I still found it interesting seeing all of the vintage buses, signs and ephemera, definitely worth the entry fee.