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HOW THE STORY STARTED... For a while I’d been thinking about building a single-speed fun bike of some sort. Initially I was considering some kind of ‘cruiser’ machine but despite mulling over various ideas I couldn’t quite decide what I wanted to achieve. Then I hit upon the idea of a simple single-speed racer, which led me to look at older designs for inspiration (remember, at one time most bikes – even racers – were single speed anyway).
Taking it a step further, I got interested in seriously old racing bikes dating back to the early 20th century. These machines essentially looked like slimline stripped down versions of road models with dropped ‘North Road’ style bars and rat-trap pedals.
How cool would it be to build a replica of one of these early racing bikes, creating my own version of a classic 1920s velodrome racer?
First, I’d need to figure out what parts I’d need. There’s a number of key ‘ingredients’ which I would have to track down in order to create the right vintage look for the bike: racing bikes always had cream tyres for example. The North Road bars would be essential, as would a pair of leather handgrips. A Brooks leather saddle would also help complete the look. Then of course, I’d have to find a suitable donor bike which I could plunder for its frame, wheels, and running gear… HERE'S THE FULL STORY
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