As Greater Anglia trains are looking to ban bikes on trains
http://road.cc/content/news/95778-greater-anglia-trains-plans-bike-ban

Rewind to 1995. Looks idyllic doesn’t it.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyz5d3entBw[/video]

Yes, but it was a service on the verge of implosion with huge falling passenger useage, whereas today there’s investment in new infrastructure and trains and capacity upgrades both happening and programmed to be delivered.

She is so hot

Yes, but it was a service on the verge of implosion with huge falling passenger useage, whereas today there’s investment in new infrastructure and trains and capacity upgrades both happening and programmed to be delivered.

😆

I loved that. Made me want to go back in time. My Mum, who used to do a lot of cycle touring, always used to say ‘everyone loves a cyclist’! Feels like time’s have changed a bit, hey?

Those bikes look weird compared to modern road bikes.. particularly short in the top tube or something.

So, timidwheeler, what do you know that I don’t?

That’s fantastic. We ride those roads regularly.

molgrips – Member
Those bikes look weird compared to modern road bikes.. particularly short in the top tube or something.

Modern roadbikes probably never rack up anything like the mileage those used to do, and owe more to current racing fashion than utility.

Nice to see what the country looked like before cars ate it.

I don’t usually wear rose tinted glasses.. I was just wondering what has changed about the geometry of bikes since the 50s, because they look somewhat strange in a way I can’t quite figure out.

I can guess why Anglia Trains are trying to do this now. Their current fleet of trains running between Norwich and London still have proper guards vans and their fleet is probably due to replacement / upgrading in the next 5 or so years. So they’re trying to reduce demand now, so there will be less of a shitstorm when they do withdraw guards vans, because most of the demand will be gone by then.

molgrips – Member
I don’t usually wear rose tinted glasses.. I was just wondering what has changed about the geometry of bikes since the 50s, because they look somewhat strange in a way I can’t quite figure out.

We all rode much bigger frames than now. Very little seatpost was exposed. One benefit of that is that dropbars are more comfortable for all day riding because they are mounted higher. The wheels were also slightly larger.

I reckon it’s still the way to go if you like a comfortable ride, and at least with compact geometry you can do this without danger to your clangers when you straddle the bike. 🙂 (eg my Pompino is an XL although I’m medium size on my mtb)

I wish I could find a frame big enough not to be head down ass up for touring on .I always liked Dawes but they stopped the big frames and now use that weird slopping top tube design

health and safety alert———> where are the helmets!!

agreed its lovely to see the roads so free of cars!

Ah.. I guess that’s the logic behind Specialised Audax style geometry.. higher bars.

So, timidwheeler, what do you know that I don’t?

He knows irony bullshit when he sees it.

We all rode much bigger frames than now.

Really? I still have my mum’s 1957 Claude Butler which is a 23″ frame. It feels minute next to my road bike which is a 58cm (22.8″) frame, yet technically they are (almost) the same size.

One benefit of that is that dropbars are more comfortable for all day riding because they are mounted higher.

Hmm. I changed the position of my bars by adding headset spacers and a higher rise stem, not by buying a bigger frame. Back in the day, if you wanted your bars higher, you moved the (quill) stem up in the steerer tube…

The wheels were also slightly larger.

Barely. 27″ rims were 630mm diameter. 700c rims are 622mm.

“Barely. 27″ rims were 630mm diameter. 700c rims are 622mm.”

Don’t tell anyone that for goodness sake or it’ll start another new marketing wheel size niche.

johnellison – Member
“We all rode much bigger frames than now.”
Really? I still have my mum’s 1957 Claude Butler which is a 23″ frame. It feels minute next to my road bike which is a 58cm (22.8″) frame, yet technically they are (almost) the same size.

Yes, really.

If your mum went into a bike shop now, what size bike do you think they’d recommend for her?

“The wheels were also slightly larger.”
Barely. 27″ rims were 630mm diameter. 700c rims are 622mm.

Larger tyre sections were more popular too. When I put one of my 27″ wheels with its period tyre next to one of my 700c wheels, the difference is noticeable. In any case a proper wheel size for gentlemen is 635mm. 🙂