1958 Claud Butler steel framed road bike. I got the frame for my 12th B'day in 1982 and still commute on it every day. I had to replace the drop outs in 1994 but I still trust it for touring duties in the highlands and islands of Scotland.
Bike Forum
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Long running bikes
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Posted 1 year ago #
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the Reynolds 501 top tube rotted through from turbo trainer sweat.
Good effort that.
Posted 1 year ago # -
1998 Marin Pine Mountain now in commuter guise, carbon fork, 48/34, 11-23, flat bar/barends and slicks. Ridden at least 5 times per week.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Two steel Bontrager Races (one medium, one large) - both ?1997ish vintage (i.e. Santa Cruz built, but post-Trek ownership). Had the medium since 1998 & the large since 2004. There's a fair few proper (i.e. older) Bontragers still doing the rounds.
Posted 1 year ago # -
1999 sunn purchased in 2000. ride it as xc bike still.
Posted 1 year ago # -
My 1991 Condor Diablo. Filet Brazed Columbus Tubing. T'was my main MTB for years, toured extensively on it, used it for messenger duties, now mainly use it for commuting or long road hauls with cargo, child seat or kiddy trailer. It's never let me down*
(* Although it has a habit of bonding to seatposts a couple of which have had to be burnt out by framebuilders)
Posted 1 year ago # -
2000 cannondale. Reborn as a commuter in recent years but plenty of troublefree miles over the years. Not cracked or failed either!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Zaskar from 2000. 10 years as my only bike. Recently downgraded to only my off road commuter and child seat bike, but still gets a couple of outings week. 6061 Al.
Mention should go to the forks, Bombers MX pro from 2003. That's 7 years of abuse and only needed a service last year. From when Bombers ruled.Posted 1 year ago # -
I've an Orange P7 which is around 13 years old. It was my only mountain bike for several years, then I got a suspension frame so it became my winter only mountain bike and summer hack. Then I got a Turner (which I've had over 5 years) and I used that all year round, so the Orange became a hack bike and commuter for a bit. Until I tried cyclocross on it and did a season of racing on that, when it then became my spare bike for subsequent seasons. It also served me well as my winter commuter, doing over a hundred miles a week on it.
My job has moved, so I'm half thinking of selling it, but it's served me so well that I will hate to part with it.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I have a '98 Kona Caldera in regular use as my main bike; although it's actually got a new frame, forks, wheels, gruppo. It's a bit like Trigger's Broom.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Late 1970s Holdsworth, gaspipe. Given to me by a friend who owned it from new. Now fixed.
1992 Kona Lava Dome, steel. Owned by me since new. Now SS'd.
Pete Matthews track bike, steel (lugged). No idea what age it is, but I bought it at least third hand. Track bikes don't wear out.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Five odd years off and on fornme with this. Does all the harder riding I need.
Posted 1 year ago # -
so I'm half thinking of selling it, but it's served me so well that I will hate to part with it.
Back of the garage/shed/cellar. Or strip it and just retain the frame and fork.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Forgot - I've probably got the oldest bike currently still in use.
It's my road commuter, given to me about 15 years ago and very old then.
It pre-dates 700C wheels and I'm guessing it's 60's or early 70s.
531ST frame and it is a Saracen!Posted 1 year ago # -
oh yeah, in addition to my kona, i also have a hardcore, which now belongs to my girlfriend. that badboy is from the late nineties. also, it has original Z1 bombers and an enormous hope big 'un
Posted 1 year ago # -
2002 kona bear
retired a few months ago for a younger slimmer model (2008 dawg frame i got cheap)
abused heavily, dh, xc enduro
she did it all
my 97 lavadome i bought off ebay 5 years back to replace the original i bought in 97 but had stolen in about 2002Posted 1 year ago # -
In the cellar we have;
Whyte PRST-1. 2001. Alu. Now wifes bike (so not used too often).
Garry Fisher Aquila. 1995. Steel. Wifes old bike; now commuterised
Pace RC200 F2. 1993. Alu. One frame repair; now ss'ed
Intense Tracer. 2000. Alu. Main ride.
GT Edge. 1997. Steel. Winter road bike.
Planet X Little Audrey. 2003. Alu. Summer road bike.
Posted 1 year ago # -
03 Turner 5 Spot
Ridden in 17 odd countries inc. bike parks, multi day epics, 24 hour races etc. Still running original z1s!Posted 1 year ago # -
Enjoying the pictures.
petrieboy, is that a recent picture? For 10 years old it looks brand new!
Although it has a habit of bonding to seatposts a couple of which have had to be burnt out by framebuilders
Its like an old faithful dog that wees while its sleeping now and then. But you couldn't give it away.
Forgot - I've probably got the oldest bike currently still in use.
It's my road commuter, given to me about 15 years ago and very old then.
It pre-dates 700C wheels and I'm guessing it's 60's or early 70s.
531ST frame and it is a Saracen!ur bike is sarcin
40 years old is pretty impressive, got any pictures? What wheel size is it?
Posted 1 year ago # -
RealMan - not got pics, may take one tonight if I get home at a reasonable time.
It's got newer (maybe 15 year old) 700C wheels but I had a problem finding VERY long drop callipers to match.
Posted 1 year ago # -
SS SC Chameleon I bought off here in 2003, I think the frame's a '99. Still a great ride, still not got round to putting gears on it and I don't think I ever will
Posted 1 year ago # -
1992 C'dale.
2001 carbon Trek roadbike....Posted 1 year ago # -
96 Cannondale Killer V which is now my commuter,
the 60mm headshock is a 96 and never been serviced and still works
its run on hand-me-down mtb parts,
7 winters commuting and the paint finish is still like new...love it Posted 1 year ago # -
2001 carbon Trek roadbike....
Is that the first one? 9 years for a carbon road bike sounds pretty impressive.
RealMan - not got pics, may take one tonight if I get home at a reasonable time.
It's got newer (maybe 15 year old) 700C wheels but I had a problem finding VERY long drop callipers to match.
So what was the wheel size originally?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Orange C-16R from 1996 is still in use here. It's been upgraded a bit and has bouncy forks on it now.
Posted 1 year ago # -
chap at work's got a Trek OCLV road bike from around 16 years ago. I think that was around the time the first ones were produced. He still rides it too.
Posted 1 year ago # -
It's this one;
Why impressive? Armstrong et al won the Tour on a similar bike; they're not made of cheese!
Posted 1 year ago # -
I dunno, when you buy a carbon frame do you expect it to last a decade?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Yes, why not?
I've trashed ally frames, bent and broken steel frames, but this one has just carried on, being raced for a while and now doing service as a winter training bike.
Carbon is not fragile, not just for racers, it's a bloody good thing to make bike frames out of.
Get with the times Daddio!
Posted 1 year ago # -
crikey, my road bike
I don't expect it to last a decade. Would be very nice if it did though.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Viking Challenger bought in 1967 from Jack Gee cycles in northwich by my uncle Dennis - still in use today as a fixed gear commuter. Had a respray recently and new forks new wheels but otherwise rock solid. the bb has been crush fitted in because the threads in the shell died so this is the last bb it will ever have
carbon frames lasting a decade, why not ? look after it by cleaning it properly, make sure it's got lots of carbon paste where there are aluminium bits in contact
Posted 1 year ago # -
Why wont it?
Ok, if you crash it and trash it, but that's the same for any frame. I've got a Scott Addict as well, and that will last at least as long. It's a carbon fibre frame; better fatigue resistance than ally, no rusting like steel, no welds to crack like Ti. It's the future, and you've already got one!
In three or so years time you can buy another and use that one as your winter bike.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Ok, if you crash it
Too late.
I'm not scared its going to disintegrate any day now, and I don't check it over with a magnifying glass after ever ride. I don't fret when I go over a pothole. And I knew I wanted a carbon frame when I bought it. But a decade? I'd be chuffed to bits, but I just don't see it. I'd love it if you're right though. Carbon bikes - a bike for life...?
Posted 1 year ago # -
i had a marin bobcat trail for at least 10 years, until the BB went, but it was welded in so left it at the lbs and never been back lol, thye did say they could remove it...
anyway how do carbon bike BB threads hold up over 10 years? do they have alloy inserts or something, never seen one..Posted 1 year ago # -
A Carrera Krakatoa Flex from about 1991. Tange tubed steel rigid... Spent its first years as a mountain bike, then became my commuter, then became my brother's commuter, then fell apart eventually and now is getting totally rebuilt with new paint and, well, almost every component bar the frame, forks and back wheel replaced. When people say "Halfords only sell crap bikes" I smile...
Posted 1 year ago #
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