So, after the very brief saga this summer, where my beloved hack bike went missing for a few days (unwittingly pinched by a neighbour, who very apologetically returned it- see original thread here) I decided to give the bike a wee treat, and restore it to something of it’s former glory, albeit with some more modern kit.

It’s originally my mum’s bike, from back when she used to race in the early 90’s, and has served as my commuter/pub bike since around 2005. It’s probably worthless, and the frame loks like it belongs in a skip, but it still holds a very special place in my heart.
It originally started out something like this, when it was passed on to me in ’05

After a while, it was eventually converted (read: Bodged) into a fixed wheel, townie bike with some tiny wee shopper bike bars. As stupid as this looked, I absolutely loved to ride it- Couldn’t get on it without it putting a smile on my face.

During its little holiday to my neighbour’s shed, I was chatting with my mum about it, who was genuinely pretty heartbroken that it had gone. She said that she really missed road cycling (she has a hybrid but hates it) and would love to have a go on her old bike again.
Once it was returned to me ideas started forming 🙂 I felt bad that I had neglected the bike for years (in the time I’ve had it, I think it’s been washed 4 or 5 times… maybe) and knew how much it would mean to her, so I decided to give it a revamp, and gift it back to my mum.
Now, the retro snobs will hate this as I’ve ditched the downtube shifters and a lot of the old kit (which was totally worn out) but I think it’S turned out pretty well!

I realise it’s a mish mash of parts, but I don’t really mind. I’ve done some light repairs to the frame (replacing broken cable guides, downtube shifter bosses etc) and have replaced the groupset with a mix of old Ultegra 6510, some Sora cranks I had, some swanky new bar tape, and a new rear wheel, allowing me to put 9sp on it- it was originally 2×7!
It just needs a front derailleur cable, and a few more small tweaks, then it’ll be good to go. I’m also getting a new front wheel to match the rear one. Should have this sorted over the weekend, and ready to ship back up to my mum on Monday 😀

After a bit of research, I reckon the bike itself is from around 1991-92. It’s certainly pre ’95, as it still has the sticker on the headtube from my family’s old bike shop (where I pretty much grew up in the workshop) and the phone number on it still has an old area code (before they added the “1” after the 0)

Apologies for the long thread, but I thought it was worth a share.

What older bikes do you have? and is there a story behind them?

Paganini Sioux F&F I swapped for a ’91 Rocky mountain Blizzard with that there Elfinsafety/Fred built up with 2nd hand bits off here, nice columbus tubing with cable inserts, really nice frame I got powdercoated, late 80’s early 90’s? too big for me though. Managed my fastest ever downhill topspeed on this 52 mph!That’s a nice looking bike!
[url=https://flic.kr/p/5kAgwo]CIMG1342[/url] by kevinevs, on Flickr

About 14yrs old and way more than I need, but I love it

Colnago C40 by ritcheyp20, on Flickr

My PDM Concorde Aquila.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oLp8qQ]2014-10-18_01-30-46[/url] by Bigbroondug, on Flickr

My very rare Burrows LWB Ratcatcher – only one other is known to exist, in a museum in Germany:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/8dqjGi]Burrows Ratcatcher LWB[/url] by Ben Cooper, on Flickr

More than 20 years old now…

Apart from wheels its a spares box build …

Everyone needs a nipping to the shops/pub/cruiser 🙂

Untitled by Plus one2010, on Flickr

Freaky!I’ve just read the OP a bit better. The bike shop you mention used to have a Concorde poster in it with all the different frames I remember at the time(must have been around 91/92) inquiring about one, alas my Raleigh Criterium would have to do a bit longer as I couldn’t afford the Concorde. The following year I started on mountain bikes and that was that for the next 20 till I eventually got the Concorde! I still live a 2 minute walk from the shop.

Hey Yokaiser,

No way! I had wondered if anyone on here would remember the shop.
It’s still there, but was bought out and renamed a couple of times since then.
My folks owned that shop, and the 2nd one in Kilmarnock. My old man also used to have the autoshop in ardrossan, if you remember that. Long old time ago that was!

Cheers
Scott.

My very rare Burrows LWB Ratcatcher

Did Halfords fit the fork? 😉

The back wheel isn’t in line with the front wheel either 😀