Rat Bikes! Pub Bikes Beaters! Frankenbikes!

Unless you don't like the feeling of riding through treacle, if this is you... buy a hardshell.

They does feel like riding through treacle.... even at 120... but I've got 3 of them to use up, and they really do feel better when skidding.

Kinfolk could go to anti with that seat post and the straps...

vittoria rando is the hipster tyre of choice but 28c on the back is pure delight. can't find anything much to beat it.

Is that the Halo twin rail on the rear, how you finding that ?? Thinking about one

Mine was fine for about 4months (I don't really skid) but then split about 3 inches all in one go. Luckilly I could get a bus home, wouldn't have been much fun walking.

Bump...that was a nice little catch up.

Made a few changes to the Carlton, new headset, cloth tape, and stripped with a very temporary clear coat... temporary because it chips easy. Oh, and a respray is on the cards.

Recently made contact with a V-CC member who's convinced it was originally built for the Carlton track team in the mid 50's... would be nice, and may explain its oddball features... and with this in mind, a respray to what is thought to be the original colour(s) is due. Plan is to find some more period bits, and get a custom stem made after its sprayed.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5069/5662617955_8d5b725242_b.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5017/5585974918_e51f29c6eb_b.jpg

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/files/cycletruck1_sized_174.jpg

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2598/4210098321_57a87b84bb_b.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5044/5304382654_a1f417f050_b.jpg

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6148/5965038702_46c3956826_b.jpg

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6007/5990875871_06a37e215c_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/6715748273_cfc0dce2fc_b.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3266/3126203138_e242146694_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3527/3720573823_1347635b03_b.jpg

http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1179/561409079_4d3c7a3056_o.jpg

And my personal favorite.

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2233/5744920790_a0ca69bc56_b.jpg

Dexter Benjamin

^ Mid way between pr0n & rat.
Exactly the kind of thing I love.
What's going on where seat post meets saddle though?!

^ Chain in inner tube to protect Brooks from being stolen?

Just a spare tube thats all. Sundays ride needed one!

could post my bike here, paint is pretty fucked now.....might take some pics tomorrow

Slight cross post, but my beater as of today:

Thinking about switching back to risers again... but there might be another beater on the cards tomorrow... so it'll have to wait.

Got rid of the excess double chainring and changed the drops to some massive cruiser bars. This thing is the most fun bike I've had.

http://i43.tinypic.com/2cxcl7b.jpg

Benotto

rusty chain ≠ rat bike

That's awesome Stu!

rusty chain ≠ rat bike

I know.

http://i43.tinypic.com/2cxcl7b.jpg

Benotto

Oooh.

I really like that. I keep thinking I'd like some sort of classic road bike for the city with a 6-8 speed and one ring up front.

new trend 2012

Not sure it will catch on tho.

2012 seems to be all about retro throwbacks from 2007... occasionally brought uptodate with modern 50mm carbon tubs.

But that might just be the winter collection. So there's still time to get ahead of the curve before the summer.

Not to bring this up again but... I just had my 4th flat on Halo Twin Rail Couriers this week. I officially hate them. Just ordered a pair of Gatorskins. I'll burn the Halos and dance around the flames.

Are you picking bits of glass out of your tyres then? Might be better/cheaper to try some different innertubes. I found that a decent innertube makes a difference

I've cleaned, scrubbed and bent them inside out. Tried three different inner tubes. I know its probably a small piece of glass lodged in the the rubber somewhere but still, bad karma. Punctures are in different places tho. Once they wear in they seem to be debris magnets. Moving on.

^^ any brands / models in particular?

Self-referential fail.