Porteur Bicycles

Recently I've becom a bit obsessed with obtaining a Porteur Style bicycle but there are just not many about. Anyone have one seen one about?

New it seems there's only this one:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?PartnerID=79&ModelID=48559

or a Kogswell porteur model but they seem to have disappeared?

http://kogswellsite.s3.amazonaws.com/index.html

and there's just nothing much on Ebay. Anyone have one? seen any around?

That chainreaction one is pretty cool

Bleugh. Nexus 3 speed hub.

Why don't you buy something old? All this is is a copy of what's been done in the past.

I'm building one, but very slowly. Got an old path frame that i'm gonna do up and get a nice front rack for it. Hopefully it'll end up something along these lines

This is good for inspiration

Bleugh. Nexus 3 speed hub.

Why don't you buy something old? All this is is a copy of what's been done in the past.

well I would prefer something older in some respects but they are proving rather difficult to find. where exactly might one find one? Paris flea markets?

Lots of old (1950s and earlier) frames would have the geometry of a Porteur type bike. Very slack angles, and a fork with lots of rake and trail. A low BB too.

Actually i would go with something newer - the older bikes weigh a ton, and make hauling shit around a pain in the arse. Plus restoring them, and getting all the bits you want on cost mucho casho.

Within reason, weight is not something you should base your decision on when buying a bike designed to carry 50KG over its front wheel.

Restoring can be hard, but patina can be nice.

I've just sold this to a mate, as I'm moving and I would hate it to be nicked. ):

1948 Raleigh Clubman, used every day, weighed 29 lbs all in.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll244/chris_too_cool_for_school/DSCN0340.jpg

I think weight is a bit of a factor for me, as although I intended to carry stuff around on the bike a lot of the time I can imagine it won't be loaded up with 50kgs of stuff.

maybe some veges and a 6 pack of beer ;) and you are right dealing with all the old stuff can be a pain. Cottered Cranks, old steel rims, finding replacement parts..

They're not hard to work on, it's just that a lot of the knowledge about the vintage machine's idiosincracies has vanished.

Old bikes are generally very reliable. My old Raleigh was still on its 1948 headset, for example.

Plus, there's always the possibility of fitting new parts to an old frame.

the chainreaction ones are actually not instock till July or so which is abit annoying. must be a new model

I was in Brixton Cycles the other day and they had something similar - Globe ones I think. I seem to remember that they had one with the carrying bit over the front wheel and another with it over the rear wheel.

What differnce does this make? Is one more or less stable or is it down to rider preference?

I've seen the Globe ones. they look to 'cruiser' to me. fat tyres. thick frames tubing and really really relaxed posture.

not so into those.

yeah thats the globe. they have them at London Fields Cycles. but they look bulky and unwieldy.

But if you don't want a porteur bike as such, but a bike to have in town, you can do a lot worse than that. Looks like a great do it all bike, incl giving your bird a drunken lift home from the pub

That looks like a child's drawing of a bike. But it's nice a mainstream manufacturer is making a useful bike, that isn't cheap..

The Chain Reaction one is made by a company in Poland. It seems as though the distributor is in Edinburgh. Maybe they'll start turning up in shops soon?

http://cremecycles.com/

Interesting that they choose to photograph the Creme Cycles bike without any brakes on?

coaster brakes?

yeah thats the globe. they have them at London Fields Cycles. but they look bulky and unwieldy.

Those Globe Live bikes are surprisingly light, and have a decent load capacity. Nice to see a mainstream manufacturer making a simple, practical bike that looks ok

The Creme isn't Coaster breaks but yes it s curious that the didn't photo graph it with the brakes attached.

You can clearly see the coaster brake!

The globes are nice, well specced too. Thing is to you want a hipster porteur that looks nice, but is fuck all use, or a bike that works?

How has Ed not yet responded to this thread?!

Creme is distributed in the UK by Hotlines
I have already pre ordered the Cafe Racer and a few others for my shop.
The official launch is on the 1st of June.

They look very tasty, how they perform with weight on top i do not know.

Otherwise you can pick up front racks and add them to pretty much any bike.

This is mine with Azor front rack. Difference being it secures to the down tube and not the forks.

Works pretty well.

I guess it all depends whether or not you are going for the look or the utility side of things

yeah you are right it does look like a Coaster Brake on that Cafe Creme Racer / and the spec says: Hub rear: Shimano Nexus SG-3R40 3-speed hub which my quick googleing suggests is aa 'Roller Brake' variety hub.

And on the Globe: I looked at one in London Fields Cycles and the geometery was just a little too slack for me. the bars being quite 'swept back'. could probably get a better riding position if you swapped them out for something else though i suppose.

perhaps i'll have to take one for a spin this weekend.[I][/I]