Dave Yates. Global Expedition.

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A little over a year ago a bike came up for sale that was destined to be stripped for parts. Quite simply the sum of the parts seemed to out way the value placed on the whole bike, it looked tired, the description wasn't the best and nor were the pictures.

With some help from my father to collect and a real nice guy selling it, a deal was struck.

When the bike arrived it was clear it had been used, and used a whole Lot, the brief description mentioned it was built for expedition by Dave Yates, But untill the bike arrived i didn't really take that on board.

I had to talk to the seller, to get the full story, and wow was i impressed, the bike was built by Dave Yates with a simple task to fulfill, Adventure, to go everywhere, and anywhere the fancy took, and to remain reliable.

And it did just that, for the next 27+ years, every chance that came up the bike was used to Explore.....

Below is a small amount of detail from the original owner of the whys and wherefores of the build, its use and its Global adventures......

Hi Carl,

Some brief info about the spec/ components.

I had the bike custom built by Dave Yates in 1990 specifically for long distance touring, and the need to be able to carry heavy loads and maximize the amount of water bottles. Prior to that I was touring on a Claude Butler Dalesman road bike, ( which I still have and use!) however I was using it to travel across the interior of Iceland or to North Cape in Arctic Norway, and thought I needed something better suited for a longer more rugged trips, and decided to get a custom built bike. In discussion with Dave, we agreed on more relaxed frame angles to regular mountain bikes to maximize stability on long descents while laden with panniers, but not so relaxed that the bike became sluggish on the level or ascents. The choice of components was based on what was available at the time that could be easily maintained or replaced, hence the campagnolo gears, which it was possible to strip down and rebuild if problems occurred. Similarly, with the standard freewheel. Cassette hubs were becoming common at the time, but were rejected, as their ability to withstand constant hard touring was largely untested. If a cassette hub had ceased to work in India, replacing it would have been impossible, whereas a standard hub could be replaced anywhere in the third world. Even if it had fewer sprockets, I'd still be able to replace and be mobile again, which was the important thing. It was the same with pannier racks. Dave made me some custom rigid, strengthened steel racks with extra fittings to allow two water bottles to be carried on the back ones. I was advised by other cyclists to reduce weight and go for aluminum racks and lightweight components, which didn't make sense to me. Travelling with so much gear, clothes, waterproof, tent camping stove, sleeping bags, camera equipment was so heavy anyway that the savings were pointless. I needed stuff that could stand heavy use, poor maintenance and was long lasting, and fitted accordingly. The wisdom of this was shown when a steel rack fractured at a joint in India, and we were able to find someone to weld it back together, in a small village, for pennies, fixed in minutes - and the rack is still going strong on my wife's bike 25 years later! In contrast, we met some German cyclists with super lightweight racks that had broken and were held together with wire and string because they couldn't find anyone to repair them. For round the world travel, I wasn't interested in what was new, stylish and flashy. I chose on ease of use, ease of maintenance, easy to replace, easy to repair or tried and trusted components that by then had a history of decades of hard use. The only new thing on that bike is the cheap pedals, as the pedals took quite a hammering, and the bearing were shot. The wheel hubs and bottom bracket are original, so I could re -grease or replace bearings on the road, - again sealed hubs would have been utterly useless in India, if they'd failed! Keep it simple and keep it basic, get stuff that works and does the job.

Some of the places the bike has been to.
UK
Most of Europe
Scandinavia
Canada
America
Fiji
New Zealand
Malaysia
Singapore
Indonesia
Borneo
Sumatra
India/Ladakh

I'll find some photos to send separately.
Cheers,
Walter.
 

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Re:

So now the bike resides with me, and if I'm honest, I haven't been able to bring myself to break it for parts, and i couldn't possibly refinish it, all I have done is tweaked the gears, fettled the brakes, Boot polished the saddle, kept it lubed and clean, and used it for slightly lighter trail work pulling my two year old along the camel trail in his Cannondale Bugger....(it still cracks me up Cannondale calling it that).

So not yet ready for retirement, the old girl lives on as it was intended when designed and built, perhaps not quite the adventures she's been use too, but still giving enjoyment and pleasure.

one thing is for sure, a hand built bike will last the test of time, carefully thought out spec will serve you well, and in this retro world of ours, you don't need to spend thousands to achieve quality or class, with a little luck on your side it can be achieved for little more than a basic Halfords BSO.

Another British Bike Saved, And another family Enjoying those unforgettable "Retro bike" Moments.
 

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Re:

Build Spec.
Slightly tweaked geometry, using full Tange prestige throughout. 3 sets of bottle boss mounts with a full complement of rack and mudguard mounts with the addition of a pump peg.
Fillet brazed with lugged bottom bracket, Fillet brazed fork with additional pannier mounts.

Deore Xt headset,
Mavic Bottom Bracket,
Campag rear mech
Campag front mech
Campag Hubs,
Campag Cantilevers
Campag gear shifters
Deore Xt Brake levers
Tioga Bar and Stem
Grabon Grips.
Brooks Leather Saddle
Kalloy Seatpost
Mavic Rims
DT and Wheelsmith Spokes.
Shimano Hyperglide Block
Tioga Tyres
Campag Wheel Q/Rs
Assorted cables
Mavic Chainset
Chuck away Pedals with toeclips and straps
Nut and Bolt for seatpost Q/R

And despite being as travel as it is, it all works like a dream, and despite the saddles looks, its quite possibly "the most" comfortable saddle i own
 

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What a great post.
The Dave Yates has quite a history and it looks like it's found a home that will build on it.
May you have many happy miles on it.

Jamie
 
Thanks Bud, been great so far, so settled I cant explain it.

If Walter is able and gives his permission ill post up additional pics of its travels.
 
Would really like that. It's such an interesting thread and these tales of a machines history always bring them to life for me.
There is a couple of posts on a couple of the old road type groups on FB, one is a guy in the US who posted photos of a touring trip he rode with his grandfather in 1968 when he was 14 and his gf in his 60's. He still has the bike he rode. There's another on the Carlton page of a gentleman who won a Carlton in the early 60's in a music paper and who still rides it today. A long and rich history.
Look forward to seeing more
Jamie
 
Wow, what an amazing history, and the bike looks in great condition considering all its been through and everywhere its been. I would love to see some of the photos of its travels.

Another great thread, i have just finished reading your Hardisty thread which is now my favourite thread on here :)

Mark
 
Awesome story and right up my street in terms of specification choice.

Hoping for more photo's from Walter!
 
Amazing story and really pleased this has remained as it was built, it would be a crying shame to spread it all over the World in the pursuit of a few quid.
 
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