Bike Smuggling - Overburys Pioneer 3 Hour Build.

Well, as some of you may be aware been looking for a large British Steel hand built frame for a while. Mrs HM is operating a one in one out policy so a little creative accounting was required.

On Friday a suitable frame was smuggled up along the west coast by the light of a swinging lantern from Swanage to Weston. The Customs man was successfully avoided and the contraband landed at a secret coastal man cave of retro.

This morning I left my good lady with a smile and a kiss, to go for a ride around the Weston area on my Marin Bear Valley SE in good clean trailworthy and fully rideable specification.

I arrived at the smugglers rest, the workshop was sealed and three hours later I emerged with my new ill-gotten steed.

I was then treated to the Worlebury equivalent of Bruntingthorpe proving ground. 10 miles of an assortment of terrain, gradients, surfaces and track widths ideally suited to testing out new bike and rider. On occasion, the latter was found wanting. The bike was a revelation. Responsive, flexible and sure footed. Giving me the confidence to push on faster and harder both uphill and down.

As for Mrs HM, do you think she'll notice?


My thanks NeilM for his expert build and five hour+ return trip to secure the frame. Also to numerous others for their advice and support throughout the seeking.

For those interested. This was virtually a zero expenditure build. The only significant purchase being the Exage rear U brake costing £10 from Gloucester Bike Project, (thanks Matt) the seat post being Karma'd by Rob (xlite I hope) and sundry items stolen from NeilM or other bikes/builds I've attempted.

The Marin leftovers will be available shortly.

Hope you like it!

Wow
That's what i call a gate

Like i though

Sweet baby Jesus, how tall are you?

Nice write up by the way

I think you are secretly the BFG in disguise.....

I'm only little......

Holy crap! The forks and wheels look tiny

I'm sure it is flexible in that size. Lovely bike

The flex is wonderfully predictable. The geometry means the steering remains sharp despite the height. It goes where you put it without any lag.Amazing once you forget how far up you are!

Another convert.

wouldn't mind a go on that.

i'll just bring these along if that's ok

There's no disguise, THM IS the BFG.

The Overbury's is an extremely well thought out frame. If you chop it horizontally around mid headtube, the bottom half looks like any other ATB of the time. What Andy has done, and the tube selection must have been a real bugg.... erm, challenge, is to add height to the head tube and extend the seat stays.

I rode it around the block and the handling is very quick, rather like at tall trailie motorbike.

The original owner of the bike was a big guy who is 6' 2". the BFG... sorry, THM is a big guy who is 6' 3"... nuff sed.

I was impressed at how THM was able to keep up with me on the twisty gravel paths, as I was on my latest Nutter B'stard creation CATS WISKAS and it's testament to both bike and rider that he was never too far behind me, despite me being on home turf. That said, he does like to stop for a chat from time to time, rather than press on, and has a curious propensity for riding the same sharp, steep rocky climbs again and again... still, it takes all sorts.

Now we want a definitive ride report please, not that silly sniggering, grinning and muttering "just amazing, it's just amazing" stuff you kept doing while we were riding.







Glad to help another RB'er, see the light.

Enjoy.

P.s. I still HATE setting up canti's.

The BFG borrowing my bike.