Re: holy thread resurrection !!!
roadking":3t1rr0kg said:
Going through my literature collection and seeing a Range Rider brochure (letter accompanying it dated 28/11/85 from Jeremy Torr, English Cycles Telford address).
Is he still around ?
Jeremy recently responded to an email I sent him about how his box section fork crowns were fabricated. He didn't say where he is at present though it's usually some exotic location in the far east.
roadking":3t1rr0kg said:
Would there be a market for these today - new I mean ?
John.
There is some interest with regard to recreating these bikes using modern components.
From a marketing point of view a modern day version is an interesting prospect. For a start, despite the thousands of supposedly different, but surprisingly similar, long wheelbase slack geometry "trail-centre" bikes available, there is nothing vaguely similar to these bikes that you can buy. Also there are quite a few 'unique selling points' to this design, and each of these could interest a niche market of its own.
For example:
* a bike that you can ride in wet & muddy conditions that will keep you dry & clean and require little maintenance. (perfect for those that live in remote places away from even the most basic tracks and roads?)
* a bike that whose riding position is more friendly to those that suffer from back or upper-body pain. (I sometimes start riding with a sore back and it has gone by the end of the ride)
* a backpacking bike that very comfortable when ridden for long hours, day after day.
* a bike whose high riding position gives a superb view of the surroundings. I have recently been testing some a combined suspension/dropper seat-posts that make town riding a lot easier. From the high vantage point you can see over the car rooves when riding but drop the saddle for waiting at lights, mounting/dismounting etc.
With many MTB riders there is the issue, that a bicycle that is similar to those that existed before roads were commonplace, to modern eyes does not look like it is capable off-road. The reality is that old school roadsters, though heavy can often perform remarkably well when ridden off road. These Geoff Apps bikes are at heart just big wheeled BMX bikes. They are quite happy going around the local trail centre as long as you're not trying to break the course record. Though I would imagine that for the average MTB rider it would take some time to master the different way you go about clearing obstacles, steep hills, drop-offs etc.
So the target market for a modern Cleland is unlikely to be the same as that for modern mountain bikes?
