Thanks for saving and loving anoher of these clunkers. I've loved reading about your Amazon and its transformation.
I have a modified Raleigh Amazon too.
In essence it's this bicycle that has resurrected my passion for cycling.
A knee injury in 2004 meant that by 2010 I gave in to the inevitable and sold my last MTB (my 1995 Saracen Tufftrax with real sentimental value). I stopped riding of-road completely, never to return... or so I thought.
I put together some bikes from a load of scrappers that a mate and I collected on Freecycle for my Son's college digs to have as "house bikes" while he was in his last year at Uni. One was this large framed (22" or 23"?) Amazon. It rode nicely and I said that they could do what they liked with the rest but this Amazon had to come back to me.
Returned in 2011 it was a bit knackered but my intention was always to turn it into a single speed urban MTB.
On went the wheels, brakes, crank, brake levers and other bits from a Marin that had sat in a mate's garden for 10 years. Various other parts such as the bars and rear V brake were donated. I made up the cables from parts bought on ebay and fitted a Surly chainring and a single speed conversion to replace the 7 speed cassette. A secondhand set of road tyres and tubes plus some bar tape and it was rockin' and rollin'.
In the last year I was roped in to helping a mate train for an off road charity cycling event so I fitted some secondhand Cheng Shin/Duro tyres and started riding towpaths and mild trails.
Although the frame is far to large for a proper MTB and it is heavy, it's been a revelation to ride on road and off. I simply don't feel the need to race and its simplicity means can ride more with less faffing inbetween.
I'm now signed up for the Wiggle Southern Rough Ride in February so I may fit some decent proper off road tyres and lower the gearing with a bigger rear cog.
It is so completely undesirable and uncool and that actually adds to its charm. I had been toying with the idea of getting myself a "proper" bike again now this bike has eased me back in to riding off road but I doubt that I will bother. Parked up with a group of more modern MTBs that my riding chums ride, it's always mine that spurs passing folk to as about it and it sparks a conversation at virtually every pub-stop, usually from someone asking, "Seriously, that's not a fixed gear is it?"
It's been christened the ABSO1 (Almost bicycle shaped object number 1).
Ride safe and Merry Christmas to all.
I have a modified Raleigh Amazon too.
In essence it's this bicycle that has resurrected my passion for cycling.
A knee injury in 2004 meant that by 2010 I gave in to the inevitable and sold my last MTB (my 1995 Saracen Tufftrax with real sentimental value). I stopped riding of-road completely, never to return... or so I thought.
I put together some bikes from a load of scrappers that a mate and I collected on Freecycle for my Son's college digs to have as "house bikes" while he was in his last year at Uni. One was this large framed (22" or 23"?) Amazon. It rode nicely and I said that they could do what they liked with the rest but this Amazon had to come back to me.
Returned in 2011 it was a bit knackered but my intention was always to turn it into a single speed urban MTB.
On went the wheels, brakes, crank, brake levers and other bits from a Marin that had sat in a mate's garden for 10 years. Various other parts such as the bars and rear V brake were donated. I made up the cables from parts bought on ebay and fitted a Surly chainring and a single speed conversion to replace the 7 speed cassette. A secondhand set of road tyres and tubes plus some bar tape and it was rockin' and rollin'.
In the last year I was roped in to helping a mate train for an off road charity cycling event so I fitted some secondhand Cheng Shin/Duro tyres and started riding towpaths and mild trails.
Although the frame is far to large for a proper MTB and it is heavy, it's been a revelation to ride on road and off. I simply don't feel the need to race and its simplicity means can ride more with less faffing inbetween.
I'm now signed up for the Wiggle Southern Rough Ride in February so I may fit some decent proper off road tyres and lower the gearing with a bigger rear cog.
It is so completely undesirable and uncool and that actually adds to its charm. I had been toying with the idea of getting myself a "proper" bike again now this bike has eased me back in to riding off road but I doubt that I will bother. Parked up with a group of more modern MTBs that my riding chums ride, it's always mine that spurs passing folk to as about it and it sparks a conversation at virtually every pub-stop, usually from someone asking, "Seriously, that's not a fixed gear is it?"
It's been christened the ABSO1 (Almost bicycle shaped object number 1).
Ride safe and Merry Christmas to all.
