Highpath advice sought please. Just bought one in Edinburgh
- Thread starter somerled
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mrkawasaki
Retrobike Rider
GeoffApps":az4yxtbf said:
Praise indeed!
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Re: Highpath first ride today
It,s a shame that people who haven't ridden on this style of bike before won't be able to fully relate to your description of what the riding experience is like. These bikes do, as you say, have something. It's almost indescribable but when riding out of the saddle in particular, they come alive. I don't think that even Geoff can explain why, but he certainly knows the recipe needed to make these bikes more than the sum of the parts they are made from. That's why in 1984 I switched from riding mountain bikes to riding Clelands. It's why despite all the technological advances in mountain bike design, I still ride them today. Even after all the years, whenever I ride, the magic is still there. It's why it's important to get them back into production. They're not just another shade of mountain bike, they are truly alternative.
Congratulations on the restoration. A great job, lovingly done! It's a bit more road oriented than my Highpath, but as long as you use some free-rolling tyres, they are also great fun on the road.
One practical point is that the rear mudguard is a little too short to keep your back dry. These duck-tail style flaps from SKS should sort the problem.
http://www.petracycles.co.uk/spoiler-wi ... 28998.html
somerled":5pichw3q said:
It,s a shame that people who haven't ridden on this style of bike before won't be able to fully relate to your description of what the riding experience is like. These bikes do, as you say, have something. It's almost indescribable but when riding out of the saddle in particular, they come alive. I don't think that even Geoff can explain why, but he certainly knows the recipe needed to make these bikes more than the sum of the parts they are made from. That's why in 1984 I switched from riding mountain bikes to riding Clelands. It's why despite all the technological advances in mountain bike design, I still ride them today. Even after all the years, whenever I ride, the magic is still there. It's why it's important to get them back into production. They're not just another shade of mountain bike, they are truly alternative.
Congratulations on the restoration. A great job, lovingly done! It's a bit more road oriented than my Highpath, but as long as you use some free-rolling tyres, they are also great fun on the road.
One practical point is that the rear mudguard is a little too short to keep your back dry. These duck-tail style flaps from SKS should sort the problem.
http://www.petracycles.co.uk/spoiler-wi ... 28998.html
How important do you think the wheel size and Nokia tyres are to the ride?
I notice that Geoff has used 26"/559, 650B/584mm and 29er/622mm over the years.
Clearly, when the Range Rider etc were originally built, there was little or no choice of fat tyre, and the 650B Nokia filled the void.
With the larger choice of 559 and 622 tyres aroung these days, should we still encourage Kenda, Pacenti, Velocity etc and the US 650B revival? It doesn't seem to have got rolling enough yet not to be more than a woolly romaticict revival in the US, but might be useful to the Cleland/Highpath project.:evil:
http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/p ... ires-11794
http://www.freewebs.com/650b/
http://www.650bpalace.blogspot.com/
http://650b.com/
http://twentynineinches.com/cats/rogue-wheels/650b/
It would be sweet if 650B returned as a popular mountainbike size, after that original Kelly/Fisher enquiry was unearthed
I notice that Geoff has used 26"/559, 650B/584mm and 29er/622mm over the years.
Clearly, when the Range Rider etc were originally built, there was little or no choice of fat tyre, and the 650B Nokia filled the void.
With the larger choice of 559 and 622 tyres aroung these days, should we still encourage Kenda, Pacenti, Velocity etc and the US 650B revival? It doesn't seem to have got rolling enough yet not to be more than a woolly romaticict revival in the US, but might be useful to the Cleland/Highpath project.:evil:
http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/p ... ires-11794
http://www.freewebs.com/650b/
http://www.650bpalace.blogspot.com/
http://650b.com/
http://twentynineinches.com/cats/rogue-wheels/650b/
It would be sweet if 650B returned as a popular mountainbike size, after that original Kelly/Fisher enquiry was unearthed
Hello Danson ~
559 is the one size I have never used (as far as I can remember).
See the http://www.clelandcycles.wordpress.com website, under the 'Evolution' tab.
Aventuras ~ all 650B (plus one 700C prototype)
Dingbat ~ 550B rear with 600B front
AventuraII and AventuraTT ~ 700C
Prototype currently in construction ~ 700B (this will be for 31" wheels)
The 650B is a nice size, but really doesn't offer very much over 650D and 700C.
559 is the one size I have never used (as far as I can remember).
See the http://www.clelandcycles.wordpress.com website, under the 'Evolution' tab.
Aventuras ~ all 650B (plus one 700C prototype)
Dingbat ~ 550B rear with 600B front
AventuraII and AventuraTT ~ 700C
Prototype currently in construction ~ 700B (this will be for 31" wheels)
The 650B is a nice size, but really doesn't offer very much over 650D and 700C.
Hello Danson ~
559 is the one size I have never used (as far as I can remember).
See the http://www.clelandcycles.wordpress.com website, under the 'Evolution' tab.
Aventuras ~ all 650B (plus one 700C prototype)
Dingbat ~ 550B rear with 600B front
AventuraII and AventuraTT ~ 700C
Prototype currently in construction ~ 700B (this will be for 31" wheels)
The 650B is a nice size, but really doesn't offer very much over 650D and 700C.
559 is the one size I have never used (as far as I can remember).
See the http://www.clelandcycles.wordpress.com website, under the 'Evolution' tab.
Aventuras ~ all 650B (plus one 700C prototype)
Dingbat ~ 550B rear with 600B front
AventuraII and AventuraTT ~ 700C
Prototype currently in construction ~ 700B (this will be for 31" wheels)
The 650B is a nice size, but really doesn't offer very much over 650D and 700C.
