Vindec-the british missing link?

[justbackdated]

Picked this up today.

I am guessing 1970's 'motorcycle style'. Pre MTB in Britain, maybe styled on Clunkers? More likely to be cycle speedway influenced.

Thing is, this is the style of bike I built myself out of a Rory O'Brien racer that was given to me by my stepbrother in the '70's. I was always frustrated that I could not get the knobbly tyres for the 27 1/4" wheels though! I must have been in the 4th or 5th form at school. Could'nt afford one of these, or a Chopper for that matter!! This was the bike that I had wished for and made me buy my first MTB in 1984. I felt like I was too old to get back in to 'tracking'!!

There seems to be a bit of info on the Brown Bros. carrier bikes and the Chopper copy 'High Riser' on t'interweb, but not found owt on this yet

 

[NeilM]

Re:

Whoooa, talk about a time warp.

We used to do the same thing, back in the early 70's, but our playground was Epping Forest.

Cowhorn bars, nobbly tyres (cx?), and back brake for broadslides. Mini alloy mudguards if it was really pimped up (I can't remember the term we used back then).

What a great find.

 

[pete_mcc]

Re:

That's a mid 80s Vindec Trekker. Owned that when I was a youngster and before I bought my Raleigh Magnum

 

[pete_mcc]

Here's one with the full decal set:

viewtopic.php?t=54719

 

[justbackdated]

Re:

Aah, thanks Pete, nice link.

The one I have is a bit 'daubed' with black paint so I shall do some careful stripping with brake cleaner to reveal what lies underneath.

I note you mention 700c wheels; this has 26x1 3/8". The size common at the time for 'racers' being of course 27x1 1/4", so I would place it in the '70s maybe but my memory is crap

I remember having a Dawes 'something' which was green with gold mudguards, 26x1 3/8", to which I fitted 'chopper' apehanger bars. This was before I converted the O'Brien, so would be around '72 ish. The O'Brien conversion I reckon must have been around 1976 which would be when I clocked the 'tracker' type bikes.

I can just vaguely remember the cycle speedway track on Warwick common. Me Dad used to tell me stories of nipping to the Army & Navy for a WW2 'Parabike' to do Speedway racing; wrecking it and going back the next week for another, and so on.............EEEK!!

 

[walleater]

Re:

Cool. Reminds me of my Halfords Trackstar!

 

[justbackdated]

Re:

Fierce!

That looks to be very similar.

I will get my wellies out

 

[walleater]

They are not wellies, they were prototype 5:10s ;-)

 

[danson67]

Re:

Missing link stuff, that
I remember my brother rigging something up similar with wide riser bars and a 3-speed in about 1980. He was far too cool at 17 for wellies, though...

Then of course there's Geoff Apps' 1968 Raleigh Explorer mod 26 x 1 1/4" 650A wheels:


That's proper heritage, that...Precursor to all the Cleland/Highpath etc. stuff.

All the best,

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

Guys, I can reveal that I am the inventor of the ChopperShopper, a Raleigh Wayfarer with the rear 26" wheel replaced with a Chopper rear wheel, and the handlebars replaced with Chopper jobs. I was king d**k riding round laid back with only the front brake to retard my wobbly progress. Trackers? They're were for girls and Liverpool fans.

Can't think why it didn't catch on.