Is retro cyclocross bikes a thing?
- Thread starter ultrazenith
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PhillB
GT Fan
I have a couple, but I guess the difference is that both of these would have been bespoke builds for a specific customer, rather than a production bike. I've got 28 tyres on the 90's Russell, but could probably get 32s on it. The '65 Roberts has 35c Tyres. Perhaps could get a little more, but wouldn't give much clearance on the rear.
Proposing this thread is the "go to" for CX. There's not actually much else to keep it altogether 
I think though it may need to be moved to the road section. Not my decision.
Years ago having done CX as a very small child on a blue Raleigh where the stabilisers only came off in the summer, one of those wintery fun family days in a local park organised by Macclesfield Wheelers, is totally etched in my memory - still today a good * COUGH *
Frankly in winter I'm better suited to sitting in front of the wood burner and drinking and eating rather than riding and getting covered in shit. Today I would most definitely be in the pit-stop being highly responsive
eating dark chocolate with a hip-flask close by. What I do like though is the whole history, race organisation and it's roots.
The wrenching too is a given - being a fan of built for purpose. The appeal I think is still great for some retro stuff, but like we've all noted they are sooooo...... thin on the ground. Also, what interests me is how somehow those selling "gravel bikes" often don't seem to recognise this particular discipline and no doubt it's influence on big wheeled off-road rides.
Anyhow. Enough. Saw this on Leboncoin.
Absolutely a no remorse CX and no slacking custom build. Early / mid-80s I think. From a small builder in St. Etienne area.
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pwebb
Senior Retro Guru
bar end shifters were de rigeur for CX for a long time until modern brifters came along, these too are very hard to find now, the ones that came on the Graham Weigh CX bike I rescued were this type (suntour?) but were falling apart - even harder to find ones in good condition than its is for thumbshifters - I gave up and went for modern brifters - am doing same on current build for same reason and because much as I like the look of downtube friction shifters they arent that practical when you need both hands on the handlebar
I think though it may need to be moved to the road section. Not my decision.
Years ago having done CX as a very small child on a blue Raleigh where the stabilisers only came off in the summer, one of those wintery fun family days in a local park organised by Macclesfield Wheelers, is totally etched in my memory - still today a good * COUGH *fewa very good few decades on, anything CX related somehow strikes a cord with me. I think it was the atmosphere that did it.
Frankly in winter I'm better suited to sitting in front of the wood burner and drinking and eating rather than riding and getting covered in shit. Today I would most definitely be in the pit-stop being highly responsive
What I do like though is the whole history, race organisation and it's roots.
The wrenching too is a given - being a fan of built for purpose. The appeal I think is still great for some retro stuff, but like we've all noted they are sooooo...... thin on the ground. Also, what interests me is how somehow those selling "gravel bikes" often don't seem to recognise this particular discipline and no doubt it's influence on big wheeled off-road rides.
Anyhow. Enough. Saw this on Leboncoin.
View attachment 1023682
Absolutely a no remorse CX and no slacking custom build. Early / mid-80s I think. From a small builder in St. Etienne area.
doctor-bond
Feature Bike
I love that CX is so uncompromising and hard (I don’t do it myself you understand…), and that it was the spawning ground for the professionalisation of U.K. mountain biking (to this end I’d say keep this thread in the MTB section despite the roadie off season origins). CX also makes all gravel stuff look, well, a bit limp. Pictures of Roger de Vlaeminck and Tim Gould doing mad mud things on skinny tubed and tubbed drop bar bikes is the stuff of heroes.
The older bikes are thin on the ground (perhaps because they were properly used/abused); I let a Neil Orrel slip through my grasp, but have kept an ex Tim Gould 753 frame in the stash - in need of much TLC…)
The older bikes are thin on the ground (perhaps because they were properly used/abused); I let a Neil Orrel slip through my grasp, but have kept an ex Tim Gould 753 frame in the stash - in need of much TLC…)
doctor-bond
Feature Bike
And the importance of keeping the main triangle clear of braze-ons so you can shoulder the bike: everything running along the top tube then down.
Rod_Saetan
Old School Grand Master
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Aside from occasionally missing the important stuff, ie bottle cage mounts and mudguard eyes they make great computers and touring bikes. Have done a fair few longer, multi-day rides on this Danson (as built by @danson67 of this virtual parish) and it’s a really lovely ride, nice and light too.
I also have an ‘Islabikes’ branded CX frame built by Andy Thompson for someone small to do the Three Peaks on, it’s essentially a 700c Zinn frame, not got round to that one yet though.
I also have an ‘Islabikes’ branded CX frame built by Andy Thompson for someone small to do the Three Peaks on, it’s essentially a 700c Zinn frame, not got round to that one yet though.
