Coupla Bike Links
I came across these this weekend, while I was supposed to be researching for an article I’ve got to get submitted by Friday. Oh, the seductive lure of the internet!
First up, we have Freemans Cycles - a UK-based, family-run bike shop that’s been going since 1890. I found them because I was looking for a nice set of swept back, sit up and ride like a gentleman handlebars for our tandem, Daisy. Not only do they have these (and at fantastic prices too!), but also loads of other things that modern bike shops, who’re in general only interested in selling all that new-fangled stuff (gears - they’ll never catch on - you mark my words). Things like cottered cranks, leather grips, and Brookes saddles at great prices.
Then there’s the Rivendell Bicycle Works - in the USA, and making steel-framed, lugged and brazed bikes that are nothing short of works of art. No, you don’t have to know the full family tree of every major Hobit family to ride one, and nor do you have to spend every weekend playing Dungeons & Dragons / Tunnels & Trolls / whatever geeky fantasist kids do these days (World of Warcraft? Someone help me out here!). You just need to appreciate the Finer Things In Life. Like intricate scrollwork on lugs, and hand painting of details, to say nothing of knowing a decent head badge when you see one.
