The old Muddy Fox i bought for a snap at £60, it is around a 1985/86 model. Flickr set of the bike
Made in Japan at the Tange factory it still has all the original drive chain of Sugino cranks and Suntour mechs and thumb shifters. The Moose bars i fitted i have had for years collecting dust.
I also fitted some old school 1.95 IRC tyres, an old Brooks saddle, pannier rack and tools/pump i had in the man cave along with a new chain and control cables, and in two years of near daily use until i got the Fargo it has only coast me £8 for a chain last month. It is the only bike i use a wet chain lube on for pure lazyness after being out in the rain.
Lights are only used for blinkies/back up, a Magicshine torch and bar mount provides rechargable lighting.
It gets washed once a month and chain oiled weekly and thats it...
I still love riding this old bike, it rides nice with the steel frameset and the thin knobblies are ideal for mud covered roads...
After rain all the mud at the road side gets dragged out. The Stonelaws road here was tarred a year ago and rolls real smooth now. But this mud at the side is dangerous for a cyclist in the dark esp when it is frozen.
Cycling to work you are very aware of the road conditions in these dark winter mornings.
I don`t think some car drivers realise how icy it often is by the speed they drive at.
Some don`t seem to understand you cannot pull into the gloop on a bicycle like in the pic below safely.
I always give a wave as drivers pass when they slow up behind before passing.
Sharing roads is not a big issue around here during commuting time when it is mostly the same drivers you see year round. Though i only see luckily a dozon in winter and less on earlier summer starts!
Sunset is 15.38 today, be the shortest day in a couple of weeks.
It is great having a `Dirty Bike` as you just hang it up in the lean to when you get home.
It is ideal for going to the shops, or pub, just remove the tools, no quick release skewers make this ideal for locking up, as does its value.
I love the Moose Bars and chunky Suntour Thumbies..
Dia Compe Canti brakes still have good power...
Hubs, headset and Bottom bracket get a yearly grease...
-:)
See bicycles do not have to cost a lot of money, £8 for two years!... nice to ride something retro too...
Dusting of snow again on our Lammermuir Hills, maybe get some good snow riding again this winter...
Spectactular sunset again but the temperature plummits once the suns gone.
It is hard to be motovated to go out again at night after a day outside in the cold...
My 1988 Specialized Rock Hopper is the one bike I've owned the longest. It was given to me for free in 1991 by my brother. It's been in constant use as a commuter, then a winter beater, and now rebuilt as my Xtracycle. Of the five bikes I own, if I had to keep just one, it would be near or at the top of the list. Quite the testamant to that period of bicyles.
ReplyDeleteHi Doug, I see a lot of old 1980s and early 90s MTBs used as commuters up the road in Edinburgh.
ReplyDeleteThe drive chains seem to be more robust as well as hubs if maintained, great paint jobs on many older MTBs too!
That just goes to show how cheap it can be to ride a bike...Nice to see your retro mtb...Interesting post...
ReplyDelete-Trevor
Retro MTB were built to last a lifetime.
ReplyDeleteMy Bianchi Cougar (1991 I think) is still my favourite commuter.
I have seen a lot of old Peugot MTBs in Edinburgh, As they were sold there in town. I have a Peugot Triathlon bike my big bro bought new in around the mid to late 80s. The French were ahead of the game with specific bikes before it became main stream!, its like a sister bike to the MF Courier same era, ineed to get it out for a blast and blog it!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I can't afford a Rivendell so for me a retro MTB like yours is an affordable way to get into the Grant Petersen philosophy - I think its a shame that the mass market has become obsessed with more specialised niche bikes and lost touch a little with 'all-rounder' bikes like the 'Fox.
ReplyDeleteif i was within cycling distance of work, and by cycling distance i'd say 10 miles is being fare (feel free to disagree :)) but i'd love to cycle to work, the cold morning air waking you up - who'd need a coffee anymore.
ReplyDeleteDave; agree on the old `one bike for all` MTB
ReplyDeleteLucy; My commute is 3.5 miles each way though sometimes i do a detour and add a few miles and it makes another choice of route.
As you say it wakes you up!, and you feel better for the day ahead, and when you ride home it leaves your day at work behind -:)