There’s something special about a bike like this. Wayne from Tailwind Cyclery submitted his 1988 Raleigh Chinook basket bike for this week’s Readers’ Rides, and we think you’ll love it as much as we do!
How many times has anyone reading this intended to build a commuter/utility/beater bike but got carried away with the euphoria of new bike day?
Building a bike is super exciting and always has been. What I’ve always found difficult is resisting the urge to get OVER excited. You may start out with the best of intentions, but soon enough, you’re bolting on something shiny or scouring eBay for an ‘essential ‘ component you must have. My reality is spending a disproportionately huge amount of time either planning a bike build or thinking about planning a build, rather than riding a bike.
I run a small bike place here in Bristol called Tailwind. I’ve always loved building bikes as much as riding them. My work allows me to scratch that itch. The joy I get in helping people create a bike that is unique to them gives me huge satisfaction. A particular passion is re-imagining old ATBs into useful and interesting bikes ,as well as giving people the tools and confidence to do so themselves.
There is something really romantic about giving a new lease of life to a bike that has often been loved and well-used but is now seemingly obsolete in many people’s eyes. Occasionally, you can continue the story of a bike that has been a loyal companion to someone entering later years. Bikes, and their relationships with people and places can be really special.
The brief for this particular build was simple enough. To create myself a work bike, one that would work anywhere, every day ,with minimal fuss. It must be able to carry a load, be safe to lock up unattended, but yet not be miserable. Yes, it had to look a bit crap, but also nice enough to suppress the eternal pursuit of rebuilds.
It should take no time to build, with no real consideration given to specific part choices or measurements. Over the last few years , the parts and frames have accumulated to a scale that I could build and rebuild on a weekly basis to get my fix of the all encompassing high that a new build brings. This needed to be different. A low level Swiss Army knife. Nothing flash, simple Utility.
The frame is a rusty, ugly sibling of an identical model late 80’s Raleigh Chinook that I also have in pristine condition. Handmade in Nottingham with Reynolds 531 tubing, it almost sounds exotic and hipster cool. The reality is that nobody is lusting after this particular bike… like a similar era Austin Montego. It looks shit enough to be worthless to the untrained eye.
There’s no concession to form over function. Most of the parts have been plucked from the depths of the parts bin. There is a sense of liberation when you find use for things that have otherwise been rejected due to appearance or the pursuit of the latest components.. A little like the Raggy Dolls, this bike is made imperfectly…but functions flawlessly as a bike, which makes it absolutely perfect.
The slightly beaten, rusty frame and fork is matched to a similarly scarred seatpost and a battle hardened Velo Orange handlebar. I’ve no idea what model, and for the first time I can genuinely say that I don’t care. The bar clamps into the 90’s paint splatter GT quill stem, has a nice back sweep and is narrow enough for cutting through traffic.
The Brooks saddle has found a home in this upright position after being rejected on a previous build for being as comfortable as a block of lump wood. I love a thumb shifter paired with a long cage rear mech in friction mode. It just works…super chilled. Slowing down is taken care of by a Dia Compe chainstay mounted U-brake at the rear.
A pair of Shimano LX 570 V-brake levers operate both the U-brake and the DX V-Brake…because there was a time that planned obsolescence wasn’t quite so cruel. Shimano DX V -Brakes perform so much better than the Deore or LX versions because they are red. Pretty sure that’s a proven fact. A Shimano FC MC18 crankset is paired with a Renthal 38t narrow wide chainring…this will spin forever on a square taper bottom bracket. The tyres are deeply uninteresting and I hope to never give them any thought.
A wheelset that I built for very little money will continue to provide power to the dynamo light and roll along at no great speed for many more years. I have no connection or affinity with SpongeBob… the bell was bestowed to me by a lovely lady in Stockport. She’d used it on her GT Quatrefoil tandem that I’d traveled to collect, so thought it fitting that it can now cheerfully announce my existence to others here in Bristol.
I love this bike. It’s greater than the sum of its parts. A bike can provide freedom, joy, and mobility.
But if this one falls over and crashes to the floor, I’m totally ok with that
Bike weight 14.7KG… including pedals. Absolutely zero aero optimisation.
Build Spec:
- Frame 88 Raleigh Chinook
- Wheels VO Rims , SP Dynamo Front, Deore LX Rear
- Cranks Shimano FC MC18
- Shifter Deore 6 speed
- Rear Mech Shimano XT M772
- Saddle Brooks C67
- Stem GT Timberline
- Bars Velo orange
- Bell Bob
- Grips Oury
- Brakes Red Dx, White Dia Come
- Tyres Schwalbe Land Cruiser
- Cables Sim Works Spares…sneaky bike geek
We’d like to thank all of you who submitted Readers Rides builds to be shared here at The Radavist. The response has been incredible and we have so many to share over the next few months. Feel free to submit your bike, listing details, components, and other information. You can also include a portrait of yourself with your bike and your Instagram account! Please, shoot landscape-orientation photos, not portrait. Thanks!