as it was - abandoned
Having just added some new MKS Sylvan touring pedals and a new brass bell to the Road King, I may have to agree that it’s becoming somewhat like Ted Bullpit’s Holden Kingswood (as suggested by Steven Fleming of Cycle-Space recently). For those unfamiliar with the old Australian TV sitcom “Kingswood Country”, it featured a very basic model Aussie car that was polished, accessorised, and worshipped to an obsessive level as a suburban icon.
smoooth! --- mks sylvan
It’s true that the Road King began life as a humdrum ten speed Woolworths bike, made in Taiwan in 1984. Yet when I look at it now I think of it as a practical long distance semi-upright occasional commuter (c.25kms one way for me) that is relatively fast, non-lycra and fun, yet can carry a reasonable amount of luggage and still stump up as a kind of off-beat classic with clean, straight lines.
after the rain
Excluding my own labour and the expensive Li-ion headlight (that I can use on other bikes as well), this bike has cost me less than $AUD400 to get to this stage – about the price of a cheaply made entry level bike shop “broken-backed” looking hybrid beginning with “G”, that doesn’t even have proper mudguards let alone a Brooks saddle…
not the road king !! - i just polished the brass bell ... teehee
A young skater on Fernleigh Track recently commented “Nice bike – is it new?”
in passing..
1984 wasn’t the end of the world … and I haven’t finished yet!
at swansea yesterday
and yes, the birds are real !
If it fits your needs it’s worth spending dosh on, irrespective of it’s humble beginnings. I think it looks lovely 🙂
Thanks BB, I was thinking that too !
It is a great looking bike and all the extras you’ve added have a purpose, I await the new additions with eager anticipation!
Thanks, Vicki – yes, there are a few small adds afoot 🙂
Front rack maybe?
No, but I thought about that Vicki, the bike is a bit light in the steering with a rear load … not enough mounting points on the forks for the V.O. though, so a rear rack it was.
Love that sparkle in the sun!
I like how you point out that while a modern hybrid would be the same price for what you’ve paid for the restoration, but you wouldn’t have the quality components on the Road King, just meh entry-level Shimano/SRAM/what we could get cheap.
I’ve probably spent about $500 or so restoring my 70’s era Raleigh three-speed. But I’ve got nice tires, handbuilt wheels, a dynohub and dyno lighting, Brooks saddle, Carradice saddlebag, etc. Couldn’t get all that on a entry level hybrid!
So true, though I sometimes secretly wish for a hybrid-style granny gear on the Road King when on steep uphills 😀