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Video: Not news but worth watching… The SpokesmanSpokesman Video.png

Video: Not news but worth watching… The Spokesman

Cracking video about an Australian bicycle collector, includes a great potted history of the bicycle… and some very lovely bikes
by Tony Farrelly
Fri, May 31, 2013 14:14
7

It's Friday, the sun is shining, the weekend is looming so it's time to take a break from worrying about Wiggo's knee, what Rapha are going to do with all those relaxed fit Wiggo Team Sky jerseys, kick back and think about how great bikes are.

To help you do just that here's a great little film about Australian bicycle collector, "James" who lives with his bicycle collection which includes everything from a Von Drais Hobby Horse and covers all the bases you'd want in a collection of seemingly every significant vintage bike design. He restores the bikes by hand, in his very cool workshop. Oh, and if you like old pick up trucks you're in for a treat too, although it doesn't look like James drives his much.

Anyway, enough prattle enjoy the film…

The Spokesman from dean saffron on Vimeo.

The Spokesman
Tony Farrelly

road.cc's founder and first editor, nowadays to be found riding a spreadsheet. Tony's journey in cycling media started in 1997 as production editor and then deputy editor of Total Bike, acting editor of Total Mountain Bike and then seven years as editor of Cycling Plus. He launched his first cycling website - the Cycling Plus Forum at the turn of the century. In 2006 he left C+ to head up the launch team for Bike Radar which he edited until 2008, when he co-launched the multi-award winning road.cc - finally handing on the reins in 2021 to Jack Sexty. His favourite ride is his ‘commute’ - which he does most days inc weekends and he’s been cycle-commuting since 1994. His favourite bikes are titanium and have disc brakes, though he'd like to own a carbon bike one day.

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7 comments

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kiwiglider | 11 years ago
0 likes

Remember all my bikes but love the ones I ride at the moment (carbon & titanium) the best. For me nostalgia is best left in the past. Each to his (or her) own.

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matthewn5 | 11 years ago
0 likes

I grew up in Oz with a shed full of bikes and bike bits. We never bought anything new, just recombined them. Hours and hours of fun.

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WolfieSmith | 11 years ago
0 likes

I see he has one of those rare folding BSA paratrooper bikes. Very jealous. A mate let me ride his 1930's sit up and beg with swepted back handlebar grips and solid brakes. It was lovely. The bicycle equivalent of driving an old Rolls Royce. You felt miles away from the front wheel and it was so smooth. He wouldn't sell it or I'd be using it now around town.

I worry for James though. I can see him being bitten by whatever trap door spider lives in his pickup truck if not being able to see through the windscreen doesn't get him first.... Nice film.

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Nick T | 11 years ago
0 likes

THAT'S THE DREAM.

Unfortunately my other dream involves staying married and having access to my kids, so compromises must be made.

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herohirst | 11 years ago
0 likes

Glorious.

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bobbylama | 11 years ago
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For my brothers and me, an endurance race was riding our BMX bikes 3 miles to the Civic Center for baseball and a swim, then back on a sunny afternoon. Freedom. http://dailytimetrial.blogspot.com/2013/02/28.html

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JonoB | 11 years ago
0 likes

Loved this. Just finished a 1966 Dawes racer rebuild........much to everyones amusement. James describes my own experience perfectly

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