Polish Vodka? Part the Second.

Nice ride. In what year was it built?

It is very late - about 1980, and my one friend who gave the old thing to me had it from new. We are the same age ...

It actually appears to look slightly older as the detailing is still very typically Carlton even when the company must have been looking at the abyss concerning the continuing making of such machines.

Very sad that almost everything good seems to disappear in the end.

I always wanted a really nice bike, but was never really ready to spend the sort of money needed, so my friend's old one suits me very well as his wife ordered it takemn to the recycling centre. So I got it for nothing, and it is enough to make me think I should actually have spent the money years ago rather than working with ultra heavy cheapo bikes. I have a huge bike mileage under my belt!

After a lot of elbow grease on the alloy rims and other metal parts, and it now looks very fine. The paint is not perfect, but it has raced in amateur comopetition, so that is fine with me, but I could not deal with the drop handle bar set. It really upset my left shoulder, not the least because basically the bike is too big for me!

But with a straight bar it is easy in traffic, and reduces the reach forward so that my shoulder has recovered.

It is so light that it is crasy for speeding up and going up hill and so forth. Brakes are not up to modern "vee" brake standards, but good enough to lift the back wheel in the event.

The only thing that is definately a bit sad is the state of the chrome on the forks, as this has been knocked about a bit and is peeling quite badly, though there is almost no rust even where the Reynolds tubing is exposed.

It is a Reynolds 501 tube set, and not the most exalted [and slightly lighter] 525 type tubing [I think that is right - perhaps someone who knows would like to add to this].

I have just remembered, Jim, that I owe you a musical email! I will make s nice little list for you this weekend. No excuses. I am sorry that it slipped my mind.

ATB from George

Not a problem. Look forward to it.

Have a good weekend.

Jim

Well I rejoined the consumer society today - for the firts time in several years - when I bought a straw sun hat from Marks and Spencer's, a Ruseell Hobbs coffee gringer from Whittards, and the DVD of The Last Emperor from HMV this afternoon.

Plus I did also get some essentials like some socks without holes, and some equally secular shirts!

I have just brewed a real coffee from fresh ground beans and it is rather nice, but I will probably add to the general lack of thriftiness now by buying some beer and having a pleasant sup with friends this evening.

ATB from George

Photo does now ezist, ...

ATB from George ... Dobranoc

Okay ... here's one!

Did you hear about the dog food maker that presented a promotion on their leading tinned dog meat in Ireland.

Buy two and get a t'ird free ...

It clearly did nothing for their profits as they recently had to call in the retrievers ...

ATB from George

Cans or bottles in Worcester!

End of September and the begining of October for a correction of the circumstance perhaps?

ATB from George

quote:

Originally posted by Frank F:

quote:

probably the best looking estate

Sorry, that accolade goes to the Audi RS2. It was only ever made in estate format and has 315 bhp and Porche bits - absolutely fabulous.

FF

Mmm, nice. Quick too. However, I'm not sure I'd get a reliable 200K miles out of it? Didn't feel so big inside either - pretty important, given what I do for a living. So after 6 years and 160,000+ miles I've driven in her, my trusty Silver Volvo V70R is officially retired on Tuesday.

Pictures soon!

KR

Peter

quote:

Originally posted by GFFJ:
Well I rejoined the consumer society today - for the first time in several years - when I bought a straw sun hat from Marks and Spencer's, ...., but I will probably add to the general lack of thriftiness now by buying some beer and having a pleasant sup with friends this evening.

ATB from George

And here is a photo taken during the pleasantries later in the evening, last Saturday [30th May].

ATB from George

Patience, grass-hopper!

Nice photo George - Were you undergoing some kind of DIY hearing treatment?

We finally had a house warming party yesterday, and fully worth the waiting it proved!

Only seven of us, no music - just good food [including some rather fine ice cream], good conversation, and a sufficiency of best beer and Wodka!

It even ended fairly early at only about 11:30pm, but we did get an early start as two of our number had to be [and in spite of all were] at work at six this morning!

Also yesterday, beforehand, I wondered over to a recommended bike shop in Worcester, and saw a Pashley Sovereign [my size, which is rare] among other lovely machines, and asked the owner to cast an expert eye over my Carlton. I know that it was bought new in about 1984, but was surprised to find that the bike must have been in the shop for possibly ten years before being sold!

The frames did not alter over that period, but the gear system - not of English origin but Shimano as would have been correct at the time - is an obsolete Helicomatic set, phased out in the mid-seventies!

Unfortunately this would mean that should the cogs ever wear our, then I would need to get a complete new back wheel. There is absolutely no sign of wear though.

I was also advised not to have the forks rechromed, as the process tends to weaken the tubing, so that is out.

Perhaps I should look out for a pristine set of forks and fit them.

The parts for these old bikes tend to be a lot more expensive than the bikes themselves, which is curious.

The other thing I should do is take the bike back to the shop where it was originally bought.

It still is one of those really old fashioned bike shops where you never know what might be found in the shelves in the stores.

ATB from George

quote:

I had a last Zwyiec in the airport - 15 Zlotties!!

Scandalous!

ATB from George

quote:

Originally posted by Frank F:
I had a last Zwyiec in the airport - 15 Zlotties!! That must have included the price of the glass??

FF

I think that works out at about £2.80 Frank if the currency converter I just used is correct - A bargain!

I had to pay 17.60 euros for two cups of tea and two tired sandwiches for my son Thomas and I at CDC airport in Paris last night, there wasn't even anywhere to sit .......... other than the floor - Great!

KR

Peter

I bought Polish beer for a few grosz less then three zlotych two summers ago, and though beer has gone up faster in Poland than in UK, 15 zl is a scandal!

ATB from George

Considering several factors, I have decided to get another bike to run beside the Carlton.

The time when the possibility exists to buy the best of British production is indeed seemingly coming to an end.

Simply everything that is good and what might really be termed, "the best," is being closed down on the capitalist alter of Globalisation. Very little of what we were once pre-eminent as manufactureres of is produced here any more. Naim is a notable exception, but will it still be a British company in 20 years time? I would not like to put a big amount of money on it, in any case.

Where this leaves the average British worker, who has to buy or rent his house in a market so influenced by a national average annual salary that is many times that earned by the peoples of other competing manufacturing countries, I have no idea.

So ...

While I still can I intend to get something I always wanted. A first quality English bike - bought new!

Here is a picture. The make is Pashley [made in Stratford on Avon], and the model is based on a 1930s racer.



Perhaps not everyone's cup of tea, but something that will allow me to keep the Carlton going indefinately. The issue with it is that sadly not every part that can wear out is still replaceable, and it would be a shame to change the running gear from original ...

And also it means that I would have two great bikes which would allow for trips out to the pub, and other places that are enjoyable to visit - not on my own!

Naturally this is going to involve quite a bit of saving! But nothing good comes without effort.

ATB from George

Dear Stu,

Really I was thinking this would be the last thing I ever would buy as new. One final treat, as the way things are going, unless I emigrate then I shall never afford anything exept the rent for the rest of my life!

ATB from George

quote:

What about your Mac mini or book?

Not sure that a MAC will come this year.

I am enjoying what the Lavry does on the spidf from the [your ex] Marantz, so till it stops working, I can't see the point of worrying too much.

Storage is going to go Solid State, rather than spinning discs, and as all I want is about 350 gig, no doubt a sytem with such a relatively small demand will show with SS HD within two or three years.

I also have reached the point where loudspeaker replay will not appear in my house again.

For quiet listening headphones are superb. You can listen quieter than with speakers!

I reckon that I will stop using the speaker system.

Just manage with the headphone output of the Lavry as it works rather nicely and cannot be regarded as a nuisance to anyone.

Anyway, I got up to sort myself out a nice long fruit juice, so ...

Goodnight and all the best from George

Dear Adam!

Hehnehe!

I was not being naughty, but just plain honest!

Nice edit though!

ATB from George

Probably it is a moth ball case.

The music continues as you know!

I have to fetch the headphones for Skype!

ATB from George

quote:

Originally posted by Frank: On yer bike - you love music too much to ditch the system. Remove tongue and get on Skype - you can't hear a call with headphones

FF

quote:

Originally posted by George: Storage is going to go Solid State, rather than spinning discs, and as all I want is about 350 gig

Ah, all becomes clear to me now George! Speak soon I hope

Are they wireless?

KR

Peter

They are not pineapples from Naim!

Good news! I have a cycle retailer prepared to service the old Carlton bearing in mind my vision of keeping it as original as can be done, rather than simply ending up with a great old frame and all new pieces and wheels!

The very shop the bike came from all those years ago has agreed to make the effort to keep as original as possible.

First step is to replace the rather sad looking 501 tubing 700c [wheeel-size] forks. These will no longer be the chromed style as on the bike but properly enamelled and so proofed against rust. New batch being issued in August ...

They have agreed to rebuild the wheels when the time comes, so the bike will survive in good condition ...

Next bit of repair and mend! The now 20 year old Volvo is going to the garage in August to have the rear wheel arches de-rusted and proofed against a new attack along with the sills, a new clutch will be fitted, and the exhaust fixed. Thus it will be in good condition for a few years again for less than the annual depreciation on anything like a new car ... The garage owner joked that the car was currently worth 2000 GBP as a scrappage case! But we did agree that in reality the car has easily another ten or evenm twenty years of life left in it.

___________

And finally, I am off out ina minute to see Krzys to give a bottle of Wodka some life!

Best to you all from George

The other bit of news is that I am researching the cost of a new clutch for the 240 to be fitted in August, so that it is adequately run in before the proposed long drive to Warsaw in late September. My favourite car garage is researchiong the price of parts for me to phone them on Monday.

On the cost of this depends the choice of driving or catching an aeroplane there.

The car would be more fun and give far for freedom or movememtn in Poland, but the cost may be beyond the reasonable ...

One day I plan to make this trans-continental journey on a bicycle - with some assistance from the rail and ferry services of course!

ATB from George

Well the clutch is not on. Not for a while anyway, which means not attempting any seriusly long journeys in the old car. The corrosion work is tiny and will be done, but the clutch is for next year now.

Just been on a proper Polish birthday party, so being compus mentus is not so surprisiong as Wodka is not nearly so disasterous as Enlish Ale in terms of making you senseless and ill - not surprising considering the lack of such as the German beer purity laws, I suppose, or Polish pride in producing something pure if potentially deadly if indulged too often - and have as usual survived and ridden home on the bike.

Tommorrow I have the much more scarry prospect of an English fourtieth Party. The beer will be poison! Last weel I went to a Wedding, but that was fine - mainly good French wine ...

ATB from George

Morning Frank and all!

Just off on my my to get the countersink!

Just for information you understand!

ATB from George