People. This is the last post of the year and as we wave goodbye to 2007 we can look forward to 2008, the future, and NuVinci infinity gears. These might be too heavy at the moment to replace most derailleurs but, for city bikes, this must be the best hubgear option. I want one as soon as they come to Scotland. Happy New Year.

Well aren't you all in luck, two posts in the one day. This is a replica of what I consider to be the first ever bike. Of all the evolutionary braches that bikes have ridden along, I choose this as the first proper bike because it's the first to have a power trasmission that's slightly more developed than pushing ones self along the road with ones feet. The kind man in the photo let me ride this bike along Glasgow Green. You can read what all the know-it-alls have to say about bike history here, and what they have to say about the inventor of this bike, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, here.

Yes it's been a while since I posted but who cares about that really. Today I saw this slick looking single speed mountain bike, with a nice Brooks saddle, I say 'nice' but I don't really mean that, I remain unconverted to the wonders of Brooks and actually feel slightly repulsed at the sight of a worn-in one. It's like looking at some ones well used and unwashed gusset. But..... each to their own.

A very beautiful, golden Claud Butler twin tube. (Holdsworth era).

Ok, so three bikes for you to look at today, an old Dawes with rod brakes, a TANDEM BMX!, and a classy looking fixed wheel.

Trailer

This huge, hand built, trailer was in Oban. I think that's the owner in the background.

Raleigh Twenty

A nice wee Raleigh Twenty that I saw near my studio.

Birdy

I think these full-suspension, folding, Birdy bikes look amazing. I saw this one in Glasgow Green during the final stage of the Tour of Britain.

Alf Webb

Here is a man with his lovely Alf Webb fixed wheel.

Austro-Daimler

Ok, so it's been a while since I last posted but that doesn't mean that I haven't been collecting bike photos.......

Here is an old Austro-Daimler, not something I see very much. Judging by the little sticker on the down tube, it seems to have come into contact the people at The Common Wheel at some point in it's life.

Pile Of Bikes

Millportloco, the crazy courier bike race/convention/pubcrawl came to Glasgow the other weekend. This is the scene outside the pub in Glasgow's westend where they all converged and the playing card is actually my race ticket. Yup, I took part in my first ever fixed race, a 5 lap Keirin the wrong way around Park Circus at 11pm. I came a VERY solid last place. Those guys were crazy. Wana see who won? The results are here.

Monster Bike

Perfect for the alpine passes of Bath Street and smoothing out the ride over sleeping policemen and unconscious drunks.

My Fixed Wheel

My Fixed Wheel taken in Gourock. The sixty mile (aprox) round trip to here is about the limit of my fitness at the moment. There is no rest on a fixed!

Unknown

Don't know what this is but I like it.

Raleigh and Flying Scot

Ok, two bikes in the one photo for you here. And both very interesting. In the foreground, an older Raleigh girls bike complete with kickstand and flowery painted chain guard (which you can't see in this pic). But what makes this bike really stand out is it's fixed wheel! I took this photo outside Bike Booty in Glasgow's West End, the guy there seems to have a mission to convert any bike that comes his way into a fixie. In the background, a beautifully restored Flying Scot.

Peugeot

This very cute Peugeot city bike was parked outside the Transmission members show.

Unknown

A rather tired but handsome old bike that I saw in Glasgow's west end. The badge was so faded that I couldn't read the make.

Conference Bike

This photo has been kindly sent in by Clutha. As far as I know it's a one of a kind, 'Conference Bike' which you, and SIX others, can ride around the Isle of Cumbrae.

Cycletracks

So when it come to cycletracks Glasgow City Council really are peerless. They got it all. Broken glass and locked gates. Parked cars and craterish potholes. They could teach these Danes a thing or two.

Hercules

In Paddy's Market I saw this great old Herules with rod brakes and pretty basket.

Giant

I love this bike because it looks like it was designed by and eight year old.

Fetishcycles

I always see this scary bike on a Friday night.

Bright Bikes

This is a foldable electric bike from a company called Bright Bikes. It's part of an installation by Skylar Haskard in Glasgow's seminal artists run gallery Transmission.

Raleigh

A very pretty old Raleigh with a woven basket.

Dawes Galaxy

I spotted this lovely Dawes Galaxy on the harbour side at Brodick on Arran on it's homeward journey from an island tour.

Tandem

I spotted this tandem in Glasgow's Tramway gallery.

Front Seat

Bianchi and Viking

Two great old bikes I saw side by side outside the Grand Ole Oprey in Govan. First, a beautiful brown Bianchi and right next to it, a very old, fixed, Viking with egg beater pedals.

My Claud

This is my Claud Butler packed for a wee trip to Arran.

Small Bike

A big man on a very small bike.

Land's End to John o'Groats

I met this guy as he cycled from Land's End to John o'Groats, he was taking the 'scenic' route through Glasgow. Very nice bike and great panniers.

Strida

This is my new bike. A classic mark 1 Strida. There is a great film about the invention of this bike design here.

Bickerton

A Bickerton folding bike. I have been reliably informed that these are, 'the Rolls Royce' of folding bikes. And I believe it.

BSA

A lovely single speed BSA, that's Birmingham Small Arms Company for those of you wondering. I love that name, it's at such beautiful odds with today's modern liberal views of bikes and cyclists.

Tandem

This is a first for me. A short wheel base tandem.

Tandem recumbent

I spotted this father in son in Glasgow Central station with their fully loaded Recumbent. These bikes look like great fun to ride and very streamlined. I've only ridden a single seater once, loaned by a friend from the amazing Kinetics in Glasgow, but what amazing machines! I'd love one for my collection.

nicebike

I don't know what this fixed wheel is but it certainly isn't a Mercian.

Wheelie Bins.

The Council steps on it's own sustainability policy (I'm assuming it has one) by blocking the cycletrack with re-cycling bins.
Edit: That's it I'm bored already with the nagative nature of all this so from now on I'm only posting pics of good stuff to keep me happy.

Perpetually Locked Gate.

This is a good example of the ridiculous nature of cycletracks in Glasgow. I've been cycling in Glasgow for about eleven years and the only time I've seen the Council open these gates was to let cars though.

cycletrack

I'm going to use this blog to post photos of the crap conditions in which I have to cycle in and around Glasgow, Scotland. If I'm able to take the photos I'll also post images of car drives who have, through their own stupidity or aggression, tried to maim or kill me as we've shared a road together (I expect these pictures to be rare for the obvious reasons). But I'm not going to be too strict with myself. I'm also going to post images of bikes that I've seen and liked. Please send me any images that relate and maybe it could act as an image bank of the disregard local councils show towards cyclists.