What to do on a cloudy grey weekday in September with nothing else planned?
Well, you and a fellow tweedian could always bring along your vintage bicycles on the local commuter train, for a journey to an station you haven’t visited for a long time and have a ride around the town. And later visit a restaurant by the seaside for a lunch during our day off from work.
In fact, that is just what we did. To make the situation a bit more interesting we choose the bicycles that were totally dismantled into small parts and in desperate need of repairs just a few days earlier.
The bicycles we chose, were a pair of really old an worn Swedish made iron horses. One being a Crescent from 1927 that once were in the colour of black. But now, is more in fifty shades of rust. The other bicycle was a brightly home painted blue Vasa from about 1935. Luckily, both bicycles where “stone-age racers” and were rather easy to fix.
With the deadline of a train journey getting closer and closer also having the motivation of a lunch by the seaside. Made sure that the bicycles were completed and ready to ride just the night before the journey.
The blue Vasa from about 1935
On the morning of the travel day, neither of the bicycles had been tried out side if they actually worked. The question – should we bring tools in case we need do some repairs? Was asked. We all knew the answer – nah, let us spice up things and ride on chance and see what happens. We only adjust the seat heights and off we went to catch us a train.
The Crescent parked on the train platform
First thing that was painfully obvious, was that the chain used on the Crescents was way to rusty, worn and completely done for. But both front AND rear sprockets were equally well used, rusty, worn and done for as the chain. They were worn beyond the point of being unusable.
The squeaks, grinds, moans and hissings coming from the drive chain when cranking, reminded more of someone shovelling gravel into a food blender while hitting the blender with a sledgehammer than a bicycle. But when not peddling the bicycle rolled along smooth, like a knob of butter in a hot pan. The blue Vasa had only one issue, that was a slightly weak effect when applying the brake. But, to be honest who needs brakes anyway?
Again the rusty Crescent had to top the weak brake, by having even worse breaks. Not bad, perhaps more in the style of – oh, you want to stop? You should have thought about that 50 meters back now it is to lake. Better luck next time. Cheers.
Riding by train
Arriving at the train station we got onto the platform and waited for the local commuter train to take us south to the town of Nynäshamn, south of Stockholm.We had left rather early so there was no commuters on the train, we could place our bicycles by the space on the train that is reserved for bicycles/strollers.
We arrived one hour later at our station and there we began our sightseeing. Peddling up and down hills, out to the shore, looking around and trying different paths across the area, fighting head winds and meeting people baffled watching us in tweed on vintage bicycles. After a while it was time for lunch.
Having a rest at the sea
Lunch, codfish, boiled potatoes, egg sauce and a pint of locally brewed lager
The dive tower at Nickstabadet
Harris tweed and an vintage bicycle, now that must be a tweed ride
Later in the afternoon it was time to get back home, we had a time to keep. After 1530 in the afternoon, you are not allowed to bring bicycles onboard the commuter trains due to the rush hour starts.
Back home again
To summarize the day. Taking a train to a different place, riding around with your bicycle in a new area while not feeling any pressure at all. That is a great feeling of freedom and a splendid way to see other, new things. It was a great day in every way!
Except the noise from the sprockets and chain! But for a bicycle that is 93 years old, I think it has every right to complain. I’ll guess that I will squeak, grind, moan and hiss even more when I am 93 years old.
Happy tweed!
schneebremse 