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-   -   Pashley Sovereign in the USA? (http://www.cyclebanter.com/showthread.php?t=66330)

AndrewG September 7th 04 08:16 PM

Pashley Sovereign in the USA?
 
Hello everyone.

Can any of you relate to shopping around for three months for your
wife who wants a bicycle "like the one she saw in the movies " ?

I finally found the exact bicycle my wife is looking for, the Pashley
Sovereign. Its going to be a huge purchase for us, but everything
down to the 5-speed hub gearing, the current specs, the rack, the
color, the basket and the skirt guard are perfect.

I could easily and much cheaper refurbish an old bicycle to look like
the Pashley, but I want something that is new and safe enough to carry
my one year old son on the back without me worrying if the back wheel
is going to slide off while my wife is heading downhill or taking a
tight turn.

Is there ANYTHING else available in the USA that even comes close to
the Pashely in terms of design and function?

joe September 7th 04 09:02 PM

AndrewG wrote:

I finally found the exact bicycle my wife is looking for, the Pashley
Sovereign. Its going to be a huge purchase for us, but everything
down to the 5-speed hub gearing, the current specs, the rack, the
color, the basket and the skirt guard are perfect.


I know nothing about this bike, but your post made me want to find out,
so I Googled it, and found a rather "funny" description of the S.-A.
hub brakes (which, conincidentally, I had many years ago on a home-assembled
hybrid). The ad in question said:

"Sturmey Archer hub brakes are fitted front and rear to provide reliable
stopping in the majority of situations."

You might want to inquire about the particulars of the "minority of situations"
where the brakes (apparently) do not provide reliable stopping...


Joe


N.b. Above quotation is take from

http://www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/...-sovereign.asp

joe September 7th 04 09:02 PM

AndrewG wrote:

I finally found the exact bicycle my wife is looking for, the Pashley
Sovereign. Its going to be a huge purchase for us, but everything
down to the 5-speed hub gearing, the current specs, the rack, the
color, the basket and the skirt guard are perfect.


I know nothing about this bike, but your post made me want to find out,
so I Googled it, and found a rather "funny" description of the S.-A.
hub brakes (which, conincidentally, I had many years ago on a home-assembled
hybrid). The ad in question said:

"Sturmey Archer hub brakes are fitted front and rear to provide reliable
stopping in the majority of situations."

You might want to inquire about the particulars of the "minority of situations"
where the brakes (apparently) do not provide reliable stopping...


Joe


N.b. Above quotation is take from

http://www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/...-sovereign.asp

Paul Cassel September 7th 04 10:18 PM

AndrewG wrote:

Hello everyone.

Can any of you relate to shopping around for three months for your
wife who wants a bicycle "like the one she saw in the movies " ?

I finally found the exact bicycle my wife is looking for, the Pashley
Sovereign. Its going to be a huge purchase for us, but everything
down to the 5-speed hub gearing, the current specs, the rack, the
color, the basket and the skirt guard are perfect.

I could easily and much cheaper refurbish an old bicycle to look like
the Pashley, but I want something that is new and safe enough to carry
my one year old son on the back without me worrying if the back wheel
is going to slide off while my wife is heading downhill or taking a
tight turn.

Is there ANYTHING else available in the USA that even comes close to
the Pashely in terms of design and function?


You don't quote the US price. I suggest you find one on eBay. I saw
evidence of them going there for much less than the 500 sterling I found
them for at UK sites.

I don't see anything special about this bike. Try searching sites for
'comfort bikes' and see if you can use one of those to use on your wife.


Paul Cassel September 7th 04 10:18 PM

AndrewG wrote:

Hello everyone.

Can any of you relate to shopping around for three months for your
wife who wants a bicycle "like the one she saw in the movies " ?

I finally found the exact bicycle my wife is looking for, the Pashley
Sovereign. Its going to be a huge purchase for us, but everything
down to the 5-speed hub gearing, the current specs, the rack, the
color, the basket and the skirt guard are perfect.

I could easily and much cheaper refurbish an old bicycle to look like
the Pashley, but I want something that is new and safe enough to carry
my one year old son on the back without me worrying if the back wheel
is going to slide off while my wife is heading downhill or taking a
tight turn.

Is there ANYTHING else available in the USA that even comes close to
the Pashely in terms of design and function?


You don't quote the US price. I suggest you find one on eBay. I saw
evidence of them going there for much less than the 500 sterling I found
them for at UK sites.

I don't see anything special about this bike. Try searching sites for
'comfort bikes' and see if you can use one of those to use on your wife.


Zoot Katz September 8th 04 12:22 AM

Tue, 07 Sep 2004 15:18:04 -0600, , Paul
Cassel wrote:

I don't see anything special about this bike.


I've seen them, they're classics. They're beautiful. They're sturdy.
They're stable. They're hand built. They're trouble free. They come
ready to ride with lights, rack, fenders, basket and bell. They're one
of the very few step-through bikes available with a skirt protector.
They're heavy but lighter than many other roadsters or classic
European built city bikes. They hold their resale value well.

The Indian made "Hero" brand roadsters are imitations of these of
bikes. I've seen those too and they don't compare favourably.

The Pashley's were in a local shop that builds bents and buzz bikes.
Used, clean but with a touch of rust - $500 CND each - one mens and a
ladies with rod actuated brakes, steel rims and SA 3 spd hubs. They
were marked "sold".

The specs on the new Princess Sovereign with its alloy bits and hub
brakes are a big improvement. One possible upgrade would be a
combined internal brake and dynamo front hub. That's only if you plan
to do much night riding in rain, which the majority of cyclists don't.

Try searching sites for
'comfort bikes' and see if you can use one of those to use on your wife.


You missed the part where she said that she wants a bicycle "like the
one in the movies ". There is not substitute for that, but I have to
ask: Does she ride a bike now?

I hope she's not expecting to suddenly be riding on movie sets once
she gets just the "perfect" bicycle.
--
zk

Zoot Katz September 8th 04 12:22 AM

Tue, 07 Sep 2004 15:18:04 -0600, , Paul
Cassel wrote:

I don't see anything special about this bike.


I've seen them, they're classics. They're beautiful. They're sturdy.
They're stable. They're hand built. They're trouble free. They come
ready to ride with lights, rack, fenders, basket and bell. They're one
of the very few step-through bikes available with a skirt protector.
They're heavy but lighter than many other roadsters or classic
European built city bikes. They hold their resale value well.

The Indian made "Hero" brand roadsters are imitations of these of
bikes. I've seen those too and they don't compare favourably.

The Pashley's were in a local shop that builds bents and buzz bikes.
Used, clean but with a touch of rust - $500 CND each - one mens and a
ladies with rod actuated brakes, steel rims and SA 3 spd hubs. They
were marked "sold".

The specs on the new Princess Sovereign with its alloy bits and hub
brakes are a big improvement. One possible upgrade would be a
combined internal brake and dynamo front hub. That's only if you plan
to do much night riding in rain, which the majority of cyclists don't.

Try searching sites for
'comfort bikes' and see if you can use one of those to use on your wife.


You missed the part where she said that she wants a bicycle "like the
one in the movies ". There is not substitute for that, but I have to
ask: Does she ride a bike now?

I hope she's not expecting to suddenly be riding on movie sets once
she gets just the "perfect" bicycle.
--
zk

Zoot Katz September 8th 04 04:57 AM

Tue, 07 Sep 2004 13:02:14 -0700,
, joe wrote:


You might want to inquire about the particulars of the "minority of situations"
where the brakes (apparently) do not provide reliable stopping...


Heat fading on long descents.
--
zk

Zoot Katz September 8th 04 04:57 AM

Tue, 07 Sep 2004 13:02:14 -0700,
, joe wrote:


You might want to inquire about the particulars of the "minority of situations"
where the brakes (apparently) do not provide reliable stopping...


Heat fading on long descents.
--
zk

AndrewG September 8th 04 08:06 PM

Zoot Katz wrote in message ...

I've seen them, they're classics. They're beautiful. They're sturdy.
They're stable. They're hand built. They're trouble free. They come
ready to ride with lights, rack, fenders, basket and bell. They're one
of the very few step-through bikes available with a skirt protector.
They're heavy but lighter than many other roadsters or classic
European built city bikes. They hold their resale value well.


Zoot: Thanks for the help, and a thanks to others in here as well.

In as few words as possible, I can say this bicycle has a "definitive
classic style" More importantly, it represents a era in bicycles that
many, if not all, of the US based manufacturers fail to recognize
today.

I am sure the market is there, its just much easier for the big names
today to slap on some fenders and a basket and say a women's bike is a
"commuter" style or "city" style.

What it comes down to is building a spec where a market currently does
not exist, but in the hopes that it will, once the supply is created.


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