I dug my old mountain bike out of the garage this weekend to give it a once-over prior to a long weekend away. I love this bike. I bought it probably fifteen years ago, and used it most days for my commute to work from Rothwell into Leeds, a trip of just over 5 miles. It was quicker than the bus most days and the place I worked had a secure parking garage and, more importantly, nice hot showers and lockers for kit. I’ve also taken it on a cycling tour of Ireland with my friend Rob – a memorable trip from Dublin to Cork and back again over the course of a week. More of that another day.
In all, this bike has probably done about 3,000 miles or so. I no longer commute by bike since we moved to Wakefield, as the journey is now more like 15 miles and isn’t really compatible with dropping kids off and picking them up on the school run. The bike owes me nothing, but sits unused in favour of it’s newer brother, a Boardman Hybrid, which is very shiny and lovely, but not really made for off-road.
When I had a look, the Ridgeback is still in fairly good nick, considering its age. The gears are borked – the front derailleur is frozen so you’ve only got use of the big cog, and the rear will only give me four gears, but it’ll do for the weekend away as it’s pretty flat on the holiday park where we’re going. The brakes still work and the freewheel spins better than my newer bike!
I’m contemplating stripping it down and getting it sandblasterd and resprayed – maybe a nice new powdercoat, then rebuild with some new bits. I reckon it’d need new front/rear gears, new brakes, new wheels (the old ones are a little corroded from years of commuting in all weathers) and maybe a new saddle to finish it off.
Yes, it’d probably be cheaper to buy a new bike. But where would the fun in that be?
espresso coco 
Still looks good – I’d get it in good working order and leave the paint alone – I love old bikes.
Yeah, the more I think about it I really just need to sort the gears out. New wheels would be nice, but the old ones still work, it’s just the spokes are a little rusty! I’d love to do a wheelbuilding course.
Hmm.
I think wheel building would do my dome in! A few quid on eBay might sort it out. I’ve still got my ’99 Kona on the go as a singlespeed – although to be fair only the frame is original.