Is there a more pleasant way to spend an afternoon than breaking out the old imperial spanners to fettle a lovely British bicycle into shape? Well one that springs to mine is to kick up the stand, select first gear and tootle off for an extended test ride in the glorious Manchester sunshine afterwards…
What a head-turner Neal’s Elswick Hopper roadster is, complete with its original pump! Made in 1967 in Barton-upon-Humber and, after what must of been the gentlest of 50 years, the Safeway sports a fully functional Sturmey-Archer AG 3 ‘Dyno-Three’ hub, near-perfect original candy red paintwork & decals and lashings of dazzling chrome-plating. The lugged steel light-heavyweight is one of the most charming bikes I’ve ever had the pleasure of working on and it’s real treat to ride, provided high speed and excellent braking are NOT on your wish-list.
Read about Sheldon Brown’s love of the Elswick marque here.
