Hi,

This is my daily commuter, recently metamorphosed into a beginner's cyclocross bike.

It has been used pretty much non-stop for 10 years (1997 to 2007) as my means of getting around Oxford, UK. It's a Raleigh Pioneer Trail Special Edition- from just after Raleigh UK stopped making their frames with lugs and in Nottingham- it is TIG welded 4130 steel make in the far east.

I upgraded to V-Brakes in 1998, but put the original Shimano cantilevers back on in the 'cross conversion. I used traditional straddle wires rather than the original fixed length and angle ones, so I could lower the mechanical advantage to gain better clearance and modulation for muddy conditions.

The bike has the original STX chainset, rear mech and front wheel. The front mech is a NOS eBay purchase- Deore LX from the same period as the bike, which I run with cable going the 'wrong' side of the fixing screw to get it to work with the road shifters. The sti's were a bargain from eBay- 7 speed RSX, also contemporary with the rest of the bike.

Handlebars are Midge from On-One. The celeste bar tape will match the tires I have bought for my first 'cross season- NOS Michellin Cyclocross Sprints.

Photos taken in the Cotswolds near Burford.

Ben

benmicklem@hotmail.com