Let me first of all state that I am a Pashley lover. I cannot imagine a more quintessential classic bicycle than a Pashley Sovereign Roadster. I am smitten.....were it possible I'd be making love to the damn thing now ....but like all great passions one cannot but be honest about their flaws, however small they may be......and dear reader, and fellow cyclists, the pedals on a Pashley are a flaw........................ make no mistake.
In my honest opinion of the Pashley, however proud I am to own it, it is the pedals that let the bike down. The catalogue describes them as "Alloy with non-slip". That is a bit of a lack lustre description for any part of a bike, let alone one so important to performance and longevity as the pedals.
Look at how they eulogise about the saddle..."Black Brooks B33".......such starkness in their use of descriptor...such alliteration and use of onomatopœia.... yet how much "more" is the functional "less",... its almost poetry......they eulogise with a curt reference to the Make, Colour, and Catalogue number...... and rightly so......Brooks are the kings of saddle making......it is a veritable joy to place ones buttocks upon the leather of a Brooks saddle. Yet the description of the pedals makes no mention of the manufacturer....no mention of the finish....... and certainly no mention of the model number.....they appear almost ashamed to mention the pedals by name.....
Why is this?......Well perhaps they realise that the pedals are SUB-STANDARD! On recieving my bike.....(read previous post to ascertain details of circumstances) ....the first trip was a joyous reunion with the cycling of my youth.......but by the second ride a wonky right pedal made the experience less than ideal.....hammering away at the damn thing for over 70 miles all I could feel was a graunchy, grating, bumping thump, thump,...... up through the sole of my splendid Trickers brogues and on into the ball of my foot. On getting off the beauty I tried to spin the pedal and it would barely turn on its axis. Examining the said item it is clear it is a cheap after-thought ....not worthy of placement upon such a beast.
I am sure that to James at Hilderthorpe Cycles I must seem like the customer from hell (see previous post) for I related my tail of woe. Like the sterling cycling hero he is he replaced the said poor pedal for a replacement item of the same design......I have to say that on reciept of the pedal I could not bring myself to place it on the bike I hold so dear. It would be like buying Marks and Spencers underwear for a mistress when I might have brought her Aubade. Being in the presence of a woman in Aubade makes you feel like a sex god and transforms her into a cross between an angel and a skilled concubine.
With these rubbish alloy pedals on the bike, it felt rather like I'd popped in to Asda to buy bra and pants for a £10 crack addict street walker. No, nothing but the best for me and my beautiful ride ....so off with the "Alloy with non-slip" and on with the MKS Dutch Full Rubbers......now you're talking darling!
So, if I might make so bold.....any gentleman (or lady for that matter) worth their salt should never be seen out without their Dutch rubbers.......not only are they a stonkingly good pedal, built with the most wonderful silky smooth classic MKS bearings which glide like something entering something with lashings of KY......they set off the 1920's look of the bike to perfection.
So roll up ladies....come get a glimpse of the black rubber attachments that finish off the Pashley so beautifully........ MKS 3000R Dutch Style Full Rubber Pedals (SJS cycles)...they rule ok!
In my honest opinion of the Pashley, however proud I am to own it, it is the pedals that let the bike down. The catalogue describes them as "Alloy with non-slip". That is a bit of a lack lustre description for any part of a bike, let alone one so important to performance and longevity as the pedals.
Look at how they eulogise about the saddle..."Black Brooks B33".......such starkness in their use of descriptor...such alliteration and use of onomatopœia.... yet how much "more" is the functional "less",... its almost poetry......they eulogise with a curt reference to the Make, Colour, and Catalogue number...... and rightly so......Brooks are the kings of saddle making......it is a veritable joy to place ones buttocks upon the leather of a Brooks saddle. Yet the description of the pedals makes no mention of the manufacturer....no mention of the finish....... and certainly no mention of the model number.....they appear almost ashamed to mention the pedals by name.....
Why is this?......Well perhaps they realise that the pedals are SUB-STANDARD! On recieving my bike.....(read previous post to ascertain details of circumstances) ....the first trip was a joyous reunion with the cycling of my youth.......but by the second ride a wonky right pedal made the experience less than ideal.....hammering away at the damn thing for over 70 miles all I could feel was a graunchy, grating, bumping thump, thump,...... up through the sole of my splendid Trickers brogues and on into the ball of my foot. On getting off the beauty I tried to spin the pedal and it would barely turn on its axis. Examining the said item it is clear it is a cheap after-thought ....not worthy of placement upon such a beast.
I am sure that to James at Hilderthorpe Cycles I must seem like the customer from hell (see previous post) for I related my tail of woe. Like the sterling cycling hero he is he replaced the said poor pedal for a replacement item of the same design......I have to say that on reciept of the pedal I could not bring myself to place it on the bike I hold so dear. It would be like buying Marks and Spencers underwear for a mistress when I might have brought her Aubade. Being in the presence of a woman in Aubade makes you feel like a sex god and transforms her into a cross between an angel and a skilled concubine.
With these rubbish alloy pedals on the bike, it felt rather like I'd popped in to Asda to buy bra and pants for a £10 crack addict street walker. No, nothing but the best for me and my beautiful ride ....so off with the "Alloy with non-slip" and on with the MKS Dutch Full Rubbers......now you're talking darling!
So, if I might make so bold.....any gentleman (or lady for that matter) worth their salt should never be seen out without their Dutch rubbers.......not only are they a stonkingly good pedal, built with the most wonderful silky smooth classic MKS bearings which glide like something entering something with lashings of KY......they set off the 1920's look of the bike to perfection.
So roll up ladies....come get a glimpse of the black rubber attachments that finish off the Pashley so beautifully........ MKS 3000R Dutch Style Full Rubber Pedals (SJS cycles)...they rule ok!
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