Albion 

There's probably a teacher or a helper in your life who influenced you towards biking. I had someone and want to acknowledge him. This was an old gentleman, who in the 1960s and 1970s in the London suburbs, helped me work on bikes and to see them as my magic carpet. This was Mr. Reginald Flint (his racing name, real name was Hayden), who had gone from velodrome racer on New Hudson bikes in the early 20th century, to running a British Post Office bicycle refurbishment depot in London in the 50s, to the owner of "Flint's Bicycles" in South Croydon. This man helped me understand so many aspects of bikes and emboldened me to try what he showed me, from simple things like replacing bearings on up to wheel-building. Now in later years, the fitness and exercise he led me to through many arduous and foolhardy bike trips has stood me in good stead and helped me stay healthy. Now retired, I want to remember him and encourage you to remember those who helped you, and, more importantly, to be like Mr. Flint - show young people how to fix their bikes and keep moving. Go on - do just one thing for a young person whose brakes don't work, or wheels are obviously out-of-true, or seat is too low. Doing so will be an act of thanks to the person who helped you as a young person to enjoy bikes, and to enjoy biking to this day.


From a 1922 newspaper . . .

1989Pre 

Thank you for sharing this story and news-paper clip. Did Mr. Flint instruct you on the maintenance and repair of wooden rims?

Albion 

No wooden rims, but plenty of old chromed steel ones. Also cotter pins to secure chainwheel, sizing frames, crank arm length, and simple tips like talcum powder to help tubes settle into tyres and bar soap to help slip the bead over the rim, greasing the seatpost to stop it from "creaking" and more. Even the smell of his shop was enticing, with washed wooden floorboards, freshly enameled frames painted by hand, and new tyres. My source of parts was the village dump, unlike his from Raleigh and Campagnolo.