Hardisty 531ST Tourer

[bobby-gg]

Nope, I'd never heard of one before either.

There I was minding my own business whilst touring around Europe, in a campervan mind, thinking that I really wish I'd brought a bike, but what bike could I bring that was nice to ride, but understated and not attractive to theft.
I started thinking about tourers, they're comfortable, but not cool so no one will knick it, and Dawes Galaxys are really the only tourers that know about.
While I was doing my research, this popped up on Facebook, local to my home back in the North East, and with a North East heritage too, it was a no brainier.

A Hardisty 531ST tourer!
From 1993, running bottom end 9 speed campy groupset, full dynamo set up and a mad set of strange cycles brake arms.
The owner has taken it all around Easten Europe, and around the UK too.

A mate of mine collected it yesterday morning, and I won't see it until July, but I'm quite excited and it's given me something to look forward to on my return!

Anyway pictures

 

[Jonny69]

Not heard of them either. Frame looks nice though. What are those vee brakes? Are they compatible with road levers then?

 

[bobby-gg]

Not heard of them either. Frame looks nice though. What are those vee brakes? Are they compatible with road levers then?

Supposedly so, I can't find out much information on them except a how to adjust them page on instructables.

Strange Brakes by StrangeCycles: Installation and Adjustment

Strange Brakes by StrangeCycles: Installation and Adjustment: These are instructions for installing and adjusting these unique, rare, and no-longer-made brakes. They are designed to act like like V-brakes but are compatible with short pull road brake levers like Shimano STI and Campagnolo Ergo...

www.instructables.com

They work very weird with the cable pivot and the cable anchor on the same arm, pulling the link arm across, would what they were taking at strange engineering when they designed them!

 

[Joe_Rides]

That's cool. Looks absolutely bombproof.

 

[Battersby]

Looking at the design they seem to copy Paul's brakes.

 

[bobby-gg]

That's cool. Looks absolutely bombproof.

I'm really hoping so, if I can get my hands on a galaxy 531 too, it would be interesting to compare

 

[bobby-gg]

Looking at the design they seem to copy Paul's brakes.

Ah, I never considered that, I'll have a Google

 

[bobby-gg]

Ah, I never considered that, I'll have a Google

Just looked a Paul's current line up of brake, the mounting system is similar, but his are conventional centre pull canti's

 

[ferrus]

Lovely bike.
The Strange brakes are from the mid 90s and are actually intended for MTBs. I’m a huge fan of their unusual MTB brake levers. Here’s an old thread with some info on Strange, and featuring your brakes:

'Strange' components USA

Anyone remember the company 'Strange' - they made some really funky brake levers in the mid '90s ?

www.retrobike.co.uk

 

[Nob]

John Hardisty road bike with pic

Hi, I had a Hardisty MTB custom built from Columbus Genius tubing. It required TIG welding and was designed using the Bio-Racer Computer Design System. The brochure (hopefully attached below) indicates Kevin Winter was the builder in 1993. This link takes you to some pix of the bike I had...

www.retrobike.co.uk

Margaret Hardisty dies in hospital - BikeBiz

Hardisty Cycles - radio slogan: "Home of the mountain bike" - is today coming to terms with the loss of co-owner Margaret Hardisty. She died in hospital last night. - BikeBiz

bikebiz.com