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If you like to ride gravel rather than race on it, then this has to be a good option.
British made, high quality, very low maintenance, 631 tubing, what's not to like? Your grandchildren will still be riding it in 100 years time.
https://www.pashley.co.uk/bikes/bicycles/pashley-morgan-3.php
There's also a "sportier" 8 speed version.
It's probably work well for lots of folk, but the gear spread - usual SA 67/100/133? Not enough for some
drum brakes - see above
Obvs not cool enough for most, which is I assume your point
cynic-al
...Obvs not cool enough for most, which is I assume your point
Not really. Just that there are other options beyond the mass market offerings.
As for the gear spread, then the 8 speed widens that, but really there's not much gravel you can't ride on a 3 speed, and why cart around the extra weight?
However it's a bike I'd regard as being capable of handling anything in Scotland. With a Sturmey 3 speed and drum brakes there's not much to wear out, just tyres and chains.
I'd add full mudguards though. 🙂
I don't race on gravel but do ride fairly quickly I suppose and that bike would be awful for me as I like light and responsive bikes. Probably nice and comfortable though.
kerley
I don’t race on gravel but do ride fairly quickly I suppose and that bike would be awful for me as I like light and responsive bikes.
Which would probably be too lightning quick in their responses for the target market of this bike (and me 🙂 ).
I reckon it would look perfect with some skinny jeans and a man bun 😉
However it’s a bike I’d regard as being capable of handling anything in Scotland. With a Sturmey 3 speed and drum brakes there’s not much to wear out, just tyres and chains.
Well as your speed will be low I guess they might be OK, sure it's there to pose on as you coast around the place but, plenty of bikes will do it all a lot better.
It's not really a practical utility or gravel bike is it, guards that won't actually work, a drivetrain that's probably better suited to round town and lighter touring no luggage carrying stuff.
Needs a chain case, full guards and panniers... I like the drum brakes though...
The main thing for me is... it looks shit. I can't imaging going into the garage, seeing that and thinking "yeah, I'll take that for a ride". Ergo, it would be a waste of money.
Edit: just seen the price - £1,495. Someone is having a laugh.
There are 3 bikes i would never ride. A rigid singlespeed, a brompton and that monstrosity OP. Sorry, just being honest.
The Vauxhall’s zafira of the bike world. Only for those who have truly given up on life.
cookea
It’s not really a practical utility or gravel bike is it, guards that won’t actually work, a drivetrain that’s probably better suited to round town and lighter touring no luggage carrying stuff.
Needs a chain case, full guards and panniers… I like the drum brakes though…
Dunno, 3 speeds work fine up here. Maybe your hills are steeper. Full mudguards are an option - those things fitted to the Pashley are like what we used to fit for summer. Luggage handled by saddle bag.
For example:
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And as for full chaincase etc: 🙂
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£1500. 😂
It’s the #3 which adds to the price so much. Without it the bike itself only costs £250
Oh well, looks like it's not an STW bike.
About the only negative I saw was the price. I thought closer to £1,000 would have been more appropriate, but it is a bike capable of seeing 50-100 years of use IMO.
Oh well, looks like it’s not an STW bike.
True, but it's kind of hard to see who it is for, as I said up there it looks way more like a hipster town cruiser and the price reflects that.
50-100 years is an opinion though, every chance it could have snapped by then or your left looking for a drum braked hub/wheel if that goes wrong.
The Vauxhall’s zafira of the bike world. Only for those who have truly given up on life.
I'm guessing the name is a reference to the Morgan car company? In which case it's more like the 3-wheeler. G<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">reat fun for nipping about on, nice to look at. but not necessarily quick.</span>
It's just a bike. For people that just want a bike to ride to work on, or the shops, or a friends house, or the pub. Saying it's "ERMAGERD it's £1500" is missing the point, it's probably aimed at young people living in a city who don't want/need a car but do have enough spare £££ to buy nice things (AKA hipsters).
Thanks for letting us know you can be ignored
Easily offended much? The OP was asking for opinions on the bike.
Al is only upset because he has a Brompton and he hasn't quite come to terms with that yet.
Small wheels = ........
I'd ride it.
I'd pretty much ride any bike though.
Including rigid singlespeeds 😂
Ignoring the cost....
I quite like the looks though there is no way my butt is going in skinny jeans anytime soon.Lol
I was a bit surprised so few seemed to like this bike, then I realised it was the sort of bike that was common when I was young, so while its appearance is "right" to me, it's all wrong to later generations.
To me it's an evolution of the British sporting roadster, which was the do it all bike in my day. The quality of the good brands was superb and the bikes could be ridden for tens of thousands of miles with very few problems.
But some of the comments about 3 speed hubbed bikes may be based on misconceptions.
For the benefit of those who have never owned a Sturmey-Archer hub bike, the hub does not make the bike "slow", it just means it's not likely to be ideal if you want to ride in a peleton.
A few generations ago it was a good choice if you wanted to knock off 200 miles daily for over a year. (Google Tommy Godwin) If a bike is slow, it's not the hub holding the bike back, that's down to the rider.
My 3 speed with upright bars has done a few 125 mile audax distances comfortably within audax pace without trying hard, and also climbs hills quite well. It is regularly ridden in what many would consider mtb territory. The pic up there is it on part of the HT550 route from Erchless to Orrin dam, which as anyone who has ridden it knows, has some parts that are hard work on any bike.
That's why I thought the Pashley would make a decent gravel bike, a bike for getting to the scenery rather than cxing through it.
Maybe someone needs to take one for a test thrash on a good long distance gravel route. I'd volunteer. 🙂
I was a bit surprised so few seemed to like this bike, then I realised it was the sort of bike that was common when I was young, so while its appearance is “right” to me, it’s all wrong to later generations.
I am old too, but I have moved with the times.
I used to ride a 1940s Raleigh to work as my commute was only 3 miles. Full mudguards, full chain case, rod brakes, massive sprung saddle, steering lock on the fork etc,. Worked perfectly for getting to work wearing a suit and smart shoes.
However, I would have never used it for going out for a fun ride somewhere...
It's growing on me....
I get it but I wouldn’t buy it. The silly styling touches like that number panel and those guards annoy me. But I guess they’re what’s needed to sell this to the people who will actually buy it.
and why cart around the extra weight?
What do you think that Pashley weighs?
The Vauxhall’s zafira of the bike world. Only for those who have truly given up on life.
That's a bit harsh (on the bike). Should include Skoda's in that description too. Might as well tattoo 'loser' on your forehead :-).
About the only negative I saw was the price.
Drum brakes.
I quite like it; though this being the Morgan x Pashley collabo (has it been curated??) obviously puts the price up.
I do think the Gov'ner/Guvna/Governovernener is available in other forms for a bit less? I did work with someone who had one of the first ones, but he really did fit the mustachioed Hackney-artist mold, so, make of that what you will.
Didn't Chipps have one?
It reminds me of a Landrover decal bike, maybe a Porsche branded bike, even Colin McRae had his name on a Kona or some brand, i bet there has been an Aston Martin Vantage bike in a nice British racing green. Just think how much upper body strength needed to lift on to the roof of the Volvo estate
angeldust
Drum brakes.
What's wrong with them on a bike like that? I thought it was an advantage. 🙂
They are decent brakes, don't wear out, and don't make grinding or howling noises when you ride in the wet or through mud etc.. They have good bearings, and spin far more freely than most other wheels.
As for weight, I expect that Pashley weighs about the same as my Pompino +/- a pound or so. (I've never weighed it, it's not heavy). Has anyone got a weight for the Pashley?
The Morgan branding is the only put off as far as I'm concerned. I don't mind the number plate thing. I'd ditch that and find a use for the mounting tabs. The shortie mudguards don't bother me. If I was getting one, I'd pick the full mudguard option they offer.
No geometry listed = i'm oot.
It'd go nicely in an oak timbered garage, next to a Morgan though.
What’s wrong with them on a bike like that? I thought it was an advantage.
Not for me 🙂 (or anyone born in the last 60 years? :-)), but if they suit you, great.
I think you could argue, the best bike is the one you are having the most fun on. There are lots of modern features that would make a more modern design (and features) more 'fun' for me. As above, that Pashley would not encourage or inspire me in any way.
What do you think that Pashley weighs?
From experience of things like that, about 2.4 moons. It'll have it's own gravitational field.
I don't dislike it but it really screams built to a style rather than a purpose.
Has anyone got a weight for the Pashley?
My money is on it being around 14kg.
I built this about 9 years ago which wasn't heavy so add a couple of pounds for a steel frame, and it's still got to be reasonable. 🙂
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I like it - but then I like ‘vintage’ bikes. The number plate could do one though and more practical grips would be a must. I do think that £1400 is a piss-take though. Most manufacturers could build something similar for a lot less money - even with a UK-built frame. If I wanted something like that, I would just buy an old bike and renovate it - there’s a surprising number around that you could do that with.
Pricing comparison:
A similarly equipped Rudge Ulster Tourist bike in 1957 would cost about £21 when the average wage was £7.50
The Pashley is £1,500 and average wage is £540.
I think the quality is comparable.
However like jamj1974, even though i do like the bike, I am far more likely to put something together myself like that than pay that price,. That probably applies to most older riders who liked that style of bike. So I wonder who will buy it.
There's bound to be a Pashley dealer in STW... 🙂
Not in the market for one, but I didn't actually think 1500 was that dear - looking at the specs, nothing on it screams cheap crap. Put in perspective, a (non-UK made) 631 Switchback frame is 800 quid.
The spec is not that different than their very own speed five (£1095) with British made frame in 531 rather than 631.
In fact the speed five looks much more worth the money for those 0.000001% of people who want a bike like this.
Having Morgan associated with it must add £400 or so. I wonder if you also have to wait 2+ years for it to be built because they also don't have a clue about supply and demand.
I have a modern Sturmey Archer 5 speed hub on a road bike, for just general riding around it's really nice, simple and reliable with a good (256%) range.
kerley
...Having Morgan associated with it must add £400 or so....
It would be interesting to know. I've always been highly sceptical of "car" bikes. They rarely are good value for money and are often a steaming pile of equine exhaust.
Their Clubman at £1,100 is a good looking bike and component-wise there's not much difference. I don't know how much difference 531 and 631 makes, if any, but add the cost of the dynamo lighting system and mudguards for comparison, and the conclusion is there's an add on for the Morgan name - or maybe it's just a new model premium.
On the subject of car bikes, check out this sensibly-priced corker.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LIMITED-2013-BMC-Impec-Lamborghini-Edition-Bike/263962292603
I've got a Guv'nor, and that rides astonishingly nicely on gravel. And it's quite a bit cheaper...
Well, I don't race on gravel, but the sensation of speed is pleasing to me and I like to push my performance at times. So I'm out.
But I can't see how a three speed hub is going to be any good. When I was in the Cairngorms this year I found lots of gravel roads in the bottoms of valleys which would have been fine, but down here the valley floors are full.of towns so the gravel and lanes go up the sides and are frequently very steep. I might have been persuaded if I were a hipster and it had proper gears. And proper brakes since the lanes are steep on the way down too.
molgrips
....And proper brakes since the lanes are steep on the way down too.
I like the feel of winding a bike out too, so I know what you mean. It's pretty hard to beat.
The number of gears is a personal preference, and the 3 speed hub is well proven, but I am surprised that Pashley didn't offer the 5 speed hub with its wider range.
I find the problem on steep gravel isn't usually gearing, but traction. That's the limitation on my 3 speed Pompino with 38mm tyres when I hit the steep stuff. I haven't ridden in your neck of the woods but there's some reasonably steep stuff up here north of the Cairngorms.*
I use the same drum brakes on the bike I usually race in the StrathPuffer. They are perfectly adequate for the job, and have very nice modulation, and that is an advantage for descending on steep loose gravel. I haven't found anything I'm prepared to ride down where the brakes are a limitation.
Like most cable brakes, how good they are really depends on the quality of the levers and cables used. Sort that out, and they are perfectly ok..
*Ironically our local group of Rod-brake Roadster Randonneurs have settled on the Cairngorms to get a decently long gravel loop because it's not too steep for some of the [s]less fit riders[/s] older bikes.
I find the problem on steep gravel isn’t usually gearing, but traction.
Interesting point there because I find having been riding 1x9 lately that the worse the surface the lower gear you can get away with. Gradients I could easily handle by standing up and heaving on the bars on smooth terrain become impossible on loose stuff as doing so means I have to put my weight far forward which means less weight on the back and it spins. So on better trails I could probably get away with lower gears.
Of course I can hover my bum over the saddle to get my weight back but it's much harder work than properly standing up at low cadences.