The other week I was asked to road test a bike for a very good friend in the Veteran Cycling Club. He thought this particular machine was pulling to the left. I think I was asked because of my opions on Hetchin's. Yes I don't think they are that wonderful and in my opinion vastly overrated. Having owned at least six and probably having ridden at least a dozen more he wanted a honest and frank opinion. The actual bike was a straight Magnum Bonum which was regularly ridden around Stevenage in the 1980's. It had been completely trashed, hammerite paint, dents, cow-horn handlebars a real mess. I had tried to find the owner on several occasions with a view to buying all to no avail. Well the bike eventually finished up in Boormans cycles in Stevenage with a fractured top-tube and one of his mechanics was going to restore it but sadly he was seriously injured when riding on a Stevenage C.C. club run. This injury finished his cycling days and he was very fortunate to be alive after this horrific accident, due to this he sold all his stuff and Alan my mate acquired the Hetchin's to go with my old Curly I had sold him. The frame went to Tom Boards and had a new seat and top tube put in and Bob Jackson did a good job on the respray. Now for the road test first I checked the frame with string to see if it was in line, this seemed okay I know this is a bit hit and miss but its the only way I have ever been shown. Next I road it real slow and managed to get my hands off straight away, which surprised me as my mate was convinced this frame was out of track. Well I took the bike out for well over an hour and did just over twenty miles in hilly North Hertfordshire. I was amazed this was one of the best bikes I have ever ridden no trace of pulling to the left, very responsive and an absolute delight to ride. This bike was on very narrow racing 700'c and they were pumped up as hard as a porno movie. The frame was originally made for 27 HP's and would possibly ride even better on these. I take it all back anyone got a nice straight Hetchin's they want to part with!
Thats all for now. Keep those wheels spinning, in your memories if not still on the road. Be lucky Mick Butler Huntingdon UK.