Tuesday 2 August 2011

Tandem Reveal ........


Thanks for all your lovely comments regarding little Sweetpeas skirt, if any of you have any good book or website recommendations for learning to sew I would greatly appreciate them.  Oh and also any recommendations for equipment like scissors etc (I used kitchen scissors for the skirt, not the best for cutting).  We have one problem with it however, it is now day 4 of the new skirt and she won't take it off!  I think I will have to make another just so I can wash that one lol.

Now back to this post's title, some time ago some of you may remember that I was given a lovely 1964 Hercules tandem by my Nan and Grandad.  When we got it it looked like this, not the cleanest of bikes but in great working order.


Well we sent it over to a lovely chap across the road who loves restoring and doing up bikes.  Whilst it was there I rummaged about on the internet to find its original colour and I also looked in family albums for the photo of my parents sitting on the bike on their wedding day, my Mum was only 18 in this photo :-)  I am loving the fact that their wedding reception was in my Nan & Grandads garden along with tents put up for the party and guests to stay in afterwards.


Well a few weeks later here is my gorgeous grandparents with their done up bike!  My Grandad was particularly chuffed, he was like a kid at Christmas, his face just lite up and he couldn't stop looking at it.  I was a bit worried that they may be upset that I took it to do it up as it has been used a lot by them and all of us in the past so they have many happy memories of it.   As I walking them over to see it I found out that they didn't have it from new but had swapped it many years ago for a record player :-)  They then used it to cycle to France with all their camping gear on the back and all our Aunties and cousins also remember the bike very fondly.

This photo was taken in our neighbours garden (the chap who did the bike up for us) - what a fab garden and just look at those smiles!


There is a little speedo on it but it gets stuck at 7mph - I am sure we go faster than that lol.



These photos are back in our garden again,  the bike looks great now and certainly makes people smile as we bike past them.  Mind you they may be smiling as my socks are tucked into my trousers and Mr Sweetpea and I are giggling away whilst peddling around the village on it - this bike just makes you have a huge grin on your face :-)  I still have to master starting off without wobbling around on the back for a few seconds and Mr Sweetpea telling me to stay still but I am sure that will come with time.


We have only managed two bike rides on it so far as obviously we can't leave little Sweetpea on her own (or the other two as they may kill each other lol) but here is to many more years on this fab bike :-) x

24 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for sharing your photos and memories. How wonderful that this bike has been in your family for three generations and that you have had it so well restored. I am so impressed that your grandparents cycled around France on it. What a wonderful picture of your parents on their wedding day too! I am very envious of such a wonderful heirloom. Enjoy! I know you will!

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  2. That is just gorgeous!! I love the photo of your parents with the bike, and your grandparents with the restored version. How lovely for them to see yet another generation getting enjoyment and smiles from it

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  3. Wow, it is fantastic :) I would love to have a go on a tandem.... you are so lucky, and now set up for many more years of memories.... Love the photo of your Mum and Dad on their wedding day too :)
    Sue Xxx

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  4. great bike, i must say though i dont think its such a good idea to be keep looking behind you as you both pendle off even if adrian is the main driver he he, ps thanks again for the eggs xx

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  5. Love the tandem! I've seen them at hire places and thought they would be great to try! Love the photo of your grandparents and the bike on their wedding day too. :) x

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  6. What a beautiful bike, love the photo of your Grandparents on their Wedding day (those flares!) and it's cleaned up so well.

    On the scissors, I recommend 2 pairs, one of Fiskars dressmaking (the longest blades possible) and one Fiskars embroidery pair (small sharp blades). My top tip is never, ever, ever, EVER use them for anything other than fabric/thread and they'll last you a lifetime (if you cut paper etc they will blunt very quickly). I still use mine from my costume design days, although I occasionally sharpen them.

    Bethx

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  7. Thank you so much for sharing your memories...and what a fabulous heirloom!

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  8. WOW WOW WOW!!!
    All fantabulous. Especially your Dad's hair on his wedding day!
    Let me know when you tandem up to Cambridge and I'll put the kettle on... Ax

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  9. Fantastic tandem - great wedding photos and some treasured memories, so lovely to keep things and pass them on. I have an old 1970's metal rocking horse c. 1970 and it is now cherished by my daughter, I hope 'Dobin' lives for a few more generations just like your tandem!

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  10. It looks very cool. Would be no good for me and me other half! we would just argue on who sat at the front and if it was me I would get us lost constantly!

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  11. What a transformation, it looks great and I'm sure you will have lots of fun on it xxx

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  12. wonderful story you shared Zoe ! Love the photo of your parents and i am sure this tandem is going to bring you and the family many happy hours. have fun ! xxx

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  13. What a great bike with an amazing story behind it. Awesome!!
    xx

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  14. What an amazing story - pictures and all! This post reall made me feel good, thank you xx

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  15. I loved hearing this sweet story! The history of your bike is fascinating, and now you are continuing the tradition - so lovely! It looks beautifully restored too, and makes for some very stylish photos.
    Helen x

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  16. What a lovely post! Thanks for showing us the wonderful old phtos and telling us about your family tandem! Hopefull you will be able to preserve it long wnough for your children to have their wedding photos taken on! Heres to more happy tandem memory making :)x

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  17. Ah, the bike looks beautiful and how brilliant that it's been given a new lease of life. My mum had a Pashley tricycle with two yellow seats on the back and I can so clearly remember my brother and I waving to everyone from the back as she cycled around on it. Happy days...
    Emily x

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  18. hey - LOVE the picture from your parents wedding day - so original, especially in those days! The bike looks fab now...Cleggy and I would have such fun on a bike together!
    I keep meaning to add your blog to my sidebar - think we are living a parallel life. i have recently made my first dress, then moved on to latest addiction - crochet! son# 1 has just finished primary (TOTALLY with you on the SATS thing) and I was way more emotional than I thought I would be!
    So - off to make sure I don't miss anything else!
    Thanks for commenting on GB's post BTW. And there are some scented sweetpeas on my current post!
    fee x

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  19. what a great family heirloom - love it!!!

    BH x

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  20. truly, this is one of the coolest things i have ever seen. those pictures are priceless (and your dad's hair in the wedding photo is crazy fun!) . so, so worth restoring! i love it!

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  21. What a wonderful bike and lovely family connections. I have never been brave enough to ride a tandem, but like the idea of sharing the work riding up hills!

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  22. What a fab story about your bike and to have photos to go along with it is great...I love the wedding pic! Annie x

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  23. How wonderful for your bike to be going strong three generations later. I bet the sweetpeas will be riding it one day!

    I brought a lovely old bike back from the Netherlands at Easter but living in Durham requires some seriously strong leg muscles to get up those hills and I seem to walk more than ride!

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  24. How delightful! I must look out the photos of the tandems we made from old post office bikes. Tandems are just so cool! Helen x

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Thank you for spending the time leaving a comment, it really does make me smile :-)