This adventurous Pashley Clubman is being auctioned off for charity by Alistair Cope, who rode this trusted steed in his remarkable Pedal and Paddle challenge from Edinburgh to Exeter. He has said it is going to be very hard to let it go, but he is very pleased that the proceeds of the auction will be going towards worthy causes. If you would like to bid for this unique Clubman, you can do so via the following ebay link….eBay Auction for the Adventurous Clubman.
Below are some words from Alistair about the Clubman...
"One of my dream scenarios for the Papete Challenge was to ride a traditional looking bicycle to match the Flaxland canoe and I could think of no other bicycle being manufactured today in the UK that matched the bill better than a Pashley Clubman Country. Well you can imagine how fortunate I felt when Pashley donated one to me for the build up and use on the 30 day journey.
The 23” frame fitted me best. It is constructed out of Reynolds 531 tubing with investment-cast cut-away lugs. It has a classic, perfectly proportioned look that was admired throughout my trip, even though I spoilt the lines of the bike by adding my home made tow-bar to the braze-ons!
The bike was used during the test weeks as we worked on the best set-up for towing the canoe and then throughout the challenge, which turned out to be far more punishing than intended.
The original plan was for more conventional cycling towing the canoe, however due to many miles of the canal network being un-navigable, the Pashley fought bravely, towing up to 70kgs on rough unmade tow-paths.
So how did it go? Well the frame was, as you would expect from quality steel, stiff enough, yet comfortable and very responsive. I always felt in control on the bike as somehow the Reynolds tubing lets you know what’s going on and gets the power down in a very exact way. A good steel frame does not fatigue the rider and this was the case here. My longest day towing the canoe was 82 miles and I only stopped due to poor light.
I have always been a fan of steel for bicycle frames, you know the adage “steel is real”, well it is and Pashley have come up with a real frame that was just as happy popping down to the shops for supplies as it was towing a canoe over 500 miles! I’m not sure it was happy being bashed against the sides of the canal walls on a very frequent basis, but it didn’t flinch and stood the test.
Would I buy one? Well yes, I’d even plan a challenge around one!"
UPDATE from Alistair: "The Pashley has now been sold on and all the proceeds donated to the charities I was riding and canoeing for. It served me loyally and beyond expectations."
