You can see why I was impressed… I joined the RAF in February the next year and found out there were some criteriums at our training base (RAF Swinderby) and I rode across to watch. The rims were gold anodised Mavics which were 28 spoked (direct spoked) and it had silk Clements fitted.

The rear drop outs were not vertical which meant the wheel could not be removed unless the tyre was deflated! The Campag chainset was 53/42 onto a Regina 6 speed block and Regina Golden Oro chain, the block had quite a broad range 13 to 24 teeth. The bars were Cinelli and the saddle a Brooks B17 (with larger than normal copper rivets), the brakes were very shallow and the rear clearance was minimal with very short stays. The running gear was almost all Campag Super Record (not on sale at that time) apart from the hubs that were Zeus (SFQR). The frame was Reynolds 531 in team colours with fully chromed sloping forks, half chromed rear stays and fancy lugs. I was seventeen years old and it was my first decent bike, I paid £130.00 for it and a black Lutz tracksuit! Tony had known me for a few years and didn’t usually sell secondhand bikes, he knew my size and it was a perfect fit.

I bought OD174 from H O Smiths in Copley Road, Doncaster (from Tony the owner) in 1975 and fell in love with it immediately. I wish I still had the bike I’m about to describe to you and regret selling it back in the late 80s when I was strapped for cash…

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