Can You Ride 100 Miles On A £100 Bike? | GCN's Cheap Bike Challenge

[@manon-lloyd]

Thanks for the positive comments everyone! And I did mean 6000ft not meters... I’d still be out there climbing now if it was!

[@TerryBeatson]

My god I only did 20km for a High school XC race once and felt like my time on earth was at it's end. Can't imagine how much I'd want to die after 100 miles. That was a serious challenge! From a mountain biker to a roadie, that's probably more mad than doing a no hander 360. Nice work Manon!

[@susannadearden105]

Well done, I've just done a 70mile round Llandeilo, Llandovery and a hill added in and that's my longest to date, this is impressive on a heavy bike with what look like terrible gears!!!

[@adamdeacon1354]

Great effort and much fun to watch - well done! 😊

[@arnoldhau1]

Here in Switzerland you can easily ride 6000m but propably not in 160km... anyway just stop using those imperial units we do not understand them anyway.

[@LittleDaveGuitar]

Really impressive.. Well done.. I'm getting into cycling again after a long break.. 16 miles round trip commute to work is definately far enough for me ha!

[@TheBigDazz]

"it's a bit heavy, it's a bit of a slug & it's not built for climbing" is how my bike would probably describe me 😂😅👍

[@neezysucks]

I feel that

[@liamtice8794]

Same😂

[@heinz1570]

I asked my bike and it agreed.

[@bbblash]

You are hilarious

[@budbud2509]

I nearly fell off my chair when u said ( 3.32 ) 6,000 mtrs of climbing ( Ive done 5,500 mtrs on the Etape and thats painful ) Thankfully u corrected in the end to feet ....... well done though !!

[@ondank]

Manon is simultaneously incredibly relatable whilst also doing something I 100% couldn't do. Also its the most british athlete thing ever to go "lets do a challenge of a 100 miles" and then spend the entire time counting it down/up in KMs.

[@itsmark3824]

Manon: "Can you do it for £100?" Seller: "Go on then."

[@stephendid]

Well she did spend an extra £50+ on new tyres.

[@marcuspartridge11]

Totally thought the same thing!

[@filipski595]

this bike is wort way more then £50 or even a £100, with all the original part, also good looking vintage bike, probably when properly serviced with consumable parts replaced could cost couple hundred quid.

[@James.F.Barber]

Haha I said the same thing as well. WTF was that pile of dead bikes like an elephant graveyard in the corner?

[@BurtTMacklin-fbi]

I must have missed it. Was there a price tag on the bike?

[@martinlong8739]

"Can you do it for £100?" "Well I was going to ask £50 but if you want to pay £100"

[@user-ot1dv6ri4f]

exactly what I thought. Absolutely no attempt to negotiate, not really a 100 pound bike but okay

[@the1andonly]

This is actually a very nice bike, never mind the weight. This thing is 40 years old and will easily outlast anything sold by the bike industry today. I ride stuff like that and 100 miles is easily doable. Great video 👍

[@no1toolmkr]

I agree, fix that bike up, new wheelset, bottom bracket, and better brakes. it's go forever.

[@bensmith4563]

I couldn't ride a bike 100 miles in a week

[@ramdas363]

But I do mind the weight. As for lasting forever, you can buy similar frames new today and they'll last you just as long. Even the worst crap bike I own is very sturdy.

[@bobtheshorkie1987]

Budget cycling. Or as I call it: cycling.

[@ianfisher7423]

exactly sir..I think it's so amusing how the majority of cyclists are obsessed with the lightest weight and most over priced bits of two wheeled tupperware.

[@julz19]

@@ianfisher7423 my bike is on the cheap side.. Like starter edition cheap, and I've experienced riding one of the intermediate priced bikes.. They're light and low fun to ride, you get what you pay for, until you go over board with higher $$$

[@shushuyu]

@@ianfisher7423 some people do go extreme trying to shave the minuscule amount of weight which i think are pointless. i think it's dumb too but having a lighter bike overall really does make a difference. for instance if i was to compare my fuji absolute to my diverge comp that's 4 pounds lighter. i can really tell the difference. it's not the short ride that makes less weight worth it it's the longer ones. replace the current wheels with a set of carbon wheels really does shave my time and i used to commute to work. i can never be more proud of my choice. things can be expensive but i think the most important thing is not to lie to yourself or buy things in vain. you have to know what it is that you're paying money for and why you're spending that much. some cyclist that i've come across buy things just to brag about it and they barely put any miles on their bike. a while back when i got my road bike i dropped in to the local bike shop and they were surprised how much miles i've put on it by the wear and tear. they were like, "you put more miles than those doods over there combined bro!". there will always be those types of "cyclist" with too much money.

[@ViveSemelBeneVivere]

Or as I call it: 'cling. On for dear life.

[@rea50]

Yeah, that's the point, we don't need expensive bikes to ride for fun or just going to work everyday, here in Brazil a lot of people use heavy one speed bikes mainly in up country, the problem I see is people thinking that a ride in neighborhood must he a international competition

[@robertharrison8762]

When a successful pro rider tells you they have never ridden 100miles solo it makes a lowly junior feel a little less bad

[@brysonszy6306]

@@pinkwool4671 Useless miles don't matter. But if your friend can get KOMs so easily he should join local races since it means he's the strongest in the area. Hey, maybe he gets scouted for a team, get introduced to the pro scene gradually.

[@DoubleCCast]

Well she's more of a track rider

[@lukeh3020]

@@pinkwool4671 What an absolute load of tripe. She was a track cyclist - why would she ever need/want to ride 100 miles?

[@GeorgeHomerHarley]

Shes not a pro....lol

[@afewspokesloose2699]

@@lukeh3020 Australia used to be winning TP gold off the back of 30,000km road base

[@bphillips7345]

Thank you for showing the general public that a long distance ride can be done on ANY bike. I cam sympathize with your efforts for this video, my commuter weighs about the same as your 100 lb bike.

[@adventure_hannah3841]

I absolutely love this video! My friends and I love riding but we're all broke college students. Most of us ride old steel bikes with downtube shifters, and the furthest we've ridden has been 73 miles. It's fun just to get out, get fit, and for a budget our bikes do the job!

[@gordonmurray3153]

Don't you find though, that after a few days of riding like 100miles a day, it actually gets a lot easier? As a teenager in the 1970s I used to cycle to the youth hostels in the Scottish highlands, after 10 to 14 days I'd be racing buses, with paniers fully loaded, feeling ready for the Tour De France! 😜

[@jamescoogan8963]

I initially thought that Manon had been robbed paying £100 for the bike but then I saw how much these actually go for! She got a bargain!

[@tonyhall395]

I ride my steel bikes every day, I’m so happy for you that you got to enjoy the feel of steel, brilliant bike, brilliant ride and a brilliant woman. Thank you from all us steelies for showing what can be done for a few quid 😎😎

[@acewilliams7917]

Steel all the way brother!!!

[@RollrightKnights]

There's steel and then there's gas pipe. Reynolds 531 this ain't!

[@ShadowWizard123]

I ride a mid-80s Schwinn touring bike that I absolutely adore. Not much can damage a steel bike.

[@stiqsify]

Just because you can doesn't mean you should.....I ride steel...because I'm cheap

[@kristijanzikic1970]

Right. Riding 24kg Traverse touring bike, steel. Wouldn't change it honestly.

[@chriszhang5152]

Yes! I just returned from a 2 day, 200 mile solo camping trip on $80 CAD bike with all my gear strapped to it. Anything is possible as long as you love it!

[@ursoulspure]

That flat was worth it just to see that vintage bike shop. Reminds me a lot of my Peugeot Carbolite bike from the 80s. Never rode it with the stock wheels instead put on some 2nd hand Pave wheels with first a 7 speed cassette and then a 9 speed. That Peugeot helped me ride my 1st metric century. Way to go!

[@TheTrakker]

That is one beautiful bicycle. I love the older bikes. There's something very classic about that one. Such a lovely rider as well.

[@samalbrow9329]

15:54 “This is a fake smile, I’m dying inside”

[@teuast]

#relatable

[@andrewhtf]

Ditto

[@humstrumbangtwang]

That could be on the next GCN clothing range!

[@druidsandhorses3971]

@@humstrumbangtwang I would totally buy that jersey.

[@hongxianglin6703]

@@druidsandhorses3971 Go to gcn website and buy it

[@kimsosson4739]

Hats off 👍🏻 That was tough. I'm 40 now and in my early 20's I've lost my passion for riding. Got rid of all my stuff. In my early 30's, it was tickling me again. But I didn't want to invest alot as I didn't know if it was just a temporary thing. My father in law had a very old Schauff from the 80's somewhere in the shed: steel frame, 6 speed, gears on the frame. I did some basic works and I had A LOT of fun with the bike. It reignited my passion and after a while I purchased a proper 'modern times' roadbike.

[@davewatt8840]

I had a bike like this when I was in my early teens, now in my mid 50s brings back memories bike like this. Well done Manon 👏

[@davidbarthel5664]

The most impressive thing is that she gets up at 5:15 and is all ready in the car at 5:25! Getting out of the house 10 Minutes after waking up I'd probably put my shoes on my head while I stand in front of a wall wondering why my door won't open.

[@owenhunt]

She's a well drilled lady. I'm devestating 9000+ squats in four days and I am literally too feeble to crawl out of bed before 10AM.

[@billincolumbia]

Same here!

[@whywhatwhenwherewow]

I'm the opposite. I pretty much have to be able to get ready in 10 minutes or less because otherwise there's no way I would routinely be out the door on time.

[@disgruntledtoons]

If you take care of everything that can be taken care of the night before, so that you only need to dress and grab your packed breakfast out of the refrigerator, you can be up and away in ten minutes. If you have to fix your breakfast, take a shower, check up on Facebook, etc., then you'll be taking longer.

[@ralphdurham6484]

Well when you are young you just roll out of the bed looking great. Me on the other hand, at 69, not so much.....

[@brandonp2756]

“This is a fake smile. Im dying inside.” I felt that in my soul. PS Sorry Si, you’ve been replaced as my favorite presenter.

[@NecksBacksAndRailwayTracks]

My favourite bit of GCN ever

[@andrewince8824]

As a retail worker I felt that. I felt it in my soul.

[@TheEssexSpurs]

I'm an overweight 58 year old who has been to the gym for the first time today in 35 years.I do a lot of cycling but WANT a 100 miler under my belt.Watching videos like your inspire me.Thank you.

[@stevek8829]

A lot of cycling and very overweight don't mix.

[@TheEssexSpurs]

@@stevek8829 why is that? i can cycle 20 miles with no side effects.I can walk for mles without getting out of breath.I just have to lose two stone not thirty.

[@Mdw7375]

Did you do the 100 miles ?

[@milepost1445]

Love these occasional reminders of what's possible, as I have long suffered from bike envy. A good friend, Gary, older than me by at least a decade, decided to "try" randonneuring on a second-hand steel Astro Daimler that he picked up for $50. He advanced through a full series 200, 300, 400 and 600km on the old thing, and was still faster than most of us. Just a legend. While some bikes are better at various things it is always a good reminder, thinking of Gary, that the bike sometimes just doesn't matter.

[@shapattu1949]

yep, i recently got a reynolds 708 raleigh royal tourer tremendous bike.

[@dgillies5420]

It's the motor, the bike matters not. On our vintage ride our fastest passes all the $5000 bikes going uphill on a 5-speed hetchins ...

[@gcvrsa]

To be fair, it is an Austro-Daimler, not a dime store bike. I remember going to my local racing bike shop as a kid and fawning over the A-Ds.

[@samuelsullivan9546]

I did my first four centuries on an Austro-Daimler. It went as fast as I could go and climbed as well as I could.

[@s0nofp2l]

Manon is definitely my favourite presenter. Totally down to earth, passionate about cycling and putting out consistently great videos. I also feel a connection because I too will complain all the way round and then say "that was a great day on the bike" when I get to the end. Oh and Breakfast Pizza :D

[@danielmagana5125]

Lady you are a true cyclist, who loves to be on the road, you deserve a lots of recognition, been riding a dinosaur with great attitude, and highly energetic is not a simple thing. Congratulations once again. (I laugh a lot every time you apply the brakes, since you mentioned that sound like an instrument) Cheers from NYC

[@Islandmidfielder]

At first I thought "that down hill sure is scary if it's causing farts", then I realized like the smart muppet i am, "it's those old brakes chatting away"...

[@callumclark3358]

When you offered him £100 for that he must have thought all his birthdays had come at once!

[@gcn]

Hahahaha!

[@kentcyclist5330]

I was thinking exactly that! That fella would have taken half that, I reckon! In fairness, my garage looked like his backyard until I had it all cleared out recently...

[@colombianflag717]

Some vintage bikes have more value than some moderns bikes

[@callumclark3358]

@@colombianflag717 I ride one. I wouldn't part with it for £100, but I know I double its value every time I replace the drive chain.

[@Toto8opus]

Looks like for that price the chap wouldn't care too much if the brake levers were inverted though, would he? The right one serves the front wheel while the left one activates the brake on the rear wheel.

[@solarius5331]

4:40 Manon is like a goddess of cycling with the background

[@alanhannush396]

I would have been thrilled with that butted frame steel bike in the 70's, we did 100 miles a day on welded steel bikes that were probubly twice the weight of that one. admitadly we walked up steep hills and even clincher breaks are much better now than in the 70's. I was so surprised when I got stuck in the rain on my newer bike and the breaks worked at all. The new equipment is a blessing to ride. Thanks for showing off what we would have considered state of the art bike in the stone age.

[@jackseph03]

"I'll have pizza for breakfast any day of the week". I think I'm in love.

[@888johnmac]

lol , same here

[@fepatton]

Seriously!

[@matthiaskettner6686]

I was in love before already lol

[@BixbyConsequence]

When putting a years-unused bike into service (yours or someone else's), full rubber refresh is often needed. Rubber hardens and cracks with age, hence the blowout and difficult braking from hard pads. Give these safety issues priority and *then* move on to comfort with saddle, pedals and bar tape. I still love the look of old steel bikes. The sweeping forks are a thing of beauty.

[@ralphdurham6484]

Correct. the brakes would probably work better with new pads.

[@cliffordslocombe8286]

@@ralphdurham6484 Lucky it wasn't wet with those chrome rims though - unstoppable! They probably account for a lot of the weight too.

[@ralphdurham6484]

@@cliffordslocombe8286 Been there, done that.

[@Ιωάννης-ΠάριςΠαχής]

@@cliffordslocombe8286 Man, I was about to write about the rims... and then fell on your comment. If you want to see what true brakeless is, try to brake with steel rims on the wet. (Major reason why I didn't bother having perfect brakes when I was younger!) Plus, those rims are usually non-hooked. This means a) have lower pressure if you have a lot of descending (and be carefull), or risk a blowout and b) Goodbye Folding Tyres!

[@dgillies5420]

Agreed, i almost died when my 1972 ALAN (acquired 2005) was found to have dried-out campag pads ... on a 15% downgrade, I picked up speed without limits! Thank heavens it was only 500 ft!

[@dondougherty5584]

Last October (10/27/2020) I, a 58 year-old man, rode 100 miles on my old (circa 1976) Raleigh Grand Prix. It weighs approximately 33 pounds and has ten speeds! I rode with my two sons. It was a lot of FUN!

[@stevemeng2554]

Love this kinds of cheap bike challenges.... More relatable to us mere mortals

[@manon-lloyd]

Thanks 😊

[@BogdanEmilBunica]

I could not relate to the Dura Ace pedals and the expensive Fizik saddle. :> She multiplied the price of the bike by a factor of at least 4. :-) But it is a fun video, if you don't take the "cheap" word too seriously.

[@ashscott6068]

"Can you do it for a hundred pounds?" That guy was probably asking twenty for that bike

[@jackryan2135]

yea, 100 is ridicules for that.

[@nguyenvanduc2512]

Agree

[@frodo5882]

Really? In Berlin that bike would easily be worth 150 euros

[@bobbyv384]

In the U.S. that would not be a $130 bike (100 pounds). Since everything works and its a classic steel road bike I'd say maybe 75-100 US dollars at best. Manon doesn't have very good bargaining skills. She should have paid 80 pounds and used the extra money for at least 1 tire.

[@bleuify7]

the extra 80 is for his screen time

[@richchilds8173]

Manon is a great presenter. She has knowledge, ability, and is so modest. She has a great way of putting things into layman's terms, and she's not afraid to admit she is spoiled by her modern high end machinery, yet willing to slum it up for "science". I love her voice, and lets face it, she's pretty easy on the eyes as well. I look forward to all her videos, keep up the great work Manon!

[@jonahngai9955]

12:18 there’s a guy on a super bike who’s struggling to follow manon 😂the power of GCN’s presenter

[@888johnmac]

lol , i noticed that when she was cycling through the park

[@trackie1957]

It’s a lot of fun to blow by people on Colnagos while riding a junky bike.

[@dainiusvysniauskas2049]

"struggling" More like barely pedalling :D

[@AKH3156]

12:28 Manon dropping that guy on a 20kg bike up a hill...

[@RomainLussier]

GCN really has become Top Gear 2.0 for me. Well done Manon on that great achievement! Any plans on doing a Columbia Special? :D

[@Sebuah]

with the heaviest bike... ... in the world

[@stopdropandroll]

TONIGHT! Si wears a hat. Ollie wears a hat. And I wear a hat.

[@tomjackson175]

Thank you for doing this video Manon. At age 45, I am on a budget and trying to get into road cycling. I started last year on a commuter bike and nearly killed myself on all of the rolling hills around Baltimore/DC. Not all of us can afford a top-of-the-line aero bike, and it’s really nice to see someone struggle on a heavy bike like many of us do. I would like to see more videos about budget cycling culture and how to overcome those obstacles. In the meantime, I am slowly putting away a little money for a Trek Emonda. And kudos for attempting those descents on questionable brakes Manon. I don’t think I would have been so brave.

[@lafterthefact]

Near death experiences on the hills around Balt-DC forced me to Zwift. Budget friendly too as your bike weight doesn’t matter. Not the same as IRL, but still better than nothing.

[@afixmaster744]

Keep riding...you'll gradually struggle less, bike weight notwithstanding. Some of my favorite rides are 15 to 40 years old.

[@bobbyv384]

Tom - the cool thing is when you do get your Emonda (great bike btw!) you'll FLY!!! Your legs will be so used to hammering a heavy bike around. You'll be in cyclist heaven, and riders around you will not only be envious of your bike but your performances as well. Good luck!

[@ralphdurham6484]

There are some pretty good steel road bikes around for that price range. Weight compared to today's carbon is greater. Probably around 25 pounds. Get a good saddle, replace the tires, biggest that will fit, and brake pads and clean it up. I trained for a century ride on a 74 ten speed with a milk crate on the rear rack.

[@Mdw7375]

Are you still riding?

[@aSmelly1]

GCN: Can you ride 100 miles on a £100 bike? my wallet: What else would we ride?

[@PorkchopSandviches]

Haha I've ridden 100 miles on an 80 dollar bike, didn't really have a choice

[@erniemartinez9078]

Sam Clement I’ve done a little over 900 miles on my $120.00 1989 trek 1100 8 gears it used have down tube gears.till I rubbed my fingers with front wheel it took me a little over two years

[@HirevCHIP150cg]

Same XD

[@stuartwhelan233]

Absolutely

[@kirakaffee9976]

of course you can, I could too, but not that fast! give me 2 days, maybe? 😁 pulling it off in 7 hours despite the route includes lots of evil mountains like she did.... just wow.

[@ovash1]

Great job! In the late 70's I rode around on my shiny new Peugeot, and in the early 2000's I rode around on an old late 70's Peugeot. I love those bicycles, but even I wouldn't attempt 100 miles on my reasonably well maintained, "relic", bikes, 50 miles was my max. Great job. Congratulations, you're a better man than I am. ( so to speak)

[@sshum00]

I love these vloggy style videos and challenges that seem to be more accessible to people. Keep rocking it GCN, genuinely genuinely love you guys. Your videos bring me so much joy.

[@gcn]

Thanks, Shelby! Great to hear how much you're enjoying our videos! Thanks so much for the support!

[@jeremie8730]

I would love to see more of these cheap challenges. The experience feels so real, the human reaction is genuine, Manon's complaining and grimacing (and probably her butt and back pains) adds to such a charming presenter. More of this please. No, not Dan. He'd die.

[@iwritechecksatthegrocerystore]

Zach Gallardo did one like this a while back on a $100 Walmart fixed gear. You can see the video on his channel.

[@alimaleki217]

I have a feeling that Manon has paid someone to take that bike apart with a blowtorch! I’d like to see a video of Manon riding the same route on her regular bike!

[@steconway9199]

everyone should be made to ride a bike like this just to realise how good bikes are today.....

[@Wookey.]

My first bike was an awful lot like that one. Except I only had 10 gears, not 12! Those brake extension things were always lethal.

[@colombianflag717]

Jajaja very true.

[@bobbyv384]

Yep. A neighbor recently gave me an old steel Fuji mountain bike. It's sooo heavy! The gearing is not very good and although I tinkered with the saddle height it never fit right even though its my size frame. Even my old entry level Giant Boulder feels like a bike from heaven compared to the Fuji.

[@jerrysmith7166]

how lite they are any way lol

[@jasbir710]

I climb hills on single gear cycle which cost $80 dollars did my 100km on it many times you really don't have an option when money is issue

[@JayRob31145]

Absolutely LOVE everything Manon does, this was the best one yet! 100 miles on an old steel bike is a challenge indeed. But it made it, and so did she. Hold on to Manon, GCN, 23K+ hits in 4 hours is impressive by any measure. And hold on to your old Triumph, Manon, it has character and it matches yours.

[@richardhorton4813]

That bike is definitely a keeper

[@stevemawer848]

Matches her character? But it's old, slow and heavy - where's the match?

[@JayRob31145]

@@stevemawer848 They are both nice to look at, graceful and have a timeless appeal!

[@doncommando]

Those brakes just needed toe adjustment! But you have definitely motivated me to do a century ride in my old bike 😍

[@chisler26]

“Never used downtube shifters”, god I feel old!

[@dirkgross1603]

My first "real" bike in high school around 1978 was a Nishiki 10 speed, and my friends had Fuji 12 speeds. After no more prep than riding around town we took of on a 60 mile ride (each way)to my friend's sister college town in the full bike kit of the day, blue jeans, tennis shoes and t shirts. No water bottles, you just stopped at gas stations for snacks and drinks. I can relate to her comments about dying later in the ride, and like her when we arrived we just rolled over in the grass at the park in town. 40+ years later with current bike tech and kit, I do 60 miles without thinking about it any day of the week.

[@billincolumbia]

I feel lucky to have had a variety of experience. And old. :)

[@dtshifter]

None of my bicycles have more than 9 speeds, all of my bikes either have down tube shifters, bar end shifters or are track bikes with no shifting. I only have rim brakes and buy inexpensive tires. My bikes can do any hill and keep up with almost anyone. Just because the year changes doesn't make a bike obsolete :-)

[@jfichl]

Yepp, I still remember downtube shifters and 18mm tyres - but that bike was old when I was young...

[@danny3man]

Well she's just 23... and at my 30s she makes me feel old too...

[@samjuniordimok]

Congratulations Manon on your 100mile cycle... That was epic. Cheers.

[@gcn]

Thanks!

[@lasseborg7632]

12:26 imagine being out riding, feeling good about yourself, when you suddenly get dropped by a woman, allready 60km in, riding a super heavy steel bike. Ouch!

[@Rcck.7282]

unless he watch gcn and know the presenter is mostly ex-athlete :D

[@joergahlswede3059]

Yeah, it's me. ;-)

[@stevek8829]

And wearing a waitress uniform on her way to work.

[@sdearing6375]

why? such a sexist comment

[@owneroftheuniverse]

“And this is hardly even a hill”...we have very different definitions of what hills are.

[@zaydansari4408]

And different definitions for “cheap”... yes $100 is cheap but when someone tells me “torture test on a cheap bike” I think of the abandoned bikes in rivers and train station alleywaysz

[@shawnpitman876]

@@zaydansari4408 Sorry but you're just WRONG. This IS a cheap bike, the ones you are talking about likely cost MORE to put on the road after doing all the repairs they likely need to be properly road worthy.

[@Samueldwian]

@@zaydansari4408 £100 (pounds) not $(dollars). Its technicaly more expensive then.

[@florianmeier3186]

@@Samueldwian Well, but it is a fair prize for this kind of bike and compared to a new bike which survives 100 Miles it is still cheap.

[@mattmatthews5414]

Shawn Pitman you’re right, but you don’t need to yell.

[@mathewadams2929]

"Do i have any gears left? Nope." I felt this in my soul.

[@naldyano]

Stones Poi Aren’t we all? Lol

[@ralphdurham6484]

I have a 10 gear cluster and a triple chain ring. I always check for another low gear....

[@coltonlemasters]

I love that you did this on a super budget bike! I'm a student, so $100-ish is about all I can afford for a bike at the moment. I've always wanted to go on long distance rides. This video helps me see the potential my bike might have!

[@markl2815]

I’ve become a bit sceptical of the “modern format” GCN recently but this one was excellent and well done to Manon. Bloody good effort, excellent entertainment etc Thanks

[@jlukshooting]

now I feel old: "down tube shifters which I've never used before " I'm putting together my first modern road bike, first time having anything other than down tube shifters LOL

[@BinarySecond]

What year were you born??

[@jlukshooting]

@@BinarySecond '69

[@BinarySecond]

@@jlukshooting damn, I've never even seen tube shifters in the wild

[@jlukshooting]

@@BinarySecond you don't want to. They were a pain, a right sod to just change one cog at a time, easily caught with your knee when climbing. Horrid things imo.

[@discomikeyboy2012]

@@jlukshooting Indexed ones made the shifting much easier.

[@srowley85]

This brings back nice memories of riding bikes like this in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s. Tracking gears and descending, as you point out, are quite different than what we’ve become used to on modern bikes. I rode my first 100 miler on a similar bike in 1976. It didn’t have nearly as much climbing, but it had stiff headwinds and rain. I remember being quite sore for several days afterwards.

[@swifty0000007]

Had an old heavyweight bike as my winter bike. When I got on my racing bike the difference was worth 2 gears.

[@anftrew3775]

Years ago, when bikes like that were common, we used to do 100+ mile rides on things like that for our Sunday ride out.

[@colombianflag717]

Very true

[@PeteMidg]

.... And when we got home, me dad would thrash us to sleep wi' 'is belt! (Apologies to Monty Python)

[@cynical.2atee]

The Atala cost me $130 in 1973. A $10 upgrade would give me Campy derailleurs and hubs, but 10 bucks was a splurge when I was making $1.60 an hour bagging groceries. 2 x 5 gearing, no indexing. Like her, we didn’t shift as much. Buddy clocked me at 55 mph on the downhill when I rode next to his motorcycle. Did that twice. That was back when I was a Man of Steel. These days I need my (carbon) fiber. Thank you Cervelo and Ridley. Kudos for the 100 miles of history. Great job.

[@harri8535]

@@PeteMidg Luxury!

[@joeshmoe7967]

@@cynical.2atee I remember hitting near 60MPH on a long steep downhill. T-Shirt ,shorts, no helmet in '77, on school outing ride no less!! Imagine a school ride today where, they would let you ride ahead, smoke 50MPH+, LOL! I am now almost 60, still love to rip down a hill, 40 my fastest lately. I need to tune up my old 10 speed I got used at 13. Probably should replace the wobbly rear rim before I relive the old speed record. - Cheers

[@amjan]

I actually just got an older bike and I love the shifters on the low tube!! It makes me change gears only when I really need it. And doing it itself feels more dignifying, I love it :)

[@deivicruz5898]

gettit!!!! I F'n love it when you all do vintage bike videos! Makes my heart skip cause that is my life! No carbon fiber anything!

[@manuel7102]

I'm only a few years older than Manon, but I still had the chance to have one of those as my first road bike when I was like 9 years old. This video brought me some nice memories of my dad coming home with this fresh yellow painted road bike with downtube shifters and some weird large tyres that he found who knows where and were definitely pioneering gravel tyres. I had a blast.

[@morpheox]

Hey. My road bike is yellow with downtube shifters :D Just needs a new front wheel.

[@bunkerman99]

Pretty impressive. I learned to race on down tube shifters. The Campy derailleurs and shifters virtually never wear out and once you get used to them it's just a flick and a perfect shift most every time. You did real well

[@gcn]

Thanks!

[@bunkerman99]

@@gcn Just a thought but why not strip that bike down and make it a nasty weather, muddy conditions single speed bike. Think in terms of Pre WW2 race bikes. Just for fun.

[@WernerSchroeder]

I remember having a bike with similar brakes, even down to the sound. Did a lot of solo rides on my noisy bike as a teenager. Well done Manon.

[@chrisplatten2293]

The Tempest came with a leather insert in the brake blocks that was supposed to help stopping in the wet. I rode one to school daily, whatever the weather mid 80's. The insert did help, but oh boy did they squeal.

[@dafiltafish]

Watching this video brings memories of hurting lungs, light-headedness, and fighting the urge to puke after 20km. Manon is tough as nails.

[@benanderson8294]

It's funny you guys did this, because this is my goal! Picked up a $200 bike 6 weeks ago after not riding since I was 12. Just did my first 50 mile ride, working up to 100!! Wanted to see how much I can get out of the cheap bike. It's a fun challenge 🙂

[@SpoonWithSoup]

Did you finally complete that 100 mile ride?

[@simonsaville9962]

Had to wipe away a nostalgic tear when I heard the brakes 'squealing like a stuck pig'!

[@Dang_Near_Fed_Up]

If you rode in the 70's you know that "singing" brakes were normal.

[@tjsogmc]

That's how you knew you still had brake pads left.

[@gwboes]

Great video! And I have to say, I'm amazed at how far Manon has come as a presenter. Her first video's felt a bit awkward and scripted but this was simply amazing, on par with her colleagues who've done this for years.

[@ansbachenkleist07]

Yes you can, I was still using my dad's Japan bike from 98s I still race tho and ride it for long rides

[@Its1and2]

"This is a fake smile. I'm dying inside!" Sooooo relatable!

[@conteudoanimal]

Manon I just watch GCN with you ... you are brillant presenter !!! Keep the excellent job GIRL !

[@davidrogers7292]

Recovering from an over the bars mtnb ride, I've turned on GCN daily and turned the pedals clipped in for the first time today- day 21. Ya"ll keep me and all the house bound folks, especially, fired up and feeling connected to cycling. The whole team "takes the first pull," in every show. The drone shots and your rides around the English countryside are the scenic tours for us yanks. THANKS

[@Teofago]

In the next episode: Oli rides 100 miles on a £100 recumbent bike IN KETOSIS!

[@navarrouk3487]

Theo Phagus that is what I call suffer!

[@richcrompton6891]

Doing a double trenching...

[@jeremysantiago3929]

you'll be dead from that

[@wohololao]

And Hank on a Penny-Farthing

[@LUCYDIAMONDBOXER1]

Whilst Everesting and breaking the hour record

[@tomcruz3774]

"This is a fake smile. I'm dying inside" Same, but like everyday

[@paulwomack5866]

I did a century, on a 531 frame, triple chain set tourer. Decent bike. The start was 15 miles from my home town, and I cycled to (and from) the start. A friend came with me. On a Dawes shadow. He'd done a 10k pool-based swim the day before. He's AWESOME.

[@badger67]

As a wise old cyclist once told me, "It's not about the bike".

[@mike969696]

:)

[@Noadvantage246]

Unless you get a cheap department store bike and then it is

[@badger67]

@@Noadvantage246 e-bike rider by any chance?

[@Noadvantage246]

@@badger67 lol

[@Noadvantage246]

@@badger67 there's objectively bad bikes that take alot of fun outta riding. When you're having to pedal x5 as hard for half the speed of a well geared and more efficient bike you're likely not going to be having much fun let alone wanting to do it often... Unless you're a fitness masochist that enjoys torturing yourself of course.

[@shanelewis2255]

Great effort Manon. Please do an video on the Antique bike shop, looked like some cool stories.

[@elimusewicz8761]

I got my first real superbike in june and did my first century on it in september. It took me 8 hours and I thought I might never actually finish... I can't imagine doing it on a cheap bike! Congratulations to you!

[@WendsH]

Manon: "This is my £100 bike!" Me: (commences drooling over lovely, lovely vintage bike) I'd do 100 miles on that any day you asked me to. :D

[@obidavekenobe]

Or a 100 pound bike

[@david-sv3kg]

I have a Schwinn tempo, pretty much a Japanese knockoff of that... Champaign color and everything... Love it.

[@matthewlewis2072]

It's an absolute boggo bike from back in the day. You're acting like it's a Roberts or a Woodrup. It's garbage.

[@p_e_t_e]

@@matthewlewis2072 lol! no properly functioning bike is garbage. you are a snob.

[@tyronedesilva5054]

Wow! You're a fabulous lady. Am a keen cyclist. 63 now. But I think am 20. Your feat is phenomenal. Am so happy for you. I ride a hi-brid or semi mountain / and road. Do plenty long distance rides. But on that bike. You're the bees knees girl. Great stuff . Good luck to you. Shall be a keen follower.

[@arials101]

1:01 should never have got on an old bike with sidewalls looking like that. I'm surprised this video didn't come with a bit of 'consumer advice' about what to look out for safety-wise when buying a bike like this. Someone could be watching this thinking that blowout was unpredictable when actually it was entirely preventable.

[@Alex-to8es]

Exactly, I brought a bike very similar to this and a couple of weeks in exactly the same happened, these could be the original tyres, or at least 20-30 years old, they have no business being ridden any more they aren't safe. That said if they are steel rims, then in the rain they aren't safe at all either. In the rain your braking distance goes up 5 fold, and on a hill you won't be able to stop at all. That is really the problem with bikes like this, while the frame is still good and the gears okay, the wheels and tyres often aren't very safe at all.

[@KeithHeinrich]

On my vintage bikes, always new wheels, tires, brake pads. I like to stop on my terms.

[@marcuspartridge11]

I'm pretty sure that piece of metal sticking out was the tire bead!

[@ucanskixc568]

@@marcuspartridge11 I agree it was part of the tire bead.

[@dirkgross1603]

I agree. I gave away my 1990 Diamondback road bike to a community group wanting bikes for folks needing them for work transportation. It was in perfect shape after a thorough cleaning/degreasing but the tires were original and dry rotted. They held air but no way I was giving it to someone in that condition. I swapped on some nearly new continentals I had on my wife's old Terry Classic bike and I felt good knowing whoever got it was going to be safe using it.

[@st4331]

I bought a brand new hybrid bike for under £100 last black Friday. Aluminum frame, 24-speed, disc brakes; shimano gears/shifters. Rides nicely, and it's quite light. No doubt much better than that old Raleigh, and of course the tyres are also brand new - no blowouts and modern 700C size!

[@stevegraham3041]

I seen a old boy riding the NC500 the other day on a old 3 speed with rod brakes instead of cable fully loaded

[@stppearson825]

That bicycle was a lot like my first “real adult” bicycle back in the 80’s, except maybe a little bit better. At least in the U.S. that was when “ten speed” bicycles all had 27” wheels. Nobody except racers knew what 700c wheels were. Mine first bicycle had terrible center-pull brakes on it which worked sort of okay as long as it was dry, and fortunately where I live the climate is dry, but when it rained the brakes along with the chromed steel rims did not stop you. My emergency bike handling skills developed quickly. I can remember when those gear ranges were common too. No wonder nobody my age now (53) rode bicycles back then. I remember riding up some canyons west of Denver when my small ring was a 42 and the largest cog on my cluster was a 21. I must have spent 90 percent of my hilly rides at that time at or above my anaerobic threshold trying not to expel a lung because I was breathing so hard. There were easier bicycles to ride back then, but they were hard to find with my plucky ego telling me that I was going to kick Greg LeMond’s butt blocking my view of them. I wonder if Greg LeMonde ever even looked at me as I watched from the crowd on the side of the road and watched him race by in the real races of the day? I doubt it. I sure do miss that era sometimes, but bicycles for sale in the U.S. are way better thought out now.

[@saltrocklamp199]

In high school I inherited my dad's 1970s Motobecane Super Mirage, "with Campagnolo shifters!" as he was very proud to tell me. I loved that bike! It's sitting at his house waiting for me to start riding it again, and this video is getting me inspired to do it.

[@rbruce63]

Outstanding! We used to ride such bikes to do touring. In 1979 without much planing nor energy drinks we managed to reach to the Irazú Volcano which rises at 3,432 meters above sea level from our homes at 1050 meters above sea level! My bike had 10 speeds and it was a 26" Huffy...my friends bike was a 27" Benotto. Also a steel bike. He did better! The sights of your production are awesome!

[@decouxj]

Manon is easily the coolest presenter on GCN.

[@swesleyc7]

She really brings grace to the camera! The guys do a great job, too, and bring a lot of charm.

[@stevemawer848]

She didn't look very cool at the top of that climb! :-)

[@junkyard3924]

I miss Matt

[@Rcck.7282]

@@junkyard3924 we all

[@MrStruggle0]

Weather: *like 30 C* Me: I’ll take a few days off cycling Manon: 100 MiLeS oN 100 pOuNdS

[@HospitalLocksmith]

I used to ride in 43C temps

[@Dang_Near_Fed_Up]

At least it wasn't raining.

[@blorg8206]

@@HospitalLocksmith this is the UK, 30C _average_ is exceedingly high for there. To be honest even hitting 30C would be a hot day. In Ireland, where I am from, the hottest temperature on record (ever) was only 3C over that, and it happened back in 1887. That was a hot summer, 1887. And the bikes we had then weren't great either. It's all what you're used to.

[@andreolarte8493]

30c in the philippines is a cold day. You'll be lucky if you have that kind if temperature in phillipines

[@dr.science_0177]

Not that hot tbh

[@gianniskritikos695]

Well done!!! From a philosophical view this challenge is the difference of the generations. They had to try hard to made thinks happen, we just have a superbike life. It will be interesting to do the same route with your superbike and show us the differences. Enjoy!!! Thanks

[@iiThailung]

Such a great video! Manon is just a perfect presenter 🙏🏼

[@Through_Sams_cam]

"it weighs a ton, probably more than me". Manon, you look quite thin for a ton. jokes apart, really good video. keep it up.

[@surlyogre1476]

The bike certainly doesn't weigh more than Manon , that was just hyperbole, but for sure it's older than she is...the tires/tyres themselves looked to be older than Ms. Manon... should have changed them out before the ride.

[@Through_Sams_cam]

@@surlyogre1476 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@XCPainter]

Definitely made myself quite a challenge like that... in 2015 I rode my 1982 Motobecane Super Mirage (Downtube shifters only, 45 lb bike) 120 miles and over 10,000 ft climbing and it was well below freezing, ice on roads, and included an 8 mile, river rock strewn ravine section on the route. Learned breathing that much cool air REALLY hurts after the ride...

[@TalesfromtheGreenway]

I love this girl she's so entertaining, best GCN presenter ever!

[@sundrieddelivers]

You just know that he originally wanted less than £100 as he snapped her hand off really quickly 😂

[@santiandres5177]

Came here to say this. Suckaaa

[@pittviper6320]

His eyes lit up when he was offered £100!!

[@nsjohnston]

That's a £35-£50 bike all day long.

[@chrissr318]

unless it 2020 then he could sell it for $200

[@MrUniverse]

It's probably an antique. So...

[@texabara]

To motivate people to ride bikes, those 100 ($£€) bikes are first option, not those 1000. Good job!!

[@lavonnealexander6936]

Very true!

[@woutervanr]

Having riden hundreds of kms on cheaper bikes I'm fairly certain that yes, you can ride 100miles on it, easily. If you can ride 100 miles on a bike, you can ride it on any bike. Just a little slower maybe ;)

[@ursoulspure]

Totally agree. As long as you have the brakes and pads adjusted properly and good tires and tubes you're good to go. Surprised she or someone at GCN didn't true her wheels. Front was easy to see wobble.

[@marcuspartridge11]

Not sure about the "easy" part, but it can be done.

[@aangl1866]

The DA pedals are more than a 100 quid and that doesn’t include the saddle. This is like the old days of the tour when everybody rode a Huffy

[@ucanskixc568]

@@ursoulspure I agree wheels would have been one of the first things I would have trued.

[@woutervanr]

@@ursoulspure Well yes, just becasue it was cheap doesn't mean you shouldn't care for it. You won't be changing any expensive parts, but making sure the wheels, tires and brakes are alright won't break the bank and pays of bigtime.

[@throx]

Any gears left? Nope... Grind away. : Me up every single climb.

[@dalebarnell4564]

Low gear is within you Grasshopper.

[@123moof]

Love my 24/42 low gear. Any slower than that will do is better done walking.

[@throx]

If I could get a 10/52 on my road bike setup, we might have something!

[@Gmny1MOA]

Me af 😂😂

[@KenFingerlove]

I'm riding 34/25 around some fairly steep stuff I used to do in my youth on a 39/23 - years of a 34/28 have spoiled me :D

[@Active-Cyclist]

Thank you for this video. I completed 63 miles on a 1985 Trek road bike with all original equipment last year. My experience was similar with the downtube shifting, old brake pads, and the difficulty braking on the levers (mine did not have the top bar levers). It is reassuring when a pro has an experience I can share in my rookie riding experience. My true century ride, not metric, will be on a brand new road bike and I expect the 100 miles to feel like the 100 k.

[@raymondgrieve5775]

I bought a Raleigh Record and did it up 2 years ago and have ridden long distances on it. It weighed 10.5kg and the ride was amazing every time.

[@simonm1447]

10.5 kg is still light - a new XC mountainbike without carbon fiber stuff is 14 kg, and my road bike converted from a trekking bike with trekking, XC parts and road tires is around 13 kg.

[@Pesmog]

I rode my Cube Trekking bike today for 50 miles on unsurfaced cross country trails. The bike with panniers tools water bottles assorted junk etc comes out at 25kg. I dont think I have ever ridden a bike less than 12kg.

[@brucesimian3743]

I had a Raleigh Record back in the early-mid 80's. It was a badass bike then, super light and fast.

[@GRAHAMAUS]

Haha, "will you do it for £100?". He was only looking for £30 ;-)

[@Bryanchappell3188]

I watched this today while eating french fries and a buffalo chicken wrap...ever notice that food tastes twice as good when you are watching someone else suffer while eating it? Manon is definitely my favorite presenter!

[@robandrews2053]

I ride one like this every day, I adore the thing, and that one’s lovely! And will have no problem at all using it for 100 miles! In fact I am, I’m using it for Ride London 2022 :)

[@ibfrenchy]

Manon you're a great presenter, great job on the ride! Enjoyed watching you struggle with the gears... as I grew up using those :)

[@soarstar]

I just purchased a 1990 Specialized Rockhopper for $50. It's in great shape / works perfectly. It's really making me question bikes I own that cost nearly 50 times as much. These old steel workhorses get the job done.

[@jackieau5374]

I rode for years on a beater bike like that. It was one of my most prized possessions. It served me well, and when I finally upgraded to a slightly more expensive bike (around $500 which isn't a very expensive bike!) it made me a better rider. That old heavy bike took me to the places I wanted to go and gave me an appreciation for the tools we love. So, I loved this video!!