Here's Bobbie the Bobbin Bicycle not long after I got her from
three years ago. I can't believe I've never properly posted about her as she is such a huge part of my life. She's actually a purple Glorie bicycle and it was love at first sight. Actually it was more like stiff competition from a Pashley Princess but after test driving each two times around Myddleton Square when the Bobbin Bicycle shop was on Arlington Way. I took a Glorie out for a third go and decided that she just seemed to get going a bit quicker than the Pashley and I had more fun on the Glorie. From test drive to purchase to everytime I stopped by this shop or while they were at St John Street the whole Bobbin crew were so relaxed, helpful and lovely. I even brought them some chutney after they tweaked a dynamo for me free of charge. The next decision was which colour - at the time they were available in green, red, blue, black and purple. After much deliberation I went with purple which is a colour that I love and I felt it was an everyday colour.
Not long after I had Bobbie I started doing regular markets, lugging 60 kilos of chutney around in suitcases and backpacks which resulted in backache and bruising. I was trading at a View Tube event and explaining my situation to a gentleman as he was sampling some six-pepper jelly. He said, "You need to get yourself a cycle trailer, go speak to the guys here," and handed me his card, he was the proprietor of
near Victoria Park. I went there the next day and they showed me their different cycle trailers and I ordered a
which arrived at Bikeworks a few days later and they set it up for me and gave me some cycle trailer tips as I was a bit nervous. The Y-Frame trailer is one of the best purchases that I have ever made, along with Bobbie of course. It has meant that I can cycle up to 90 kilos of chutney or whatever around town with ease. Here are a few of the loads that Bobbie has transported:
I eventually got rid of my wicker basket on the front because I prefer to see the road and I like the look of Bobbie without a basket. I did attach some Basel wire panier baskets to the rear rack which are amazing! They fold out when needed and it means that I can place any handbag, shopping, etc in there and fold them up when they're empty.
This was probably the heaviest load most awkward load that Bobbie has coped with, a red antique chair is on the trailer protected by a duvet and the wire paniers are stuffed with all sorts and the rear rack is topped with my Patagonia courier bag which is bursting at the seams.
This was an awkward load which required many bungee cords. I took two redundant printers to the St John Community Centre where young people fix them up and sell them. One is an A3 printer and both were incompatible with my Mac drivers.
I've also used Bobbie and the trailer to transport a sewing machine, locker, many large shopping and wine purchases as well as countless trips back and forth to market. Bobbin Bicycles are now all over the world and in so many amazing varieties and colours, sadly I think the Glorie is no longer offered. Friends have called her the Rolls-Royce of bicycles. She's a proper workhorse and a dream to cycle...she is a bit heavy, but she's my Bobbie.