Jules' John Atkins Seafoam Mixte

When Mrs PR decided she wanted an upgrade from the gas-pipe 3-speed she used through college, I knew it was a great opportunity for her to get something that would really allow her to experience the thrills of riding a real bike; that feeling of being connected to a machine rather than fighting it at every pedal stroke.

The requirements were that it should be fairly lightweight, with a step-through frame and with a reasonable range of gears. Oh, and it had to be pretty too (read vintage). Together we scoured Ebay for a couple of weeks until we hit upon this guy (or girl?); Reynolds 531 mixtie frame & forks, Suntour VX derailleurs, and some really special lugwork, all topped off with an incredible seafoam paint job. The original drop bars, levers & downtube shifters needed a bit of a switcheroo to suit Jules, but the spirit of this little beauty remains.

As far as the bike's history goes, a quick Google reveals that John Atkins Cycles in Leamington Spa have been custom building bikes since the 80's. I'll be dropping them an email with some pictures and the frame number to see if they can dig anything up.

If you're still with me, you'll be delighted to know that Jules is very happy with the bike. I shot it with the hose-clamped-on bottle cage, cable tied rear light and chain on the small ring for true authenticity. And the mid-Autumn light just makes that paint job pop, right? Enjoy...