Tag: Church Hall

March 1st – one of the markers of spring is leaving early on the first Saturday in March to visit Erdington Bike Jumble. A lovely ride in spring sunshine through the Roman Way estate, Sutton Park and Boldmere, then an hour or so browsing tat (mostly) spending huge sums (£3 this year) and chatting to old pals, passing acquaintances and debating bike stuff.

This year it clashed with a similar event in Long Eaton, and it was a little poorer than usual. However, the catering this year was ace – fresh fried pakora and samosas as well as the usual bacon rolls. Don’t mind if I did.

Always nice to see other people’s rides, too. That Major Nicholls fixie is a lovely bike and well loved – you can just tell.

I did like the Moser frame. Whoever bought that got the beginnings of a nice bike there.

March 3rd – Out at 9am on a wet, drizzly morning for a regular fixture that symbolises the start of spring for me: Erdington Bicycle Jumble. It takes place in a church hall, just near the station in the Birmingham suburb, but I always cycle there via the same route; through the posh estates of Little Aston, straight down Sutton Park and out through Boldmere. Arriving just after 10, wet and bedraggled, the dismal weather is soon forgotten. There’s plenty of junk to rummage though, plenty of old frames to dream ‘what if…?’ over, plenty of memories. The chance to catch up with seldom seen old cycling acquaintances and to have a laugh and a cup of tea with fellow bargain hunters. As one wag pointed out on a local cycling forum, the age of the punters neatly matches the age of the stock. There’s huge cycling experience here. I usually spend less than a fiver. But it’s always money well spent.