Wayne from Bristol-based Tailwind Cyclery is one of our favorite resto-mod shops. Today, he’s sharing with us his latest, a Cannondale M300 with a Crust Clydesdale fork. Let’s check it out for a wonderfully documented Readers’ Rides!
If you are familiar with the term ‘Clydesdale’ or have picked up this Crust fork, you’ll be fully aware that it is a little weighty. This is the second iteration of ‘RetroCargo’. Like everything else, my bike collection is continuously evolving.
Lighter, quicker, sexier, and very purple, this build is a very different beast from the previous steel GT Palomar, which had a Wald carrier and a large basket at each end. I’m not yet sure what I will use to attach to the load platform; the last setup was really cumbersome, but even if there’s an armchair permanently fixed to the front end, it will still feel more spritely than before.
The frame is a very large Cannondale M300 with a 1-inch headtube and a lovely purple/black fade paint scheme. There’s a continuation of the 90’s favourite colour in the selection of Paul Klamper and Tall and Handsome seatpost, along with Oury grips, purple chainring bolts and a random bottle cage. Earlier this year I picked up a new Hat whilst in Manchester (Purple…technically Lilac) resulting in a new nickname and soundtrack for this summer. A group of friends started calling me Purple Wayne and would serenade me with the Prince tune. Weirdly, I’m not a huge fan of Purple.
There are a few parts transferred from the old GT… obviously a square taper Bottom Bracket, because it’s only two or three years old, so it is absolutely fine. A single fender to save weight / get a wet ass / because there’s no brake bridge mounting, and the tyres are the classic shade of tan. The stem is a deep dive into the parts bin. I don’t know what it is, but it perfectly matches the size of the top tube, and it’s the right length.
Flexing with some XTR. The Ingrid rear mech is not a flex, it’s a fake. I had it donated to me. Don’t buy counterfeit products, kids… It hurts everyone.
It also happens to be quite shit. It’s set up with an old thumb shifter in friction mode, paired with a 9-speed Shimano Linkglide cassette. It’s proving to be as reliable as an unreliable old Range Rover. However, it suits the industrial aesthetic, and it was free. It will be swapped out when it inevitably snaps.
I’m unhappy with the headset spacers, I think there are seventeen of them…but it’s all I had lying around in this size. The old Onza handlebars are confusing. The sweep and width are brilliant, but the logos are upside down and back to front in this position, so I try not to look at them.
Overall, it’s a really fun ride. Realistically, it will never carry anything more than camera gear, bike parts, or groceries. I won’t be starting a courier service or attempting to carry flat pack furniture…I’m busy enough as it is.
The kids at school call it ‘The Weird Bike’. My mate Michael says, “Burn it with fire”. I think it’s almost pretty because it looks so odd. Retro Cargo is a niche within a niche. It’s a step up from a basket bike, but not quite there in terms of a full-fat Cargo Bike. It’s got a small footprint and is very practical. I love building silly, fun bikes. They have to fit a purpose and be practical, but if it’s not fun looking or has little personality, then what’s the point?
Although if I were a more organised guy, carrying two different-sized inner tubes would be annoying.
Build Spec:
- 1995 Cannondale M300 frame 22-inch ctc seat tube, 24” ctc top tube
- Crust Clydesdale fork
- Chris King 1” aheadset
- Paul Sestpost
- Paul Klamper front brake
- XTR brake levers and rear V-brake
- Avid SD 2.0 levers
- Unknown stem
- Onza handlebar
- Maxxis DTH / Grifter tyres
- Brooks C15 saddle
- Oury grips
- Microshift thumbshifter
- Crank Brothers Stamp pedals
- VO 20” Fender
- Mavic D521 XT hub rear
- Sunn with Hope Pro 4 front
- Middleburn RS3 cranks
We’d like to thank all of you who submitted Readers Rides builds to be shared here at The Radavist. The response has been incredible and we have so many to share over the next few months. Feel free to submit your bike, listing details, components, and other information. You can also include a portrait of yourself with your bike and your Instagram account! Please, shoot landscape-orientation photos, not portrait. Thanks!