The Pigeon Lands

Flying Pigeon Light Roadster Model


This lucky Pigeon began life as a humble proletariat steed - and ended up as a gilded lily

Also known as the Light Roadster model of the Flying Pigeon, the QE-23 is the descendent of a post WW2 Chinese copy of a 1920s English sports model bicycle. Made in Tianjin, China, much has been written about Flying Pigeons. Some love it, many loathe it and many, many more just use it.

I bought one in a dingy little shop near Little India, Singapore, for the princely sum of $150. It had a Hockey stick chain cover, and strangely upright handlebars that werent correct in terms of angles - if it was meant to be North Road pattern. The tubing was poor and so the bike 'feel' was most horrible. Compared to even the most humble Raleigh products, the humble Pigeon just didn't feel anywhere as stable. But it was cheap, and it will get its owner from point A to B. This particular one was an export model, arrived in Singapore some years back, and stored in a local warehouse by the shops proprietor - a man well known for hoarding stock.

To replicate the look of the 1960s-1970s patterned Chinese gents bikes, I found and added a full chain cover and the correct handlebars for the period. I also found better quality rubber block pedals and a better bell (the trigger piece of the original one bent with the first ring!). A replica vintage Singapore bicycle licence plate was also installed.


Fully-specced with Sturmey Archer AW3 spd hub, B66, Pashley grips...

At a later stage, I added Pashley rubber grips, a Brooks B66 Saddle and a Sturmey Archer AW hub. Dated 1984, it seemed ideal. An older bystander who saw the hub being tuned uttered "Chong Guo (China) Raleigh!" with a cynical laugh. It was probably the most reliable part of the bike!


Vintage reflector of unknown origin in detail

Like Russian cameras or East German watches, the Flying Pigeon has a communist bloc charm. Its fashioned in a crude, sometimes clumsy way. The colours are often sombre and the product is usually simple, and easy to maintain - any roadside mechanic or cyclist can fix it using simple tools and basic knowledge. It needs to be. It isn't very reliable.

Once, I took her on a 20km ride at a local cycling event. While we completed the trip, it wasn't without problems. The chain cover rubbed on the chain intermittantly, and the annoying grind got to my nerves. I took to adjusting the angle with my foot in desperation. But we completed the course.

She got me to the endpoint, but the ride had its agonising moments. Seen here: Sturmey Archer saddlebag and Japanese Chair Brand pedals

Eventually, my Pigeon was sold to a young lady who bought it for the boyfriend as a gift. Seemed he found my ad on a web forum and showed it to her, telling her he'd love to have such a bike. That night, she walked several kilometres in the dark, from the train station to my home. My wife and I gave her and the Pigeon a ride home and I said goodbye to my Pigeon there.

I sometimes think it would be nice to have another one... however unreliable it is, it still has charm.