State Bicycle Co 4130 Road
Price £549.99, statebicycle.co.uk
Frame steel
Gears 8 speed
Sizes 49cm to 62cm

About 20 years ago I went for my first “proper” bike ride. I borrowed a knackered old frame from a friend and rather randomly set my sights on Tunbridge Wells, mostly because it was about 40 miles from where I lived and there was a direct train back home.

It ended in disaster. I had three punctures, broke a pedal and ended up walking for miles along the hard shoulder of the A21. Finally, I reached a pub and had to call my wife to ask her to fetch me. To this day I don’t know how I managed to make such a meal of a ride I can now do in my sleep.

There was one bright spot, however. After my second puncture, as I was sitting on a grass verge considering my options (I’d only brought one spare patch), two riders in their 70s stopped. They were from Penge Cycling Club in southeast London. One fixed my wheel, while the other opened his flask and shared out homemade flapjacks. I rode on with them for a few miles, enjoying their stories – they had more than 100 years of cycling derring-do between them – and struggling to keep up with the effortless cadence of their wiry old legs. They were an inspiration and I still think of them when I head out towards Tunbridge Wells – and I always salute the grass bank where they came to my aid.

I also think of them when I see a classic steel bike like this one from the State Bicycle Co. The brand was launched a decade ago by three cycle-crazy mates from Arizona. That’s about as far as you can get from Penge, but those two OAPs would have loved this bike. They’d appreciate its slim frame, flat top tube, traditional 60s colour scheme and those lovely tan-walled tyres.

State made its name building hip, urban, single-speed and fixed-gear bikes – beards, tattoos and an obsession with beer brewing are almost mandatory. The 4130, however, is a big departure. It’s the first time the company has added gears to one of its bikes. The 8-speed drivetrain shifts using a down-tube lever. It’s a durable, low-maintenance option that also harks back to the way vintage bikes were built. The single chain ring is in a natural, old-school aluminium finish. The Penge pensioners told me that back in their heyday, when your gear shifters were always mounted on the down tube, it was common for opponents to ride dirty by leaning over and flicking you out of gear during hill races, which meant a dramatic and often dangerous loss of momentum. It wasn’t all sepia-tinted romance back in the day.

The 4130 has more vintage-inspired details on its brake levers, hubs, pad holders and saddle. But the bike also considers the needs of modern riders. There are lugs for racks and mudguards, and room to fit wider 32mm tyres as used on gravel bikes for better comfort and stability.

For anyone wanting to get into riding on a modern bike that comes packed with classic charm, the 4130 is an affordable and rewarding choice. But remember, whatever the era, you won’t get far without a couple of spare tubes and a flapjack in your pocket.

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Email Martin at martin.love@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter@MartinLove166