BICYCLES
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Bickerton Portables
Andrew
Ritchie studied engineering at the University of Cambridge. He worked as a computer programmer and a
landscape gardener.
In the
mid-1970s his father introduced him to Bill Ingram, who was trying to raise
money for Bickerton. This was the first
British business to make a portable, folding bike. As a result, Ritchie decided to manufacture
his own one. He persuaded twelve friends
to put up 100 to buy one.
Ritchie
set up a factory.
Website:
www.bickertonportables.co.uk
Brompton Bicycle
Brompton
Bicycle manufactures folding bicycles.
The business was founded by Andrew Ritchie. In the late 1970s he started making
prototypes in a flat that overlooked Brompton Oratory. He sought to create a machine that would be
easy to ride and easy to carry and difficult to damage. In 2008 Mr Ritchie sold the firm.
Location:
Lionel Road South, Brentford, TW8 9QR.
Distribution centre.
1
Ockham Drive, Greenford, UB6 0FD.
Factory.
Website:
www.brompton.com
Claud Butler
Bruce
Reynolds the Great Train Robber was turned to crime as the result of working in
the Claud Butler factory.
Location:
Bicycle Mews, SW4 6FF. The name
commemorates factory.
Website:
www.tgc.bike/bikes-c10/claud-butler-m4
Clubs
The
Pickwick Bicycle Club
In 1870
the Pickwick Bicycle Club first met in The Downs Hotel. It went onto become both the world's oldest
cycling club and the world's oldest Dickensian body.
Location:
The Downs Hotel, 75 Down Road, Hackney Downs, E5 8DS
Website:
www.pickwickbc.org.uk
Condor Cycles
Condor
Cycles is a bicycling shop.
W.B. Bill
Hurlow (1921-2010) ran Condor Cycles.
His designs helped the business develop its reputation.
Location:
49-53 Gray's Inn Road, WC1X 8PP (purple, red)
Website:
www.condorcycles.com
Cycle Speedway
Cycle
speedway tracks prang up after the war on bomb sites. The tracks's surfaces were covered with
shale. It was a contact sport.
Garrett
Green Park had a cycle speedway course.
Chadwell
Heath/Barking has a club.
Gillott Cycles
(Arthur)
A.S. Gillott built frames by free-hand brazing tubes and not using a jig. His apprentices included Jim Collier, Ron
Cooper (1931-2012), Len Hampton, and Bill Philbrook.
In 1971
Cooper opened Ron Cooper Cycles in Honor Oak.
It is probable that in parallel he and Bill Hurlow developed the brazed
fastback seat stay.
Location:
Gillott Cycles, 179 Southampton Way, SE5 7EJ.
The mid-morning tea was brewed with same gas torch that was used to make
the frames with.
Dennis Johnson
19thC:
Dennis Johnson improved a German hobbyhorse.
There were no pedals. The fashion
proved to be transient; aristocrats were mocked for using them.
Legal Acuity
One day
the commercial law barrister Michael Mustill (1931-2015) was showing to
colleagues a brand new racing bike that he had acquired. A passer-by asked if he could have a go on
it. The lawyer said he could. Neither the man nor the vehicle was seen
again. Mustill went to become a law
lord.
Location:
Essex Court Chambers, 4 Essex Court, Middle Temple, EC4Y 9AR. Mustill's chambers. (red, grey)
Website:
https://essexcourt.com
Moulton
The
Mini's Hydrolastic suspension systems were designed by the engineer Alex
Moulton (1920-2012), to whom Issigonis had been introduced by their mutual
friend Jeremy Fry. He was the scion of a
Wiltshire family that manufactured rubber springs for railway rolling stock
since the mid-19thC. In
parallel to his automotive work he was also developing rubber suspension
systems for a fold-up bike that was to bear his surname.
See
Also: CARS The
Mini
Website:
www.moultonbicycles.co.uk
Pearson Cycles
In 1860
Pearson Cycles opened in Sutton. Opened
by Tom Pearson, a blacksmith.
By
1870s principally bikes.
In 2011
the business was being run by the fifth generation of the Pearson family.
Location:
126 Sutton High Street, SM1 1LU
Website:
www.pearson1860.com
Roberts Cycles
Roberts
Cycles made bicycle. The firm was based
in East Croydon.
Website:
www.robertscycles.com
Strida
Mark
Sanders studied industrial design at the Royal College of Art. In 1985 he built his prototype Strida. In 1987 the bike went into production.
Website:
www.strida.com
Velodromes
See
Also: SPORTS
Sports Venues
There
were velodromes in Catford and Paddington Rec..
The
Fife Velodrome
The
Fife Velodrome, Richmond Park
Herne
Hill Velodrome
During
the 1948 Olympics the Herne Hill Velodrome the cycling races overran. The track did not have any floodlights. The event was able to continue through
spectators who had driven to the event, using the car lights to illuminate the
track.
Location:
104 Burbage Road, SE24 9HE
Website:
www.hernehillvelodrome.com
Lee
Valley VeloPark
Location:
Abercrombie Road, E20 3AB
Website:
www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/the-park/venues/lee-valley-velopark
Wood
Green Velodrome.
Gamage s
department store-built Wood Green Velodrome.
Location:
North London Cycling & Athletics Grounds, Northcott Avenue, Wood Green, N22
7DB. Gone.
Witcomb Cycles
Witcomb
Cycles is a bicycle building business.
The business was founded in 1928.
Location:
25 Tanners Hill, Deptford, SE8 4PJ. The
building is one of the oldest timber frame buildings in London.
David
Backhouse 2024