Rudge ca 1885 Tricycle Daniel Rudge was born in January 1841 in Wolverhampton. Rudge, a skilled engineer, became interested in bicycles through his friend Walter Phillips. In 1869 Walter Phillips and George Price became interested in the new cycle industry. Price was primarily interested in the business end of cycle manufacture, whereas Phillips was interested in the actual making of cycles. The two realised that to successfully manufacture cycles they would need a skilled engineer to design par ...
Singer ca 1898 Tricycle George Singer (1846 – 1909) was a pioneer of both cycle, motorcycle and automobile development. In 1869 he moved to Coventry to work at the Coventry Machinists Company, where he became works foreman. Around 1874 he started his own company to manufacture cycles. For some years in the late 1880s and early 1890s, Singer was the country’s largest cycle company, with a comprehensive range of bicycles and tricycles. He was a philanthropist and took great care of his workforce a ...
Peugeot ca 1890 Tricycle Cycles Peugeot was founded in the early 1880s, making it one of the oldest bicycle manufacturers in Europe. The company started manufacturing the “Grand Bi” and within a number of years various models were produced, including tricycles. The nicely-restored specimen we offer here has an interesting frame with triangular strengthening struts. Next to the driven chainwheel a differential is placed. Braking is effected by a spoon on the front wheel, that has a diameter of 23 ...
Triumph 1911/14 in TT roadster trim 3 ½ HP 499 cc frame # 190190 engine # 31277 TTU Winning the single cylinder class in the 1908 TT races on the Isle of Man gave an enormous boost to sales of Triumph machines. From 1909 on a special “TT roadster” model was to appear in the catalogues. In the 1910 TT eight Triumphs started, of which five were ridden by amateurs. All of them finished the 158 mile course; in fact they were the first eight single cylinder machines to finish, showing again the relia ...
Harley-Davidson 1965 FLB “Electra Glide” 1207 cc OHV V-twin frame & engine # 65FL1962 video: https://youtu.be/UILHEZyE2VQ In 1948 H-D presented a new engine design with chromium-plated steel rocker covers that resembled cooking pans and the new engine soon was christened “Panhead”. In 1958 the 1207 cc Panhead was equipped with both telescopic front forks and a swingarm rear suspension, the latter’s action controlled by a pair of outsized, chrome-covered shock absorbers. It was a big step forward ...
DOT 1927 Super Sports 350 cc OHV JAP frame# 3204T engine # IO / I 80041 The firm’s origins are obscure: founder Harry Reed stated many times in his sales brochures that the name Dot had been seen on motorcycles since 1903. He was certainly in business at this time as a cycle frame builder and dealer in a shop on Eccles New Road, Salford, and it was here that he fust became interested in motorcycles. But whether he was building motorcycles for sale then is not certain, as records of his early yea ...
Triumph 1927 “TT” 498 cc OHV frame # 701980 engine # 121964 WMT video: https://youtu.be/iep4URgbpOA Triumph’s first sporty OHV machine was the Ricardo: it was conceived in 1921 when the company decided to enter the 1921 TT with an overhead valve model. Ricardo and Co. Ltd. were given the order to develop a four valve racing engine. That is to say, the engine bottom half to be used was essentially that of the side valve model SD and many cycle parts were SD too, so only cylinder and head were to ...
Harley-Davidson 1942ca “WLC” 750cc side valve V-twin frame # 401169 engine # 42WLC9683 Harley-Davidson began producing the WLA in small numbers in 1940, as part of a general military expansion. The later entry of the United States into World War II saw significantly increased production, with over 90,000 being produced during the war (along with spare parts the equivalent of many more). Harley Davidson would also produce a close WLA variant for the Canadian Army. This model was called the WLC. P ...
Wooden Boneshaker ca 1875 This artisanal-made early wooden bicycle has wooden pedals on adjustable pedal cranks. The leather saddle appears original and is mounted on a leaf spring. The spoon brake on the rear wheel is operated by a string. Front wheel diameter is 90 cm, rear wheel diameter is 80 cm. Total length of this early machine is 170 cm, handlebar-height is 130 cm. This impressive wooden bicycle once belonged to the famous collection of the bicycle and motorcycle museum in Falmignoul, Be ...
Draisine ca 1835 The most startling feature of this very early bicycle is that it has no pedals or cranks and the rider gained propulsion by merely pushing his feet along the ground. It was invented by the German-born Baron von Drais (1785-1851) and was patented in France in 1817. Von Drais called his invention the ‘running machine’ but to the French public it became known as a Draisine. It was a breakthrough in personal transport and became enormously popular, with special riding schools establ ...
Velocipède ca 1870 At the 1867 Paris Exhibition, the French firm of Michaux got a lot of publicity for developing the first commercially-viable version of a two-wheeled, human-powered bicycle: the Velocipede. While they were not the first to do this, Michaux was the first to tinker and perfect the design. When it was demonstrated at the Paris Exhibition, the Velocipede brought worldwide attention to the concept of cycling and sparked a craze of experimentation that would last until the early 187 ...
Flying Dutchman ca 1900 children’s toy vehicle This children’s vehicle has survived in complete and original condition, which is pretty rare. It has got feet-steering via the front wheel axle and is propelled by pushing and pulling wooden levers that are connected to a set of cogwheels that drive the rear wheel. The sprung seat is adjustable and the total length of the vehicle is 130 cm, height of drawbars 70 cm. The front wheels have a diameter of ca 30 cm, the rear wheels are ca 40 cm in diame ...
Velocipede ca 1870 believed Michaux It is generally accepted that Pierre Michaux (1813-83), a serrurier or locksmith, and his son Ernest (1849-89) produced his first ‘boneshaker’ by converting a hobby-horse to provide cranks to the front wheel. Henri Michaux claimed in a letter that Pierre Michaux thought of the idea and Ernest executed it. There is some uncertainty when this happened but it appears likely that it was in 1864 (although 1855 and 1861 have been suggested). However there is a compe ...
Velocipede ca 1870 We have no clue as to the make of this early boneshaker; a small plate riveted to the seating spring indicates “Gobley”. She has an original, spring-mounted saddle, restored wheels and unusual, upward-turned handlebars. The frame is of the wrought iron type. Dimensions are as follows: wheels 90 and 75 cm, overall length 170 cm, handlebar height 140 cm. This survivor once stayed in the Wouters Collection at Falmignoul in Belgium.
Coventry Machinists’ 1890 Swift Model D safety Bicycle The end of the 1880s saw evolutionary changes in cycle design. The first crossframe model, the Premier, was brought out in 1886 and from then on development went fast towards the diamond frame safeties with a horizontal top tube. Early steering went via socket steering , around 1890 the more expensive models were fitted with ball-head steering. Coventry machinists’ marketed two popular bicycle ranges at the time, the ordinary “Club” and the ...
safety bicycle ca 1892 This early diamond-frame safety has been restored and comes with original saddle, 26-inch solid rubber tyres, spoon brake and chain tensioner on the rear wheel. Interesting accessories include whip in whip holder and pocket watch in holder on handlebars
Magnat-Debon 1912ca Model G 3-speed gear in bottom bracket frame # 8338 Magnat-Debon, founded in Grenoble in 1892 by Joseph Magnat and Louis Debon, was one of the most innovative of the early French cycle manufacturers. They were pioneers in the field of bottom bracket gears and already around 1905 they offered 2- speed and 3- speed gears in their top of the range Model F and G bicycles. The gear is operated via a rod and trigger disc, with the letters P (“Petite” or Low) M (“Moyenne” or Medium) ...
Rover (believed) ca 1900 with Simpson chain This bicycle has a 22-inch black painted frame, silver painted handlebars without grips, Brooks saddle and black painted cranks with open pedals. There are no brakes fitted, the wheels are fitted with 28 x 1 ½ tyres. The front chainwheel is a standard pattern. The special thing about this bicycle is the chain, an invention of William Spiers Simpson in 1895. “The design departed from the standard roller bicycle chain: it was composed of linked triangles ...
Vélocipède circa 1870 This well-kept “boneshaker” was probably made by a blacksmith. It has got the usual flat iron frame and the wooden spoked wheels are in good general condition, with one spoke missing and tight iron tyring. The driving wheel is 38 ½ inch, the rear one ca. 33 inch. The handlebars are of the straight type with wooden grips and the brake mechanism is intact. It’s operated by twisting the handlebars, which are connected to the brake spoon by a string. The saddle pan appears orig ...
Singer 1878ca Ordinary Bicycle frame # 33197 This Ordinary has a tubular steel frame and 52-inch (132 cm) front wheel with spoon brake. The pedals have rubber stud inserts and the bearings are adjustable. The saddle is fixed on a leaf spring and accessories include a bell and whip holder plus whip. At the time Singer was one of the leading British bicycle manufacturers, known for their precisely crafted frames and innovative components. This quality machine once belonges to the collection of the ...