The handlebar grips on the 1910 Lea Francis are similar to those on a Golden Sunbeam – they unscrew for fitting an oiler and puncture kit. It was missing its oiler and the only one I had available fits into the seat post, so I fitted it there, as on a Royal Sunbeam. Click on …
Patent No 14231/08 The aluminium pedal design, with sixteen rubber studded treads, was patented by Lea Francis in 1908 and known as the ‘Leaf’ pedal. Not only did the name relate to LEA Francis, it is also in the shape of a leaf. These pedals were the most exclusive available at the time, and were …
In Victorian and Edwardian times, women were ostracised for riding bicycles, criticised for designing more suitable riding costumes and lampooned by a male-dominated press. Before cars and motorcycles took over in the the early 1900s, cycle racing was the world’s biggest sport. But female racing champions were written out of history. Ordinary women who rode …
I started this Facebook Group in 2016 as a group for passenger-carrying bicycles and tricycles. But it soon developed into a more general group for bikes and trikes, including motorised versions. In the early 1900s, cyclists were the first motorcyclists. The turn of the 20th century was an exciting time to be a cycle enthusiast …
‘The history of the modern circus is deeply rooted in horsemanship. The first modern circuses, which took place during the 18th century, were primarily demonstrations of tricks performed on a horse, first by former soldiers who learned such skills during military training, and later by talented men and women trained from a young age to …
I started this in 2016 as a group for passenger-carrying bicycles and tricycles. But it soon developed into a more general group for bikes and trikes, including motorised versions. In the early 1900s, cyclists were the first motorcyclists. The turn of the 20th century was an exciting time to be a cycle enthusiast – cyclists …
THE FACEBOOK GROUP is for pre-1920 BSA’s only: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Pre1920sBSAFITTINGSBICYCLES 1. For bicycles made of BSA Fittings by other cycle firms. 2. For the first generation of quality-made BSA bicycles (1910-1920) HISTORY: BSA made Otto bicycles in 1880, followed by a variety of other bicycles and tricycles, until October 1885, when they decided to give up …
Though primarily a bicycle group, many enthusiasts have learned about the company’s bicycles as a result of owning Royal Enfield motor cycles, particularly in India where the Bullet 350cc and 500cc is still manufactured. I rode a Royal Enfield Bullet many times myself when I travelled around India in the 1990s. So I’ve included Royal …
BICYCLE DETECTIVES IDENTIFICATION IMPOSSIBLE? – 1886-1900 is my favourite era of bicycle manufacture and I’ve spent many years learning about the various features introduced at this time. 1890-1898 was the ‘bicycle boom’ era. So many British companies made bicycles that if a survivor has no obvious identification, it’s usually impossible to find its maker. Most …
This group celebrates the early years of Bettmann & Co and the Triumph Cycle Co. It’s PRE-1939 TRIUMPH BICYCLES ONLY. …and I suppose the occasional early Triumph motorcycle picture too The first company was started by Siegfried Bettman in 1886, with funding provided by the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co. Mauritz Johann Schulte became Bettmann’s partner …
