Tag: classic

Pashley Cycles pushes into US – Birmingham Post

Pashley Cycles pushes into US - Birmingham Post

Warwickshire-based Pashley Cycles, England's longest established cycle maker, has seen a dramatic increase in export sales to the United States as a result of a bike originally manufactured in the 1930s.

The Stratford-upon-Avon business produces hand-built bicycles using a team of 35 experienced workers who when seeking inspiration for their new model decided to look back instead of forward.

The retro-style Guv'nor, which retails for £795, has now become a big hit in the US and the region has developed into the manufacturer's fastest growing market.

The firm's push into the US has been backed by its business and tax adviser, Horwath Clark Whitehill.

Pashley managing director Adrian Williams said: "Classic cycles are becoming very fashionable in the US and our latest bike is seeing an upturn in demand because of this. Although we sell worldwide, the North American market is growing the quickest, despite the economic downturn."

The Guv'nor is based on a model Pashley first produced in the 1930s when Path Racers were popular with the sportier cyclist.

The company dusted off the original 1930s catalogues produced for the Path Racer in order that it could recapture the classic lines and dynamics of the top end bikes in that era.

"We are selling them with a single speed gear or with the option of having a three-speed Sturmey-Archer gear and every one has a traditional Brooks leather saddle, still made in Smethwick," said Mr Williams.

Pashley, in its drive for authenticity, also agreed a deal with Birmingham-based Reynolds Technology to bring back the legendary Reynolds '531' tube set used to make the frames on many successful Tour de France bicycles from around 1955 to 1975.

Horwath Clark Whitehill partner Ken Bartlett said: "Pashley and our firm share the ethos of representing the best of the old while embracing high technology at its leading edge. This push into the US is not new for Pashley, they've been selling there for many years, but the new demand for classic cycles is exciting for Pashley as they are the only manufacturer of traditional cycles left in the UK. They stuck with what they do best and it is paying off."

Ken Bartlett's original firm, TB Scattergood and Co, acted for William 'Rath' Pashley when he established the company in 1926.

Horwath Clark Whitehill now has a number of operations in the US and Pashley's is able to tap into this network during its dealings.

Since 1926, Pashley's designs have enjoyed a reputation for both style and function. It remained a family company until a management buyout in 1994 and is still privately owned.

Bicycles are built across the range to exacting standards from the exclusive classic traditional models to the new small wheeled, full suspension TSR series.

The range includes contemporary city and commuter bikes, stylish cruisers, and bicycles that hark back to the golden age of cycling in the 1920s and 1930s.

Pashley also supplies steel-framed work bikes and load carrier tricycles for industrial and commercial use, delivering post, packages, food or vital equipment, safely and economically.

The Midlands cycle industry is under-going something of a renaissance, Aston-based Clarks Cycle Systems last month won the Birmingham Post Business Award in recognition of its growing exports to China, as well as its increasing share of the UK and European market.

Too Many Moultons?

Friction pervades the life of a cyclist.


Photo from Julian Kowalewski's collection on Flickr

Ivan Illich wrote in Toward a History of Needs:

A century ago, the ball-bearing was invented. It reduced the coefficient of friction by a factor of a thousand. By applying a well-calibrated ball-bearing between two Neolithic millstones, a man could now grind in a day what took his ancestors a week. The ball-bearing also made possible the bicycle, allowing the wheel -- probably the last of the great Neolithic inventions -- finally to become useful for self-powered mobility.

But friction is also the primary force which makes cycling possible. Without it, acceleration would be impossible. If somehow, motion was achieved, braking would be impossible, turning the wheel would have no effect and leaning to turn would bring us crashing down. To visualise the role of friction in bicycling, imagine trying to cycle on a lake of polished ice.

Matt Seaton in yesterday's Guardian talks about another type of friction - that between a cyclist and his significant other.

A common one is: "What was in that large box I had to sign for this morning?" Which is a mini-version of the dialogue that runs: "And why do you need a new bike?" This is actually a conversation that can be circumvented, but only at risk of the uncomfortable interrogation that begins: "So, how long have you had this new bike, and when were you proposing to tell me about it?" This naturally segues into a "And how are you paying for this?" inquisition.

My wife frequently declares "you can only cycle on one bike at a time".

One Moultoneer helpfully suggested the best tactic for decieving one's significant other is to purchase bikes that are the same colour as an existing bike. Then, when quizzed, you can declare "but that's the same red bike I have had for ages".

An eBay seller seems to have made some compromises in this department. The listing contains the following nugget:

It is only being sold now because my wife has stamped her little foot, and declared that 17 Moultons is 16 too many.

Though, perhaps the price being requested indicates that he's not really trying to sell at all!

Video of the Cyclists Touring Club (CTC) from 1955

Not much in the way of Moulton content here, but I thought this might be of interest to some readers.

It's a little portrait of cycling heaven. Of course cycling heaven will contain many Moultons, and this video does not. The reason being that the film dates from 1955, less than a year before Alex Moulton bought his Hetchins bicycle, which prompted him to begin his life long quest to improve on the classic bicycle.

It's a wonderful look back into what seems like a different planet. Rail carriages dedicated to carrying bikes, few cars on the roads, lugged steel frames, and a total absence of lycra.

Part One

Part Two

Original Post by Brian Arner

Vic (on a Moulton) knocks 18 min. off

2007 is a year for anniversaries. The Y-frame, Tom Simpson's death and the Raleigh takeover of Moulton have been covered here previously.

In September 1967, Vic Nicholson broke the Cardiff-London record on a Moulton.

In 1962, John Woodburn had broken the record on a specially built Moulton Speed. After the opening of the Severn Bridge, Brian Catt took the record over the new shorter route.

However, Moulton would soon retake the record.

This post on the Phil Bikes blog contains a copy of the report in the September 1967 edition of Cycling.

Making good use of Sunday's strong wind Vic Nicholson regained for Moulton Bicycles the London to Cardiff record.

His time for the 151 miles was 6-14-54 seconds, beating Brian Catt's three-months-old record by nearly 18 minutes.

Both Nicholson and Catt used the newly-opened Severn Bridge which chopped 10 miles off the route used by previous record breakers including John Woodburn's December 1962 epic on a Moulton.

...

With 20 miles to go timekeeper Eric Wilkinson drove past Vic for the finish and traffic congestion was such that he got to Marble Arch with only two minutes to spare before Vic Nicholson weaved his way through to finish there.

Not so fortunate was organizer David Duffield, who lost sight of his man in a traffic-jam with one mile to go.

Visit the original post to read a full size scan of the report in Cycling, September 1967.