Classic images from the 30s, 40s and 50s

Here is an image of Nina Beynon from the Cambridge Section of the V-CC, looking very stylish on her 1949 Claud Butler, at the finish of the 1952 National Championship 50-mile Time Trial.

Nina also supplied us with this image, the start of one of the first massed-start races for women in the UK, in which she took part.  It too was 1952, and the event was held on the airfield circuit at Stapleford Tawney in Essex.


Thanks to Nina for these 2 images

This fine group of men made up the Newmarket and District CC Team in the Divisional  Road Race Championships of 1952.  Note South of France bars on the left and the Bates frame second from right.  The likely looking lad in the middle (on machine) is Dave Peck who had just finished second.   He tells me that he was on a Hetchins fitted with Madison bars on Cinelli badged stem with Weinmann brakes, Gnutti cranks, 5-speed Simplex and sprints with Dunlop No 3 tubs. The riders at either end are on Holdsworths.

A classic image of a Bates time-trial machine in full flight, we would guess from pre- or post-WW2.  Obviously riding on tubs and fixed with front Resillian brake and Chater chainset.  Note obligatory bell in this era.  Lamp bracket's were optional though.  In this period riders had to wear black so as to be inconspicuous.

This image shows Dave Keeler of the Vegetarian C & AC riding in the 1958 North Road 24-hour time trial event. He is on a Mercian Vincitore equipped with a Paris-Roubaix gear which, although had been used in Italy in the early 50s, was very rare in the time-trialling community in the UK at this time.   Dave also used this machine to break the Land's End to John o Groats record in the same year.

Toni Merkens seen on the track riding a 6-day cycle race at Wembley.  Hetchins used to sponsor riders at this event and Merkens here is on the 6-day Model with curly stays, very close clearance, track ends, and of course a 'Merkens' droopy stem with his steel track bars.

Ken Hogg of the West Suffolk Wheelers riding in the Cambs. R C Middlemarkers 25-mile time trial on 15th May 1949. Ken is riding an S J Braham with KP rims on Baylis Wiley hubs, Chater cranks, GB brakes, pump under top tube in clips, the obligatory bell on his left bar end plus not-obligatory rear lamp.

Another image of Ken, this time on a Holdsworth Cyclone with Bailey bars, and a bottle. The wheels are Dunlop Alloy HPs on small-flange Airlites.  
Ken is riding a 50-mile event and has been handed a sponge which he has in his hand.
Ken has cycled all his life, not owning a car, and still rides regularly on a modern Mercian.

Another image of Ken as stoker on a pre-war tandem with 26" wheels and fixed-wheel, Chater cranks, Resillian brakes and a Major Taylor stem on the front. The riders will be approaching the finish as the background depicts the 40/50s scene to a 'T' - bikes against the hedge and in the ditches, these will be marshalls, timekeepers and spectators.
 
Ken has just reached his 80th birthday and still cycles every week having just acquired a new all-carbon Cannondale road bike!

Keith Davis Tubby riding in a 72" restricted 25 mile TT in March 1953
Gillott Fleur de Lys on tubs with CO2 inflater under seat.........

Ray Barker of Norwich Amateur BC at the start of Braintree 25 in 1953 which he won, with EACC taking the team prize

These three images from
K D Tubby