One for Howard.

"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

From our local Bygones paper:
http://www.swldxer.co.uk/zbygone.jpg

Nice to see the Elswick Hopper cycle works in Lincolnshire in full
production in the 50's. (Btm Right)
I had to keep the full page spread so it is 1000 pixels across.<

Yes, indeed! - those were the days! - A prosperous empire, a domestic
mono-culture, and a thriving cycle industry.

Of course, the empire *was* largely the root of all this happiness -
particularly in the case of the cycle industry, who ramped up production to
meet the needs of happy smiling natives and comically important Indian civil
servants.

"One day, Matumbo, if you continue to serve the white man faithfully and
well, you may save enough money to buy a Raleigh all-steel bicycle of your
very own"

The idyll crumbled when malign forces put it into Matumbo's head that,
instead of saving up for the latest in rod brakes and three speed
Sturmey-Archer gearing, he could get himself an AK47 automatic rifle
instead - thereby eventually bagging himself a Mercedes Benz instead of a
bike.

It's a tragic irony that Matumbo ended up with neither cycle nor Merc - nor
running water, electricity, functioning sanitation, or even food.

Better a colonial governor and a Raleigh sit-up-and-beg, than the horrors of
mass graves opened by despots! - something which the endlessly chattering,
endlessly self-satisfied, liberals conveniently ignore.

"I've lost my Dhobi Wallah!....." <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

From our local Bygones paper:
http://www.swldxer.co.uk/zbygone.jpg

Nice to see the Elswick Hopper cycle works in Lincolnshire in full
production in the 50's. (Btm Right)
I had to keep the full page spread so it is 1000 pixels across.<

My bro in law won a Lincoln Imp in the Isle of Man one year, it ended up
with us when he went to Australia. He was so proud of it - but it was
heavy - compared with others of its price.

My favourite, apart from what I'm riding now - occasionally - was the curly
Hetchins tandem. I was riding that - solo - until hours before our third
child was born. She now has it. I couldn't ride fixed wheel with a big belly
and the Hetchins had gears.

Still don't like gears ...

Mary

"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

From our local Bygones paper:
http://www.swldxer.co.uk/zbygone.jpg

Nice to see the Elswick Hopper cycle works in Lincolnshire in full
production in the 50's. (Btm Right)
I had to keep the full page spread so it is 1000 pixels across.

Is that an early attempt to improve the team pursuit squad? :P

David Lloyd

On Aug 16, 8:33 pm, "Simon Mason" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

From our local Bygones paper:http://www.swldxer.co.uk/zbygone.jpg

Nice to see the Elswick Hopper cycle works in Lincolnshire in full
production in the 50's. (Btm Right)
I had to keep the full page spread so it is 1000 pixels across.

--
Simon Masonhttp://www.simonmason.karoo.net

Hi Simon,

Thanks for that. I visited the factory in the picture not long before
it closed and some of the machinery which was in use had been
installed when the factory was first built in the 1890's . (As were
the ancient overhead drive belts which you can just about see in the
top left hand part of the picture). A good example of the lack of
investment in British industry!

Simon Mason said:

From our local Bygones paper:
http://www.swldxer.co.uk/zbygone.jpg

Nice to see the Elswick Hopper cycle works in Lincolnshire in full
production in the 50's. (Btm Right)
I had to keep the full page spread so it is 1000 pixels across.

Just boggling at the size of the chainwheel on the quint.

As for the thousands of cyclists, I was looking up the figures a few
weeks back and in 1955 pedal cycle journeys were 18.2Bn vehicle km vs
50Bn for cars and motorcycles whereas in 2005 it was 4.4Bn and 403Bn
respectively. So the picture for Hull was actually reflected across the
country.

Tony

Sucking his keyboard for inspiration, Mary Fisher typed:

Quoted message said:

"I've lost my Dhobi Wallah!....." <[email hidden]> wrote
in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

From our local Bygones paper:
http://www.swldxer.co.uk/zbygone.jpg

Nice to see the Elswick Hopper cycle works in Lincolnshire in full
production in the 50's. (Btm Right)
I had to keep the full page spread so it is 1000 pixels across.<

My bro in law won a Lincoln Imp in the Isle of Man one year, it ended
up with us when he went to Australia. He was so proud of it - but it
was heavy - compared with others of its price.

My favourite, apart from what I'm riding now - occasionally - was the
curly Hetchins tandem. I was riding that - solo - until hours before
our third child was born. She now has it. I couldn't ride fixed wheel
with a big belly and the Hetchins had gears.

Still don't like gears ...

Mary

Hetchins - I'd almost forgotten about them. Always wanted one; beautiful
bikes. Do they still make them?

--
Rich B
Bandit 1200S
Take out the obvious to email me.

"Rich B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hetchins - I'd almost forgotten about them. Always wanted one; beautiful
bikes. Do they still make them?

Don't suppose so, ours was a 50's model I think. Very short wheelbase, we
used it for racing as well as club riding but it wasn't comfortable for
sitting up and knitting while stoking :-). Or suitable for the sidecar with
those curly stays. It was, however, light enough for me to carry up a long
flight of stairs to our bedsit while great with child. Lighter than many
solos.

Mary

Simon Mason said:

From our local Bygones paper:
http://www.swldxer.co.uk/zbygone.jpg

Nice to see the Elswick Hopper cycle works in Lincolnshire in full
production in the 50's. (Btm Right)
I had to keep the full page spread so it is 1000 pixels across.

Anyone fancy taking a guess at the gear inch for that quint-cycle? It
looks like a bloody big chain ring and a smallish sprocket.

--
Don Whybrow

Sequi Bonum Non Time

People must not do things for fun. We are not here for fun.
There is no reference to fun in any Act of Parliament.

Rich B said:

Hetchins - I'd almost forgotten about them. Always wanted one;
beautiful bikes. Do they still make them?

Yes. http://www.hetchins.com/index.htm

Tony

Tony Raven said:

Rich B said:

Hetchins - I'd almost forgotten about them. Always wanted one;
beautiful bikes. Do they still make them?

Yes. http://www.hetchins.com/index.htm

Beautiful detailing on the lugs!

What are the brakes used on the blue road bike?

--
Don Whybrow

Sequi Bonum Non Time

Freedom defined is freedom denied. (Illuminatus)

On 16 Aug,

Rich B said:

Sucking his keyboard for inspiration, Mary Fisher typed:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

My favourite, apart from what I'm riding now - occasionally - was the
curly Hetchins tandem. I was riding that - solo - until hours before
our third child was born. She now has it. I couldn't ride fixed wheel
with a big belly and the Hetchins had gears.

Still don't like gears ...

Mary

Hetchins - I'd almost forgotten about them. Always wanted one; beautiful
bikes. Do they still make them?

Were those the ones with the curly rear stays? I haven't seen one for yonks.

--
BD
Change lycos to yahoo to reply

On 16 Aug,

Don Whybrow said:

Simon Mason said:

From our local Bygones paper:
http://www.swldxer.co.uk/zbygone.jpg

Nice to see the Elswick Hopper cycle works in Lincolnshire in full
production in the 50's. (Btm Right)
I had to keep the full page spread so it is 1000 pixels across.

Anyone fancy taking a guess at the gear inch for that quint-cycle? It
looks like a bloody big chain ring and a smallish sprocket.

I'd guess at least 130, and no gears. Must have been incredibly fast!

--
BD
Change lycos to yahoo to reply

In article <[email hidden]>, Don Whybrow
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Tony Raven said:

Rich B said:

Hetchins - I'd almost forgotten about them. Always wanted one;
beautiful bikes. Do they still make them?

Yes. http://www.hetchins.com/index.htm

Beautiful detailing on the lugs!

What are the brakes used on the blue road bike?

Campag Delta.

Don Whybrow said:

Tony Raven said:

Rich B said:

Hetchins - I'd almost forgotten about them. Always wanted one;
beautiful bikes. Do they still make them?

Yes. http://www.hetchins.com/index.htm

Beautiful detailing on the lugs!

What are the brakes used on the blue road bike?

Campagnolo Delta - not one of the better ideas to come out of Italy :-(

There's a nice piccie here:
http://sheldonbrown.com/brandt/brakes.html

John B

Sucking his keyboard for inspiration, [email hidden] typed:

Quoted message said:

On 16 Aug,

Rich B said:

Sucking his keyboard for inspiration, Mary Fisher typed:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

My favourite, apart from what I'm riding now - occasionally - was
the curly Hetchins tandem. I was riding that - solo - until hours
before our third child was born. She now has it. I couldn't ride
fixed wheel with a big belly and the Hetchins had gears.

Still don't like gears ...

Mary

Hetchins - I'd almost forgotten about them. Always wanted one;
beautiful bikes. Do they still make them?

Were those the ones with the curly rear stays? I haven't seen one for
yonks.

Yes - and the original Hetchins had curly fork ends as well, but ISTR that
they were found too fragile and the later frames only had the curly stays.
Fantastic lugwork, though. Wasn't it great when people took extra time and
effort to make things look good, rather than the bland efficiency of some
modern design?

--
Rich B
Bandit 1200S
Take out the obvious to email me.

Tony Raven said:

Simon Mason said:

From our local Bygones paper:
http://www.swldxer.co.uk/zbygone.jpg

Nice to see the Elswick Hopper cycle works in Lincolnshire in full
production in the 50's. (Btm Right)
I had to keep the full page spread so it is 1000 pixels across.

Just boggling at the size of the chainwheel on the quint.

As for the thousands of cyclists, I was looking up the figures a few
weeks back and in 1955 pedal cycle journeys were 18.2Bn vehicle km vs
50Bn for cars and motorcycles whereas in 2005 it was 4.4Bn and 403Bn
respectively. So the picture for Hull was actually reflected across the
country.

Tony

yup one of the old pubs in the gorge had old photos of folks who'd gone
for a ride, considering the contor lines in the area and the brakes etc
on older bikes, impressive.

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com

Roger Merriman said:

yup one of the old pubs in the gorge had old photos of folks who'd gone
for a ride, considering the contor lines in the area and the brakes etc
on older bikes, impressive.

I wonder what that quint was like with two wheeled 1950's braking on
steel rims downhill?

Prolly a good job Hull is flat!

Tony

Tony Raven said:

Roger Merriman said:

yup one of the old pubs in the gorge had old photos of folks who'd gone
for a ride, considering the contor lines in the area and the brakes etc
on older bikes, impressive.

I wonder what that quint was like with two wheeled 1950's braking on
steel rims downhill?

um a mixture of terror and exhilaration!

Quoted message said:

Prolly a good job Hull is flat!

yup!

Quoted message said:

Tony

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com

"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Rich B said:

Hetchins - I'd almost forgotten about them. Always wanted one; beautiful
bikes. Do they still make them?

Yes. http://www.hetchins.com/index.htm

Tony

Nice - and the curl lives!

Mary