Lea & Francis 1909 Roadster and 1929 Lea Francis Hyper S

Today I had a unique opportunity to photograph two Lea-Francis machines!

In the long and chequered history of the Lea Francis company (founded in 1895), which quite remarkably exists to this day, the manufacture of bicycles quite naturally led to motor cycles and thence to cars. Their products were always of exceptional quality.

The most expensive bicycle of the period, in my opinion the Lea & Francis was the bicycle equivalent of the Rolls Royce Silver Ghost. The quality of the fittings and finish is truly outstanding.

This completely unrestored and extraordinarily well preserved example was in one family ownership before I acquired it, and it was always kept inside the house when not being used… as it is today! Dating from c.1909, it is fitted with the Lea & Francis 3 speed gear, L & F patent alloy pedals, L & F alloy rear carrier, and patent L & F ‘Reflex’ reflector. Lea and Francis in fact invented the reflector, which was later used to great effect on road warning signs.

*Click on an image above for gallery view*

There is no rear step for mounting since it is fitted with the patent ‘trip motion’ device which locks the left hand crank in the 4 O’Clock position for mounting from the pedal, releasing automatically when riding forward.

The concealed roller lever brakes are a work of art, the front one being easily adjusted by removing the cap at the centre of the bars and turning the adjusting bolt. The gear change is topped by an ivory knob. There are phospher bronze bushes in all the brake pivots. The nickel plating on my machine is entirely original and like new.

The finish is very modest with no fancy lining to the black enamel, except for a thin red line on the rims, between the black enamel and the nickel. There are two transfers, one at the top of the head tube, largely missing, and the other on the rear mudguard in fine condition. Brooks saddle with oiler in seat pin, puncture repair kit concealed in handlebar grip, and correct period Lucas ‘Acetyphote’ Acetylene lamp. It also has the original tool kit.

The bicycle has clearly had little use… the mileometer reading of 5780 miles (about 600 are mine) is probably correct, and it still rides like a ‘Rolls’! Undoubtedly my favourite Edwardian bicycle.

In August 1928 Lea Francis had an astonishing overall win at the Ulster Tourist Trophy race, the equivalent of a Grand Prix at the time, in front of a crowd of some 250,000 spectators. The winning car was driven by Kaye Don. There is a fantastic silent film of the race here.

In the supercharged Meadows engined 1500cc ‘Hyper’ he beat all the large engined cars including Bentleys, Mercedes and Bugatti. This win put Lea Francis on the map as a sporting car manufacturer, and as a result the company made a small run of TT-bodied replicas of the winning car. The Hyper was the first production supercharged vehicle, albeit that production was somewhat limited. This Hyper ‘S’ is one of these few.

Uniting these two creations of the Lea Francis company was a thrill. Twenty years apart, they are both the finest examples of early 20th Century British engineering.

Sources: The Lea Francis Story by Barrie Price

Humber Cross Frame Model No.13 – c.1923

This wonderful Humber Cross Frame belonged to a friend of mine who sadly passed away a few years ago, at an untimely age. He had a collection of well over 100 bicycles of all types, but this was a particular favourite of his. It lived inside the house rather than with the other machines. I felt a particular responsibility to preserve this Humber carefully in his memory, and for future custodians.

Thomas Humber was a particularly important figure in the history of the bicycle, both as manufacturer and innovator. He founded his company around 1868 in Beeston, Nottingham, initially making boneshaker velocipedes. He was a prolific maker of high quality Ordinaries (penny farthings), and many racers rode Humber mounts. His 1884 safety bicycle was one of the very first to adopt a ‘diamond’ frame. Later on, factories were opened in Coventry and Wolverhampton. Humber had a reputation for high quality and this led to the Royal family of this country as well as many international royalty adopting his machines. In the 1890’s he designed a demountable bicycle, which could be dismantled for storage or transport. The Beeston factory was closed in 1908 but the ‘Beeston Humber’ name was continued and attached to the highest quality machines, even whilst made in Coventry. Agencies in Europe and around the world sold their products (see French poster below).The Humber company was bought by Raleigh in 1932.

This is a particularly beautiful machine, primarily because of the unusual and beautiful thick green lining originally edged in gold. Much of the gold has worn off, but fragments can still be seen. The fittings are all original, including the Sturmey Archer 3-speed K series gear, number K178481. A Brooks rear carrier holds a canvas and leather bag which I custom made to hold tools, food and clothing for forays into the countryside. It is completed by a correct period Lucas Silver King front lamp and Lucas Warna rear lamp.

I approach a very original and rare bicycle like this as I would a museum piece, with conservation and preservation in mind, and using materials that will protect the original finishes, and not release any chemicals which might attack and degrade them.

It took me approximately 18 hours to clean, preserve, and service the bike, taking great care to not damage the lining, transfers, or plentiful patina. The forks are nickel plated beneath the enamel and some areas of paint had flaked off. This looked rather ugly, was distracting, and inconsistent with the overall look of the machine, so I touched in some of the areas with a thin coat of satin black acrylic paint. This has the effect of unifying the finish and draws the eye away from the damage. The chain case was removed and very carefully straightened so that it closed correctly. Some silver overpainting was removed from the handlebars using cellulose thinners, and a chrome cotter pin was changed for a correct nickel plated one! When thoroughly clean, the enamel was protected with a few coats of Renaissance wax, a museum grade material, which buffs up to a nice original looking lustre.

The perished tyres and inner tubes were replaced. These lovely cream tyres were produced in Korea for the Dutch Oude Fiets bicycle club some years ago. They are of very nice correct period pattern, but were too ‘new’ looking, so I distressed them a little using a mixture of black and brown boot polish.

Trying out a Lucas bundle carrier on the handlebars

The resulting machine is very handsome, I think. I’ve owned several cross frames and have always found them very nice to ride. The upright riding position is akin to sitting on a sofa, and encourages long distances at modest speeds. I’m looking forward to putting some fair weather miles into it…..just as soon as we are released from this disabling and distressing C19 virus lockdown!

Sources:

Veteran-Cycle Club Library

An Encyclopedia of Cycle Manufacturers, by Ray Miller

Lea and Francis Light Roadster c.1903/4 – A study in rust

Sometimes a bicycle is useful for study purposes and little else, being so badly rusted as to be beyond use. This completely original Lea and Francis Light Roadster from 1903/4 is one such example. Despite being very distressed it still retains half of its chain case celluloid, and the puncture repair kit concealed in the handlebar grip. The illustrations below are from the 1904 catalogue, where it was priced at £25 10s. It was almost certainly the most expensive bicycle available at that time. For instance, a Centaur Featherweight was priced at under £20 that year, and a Dursley Pedersen about £17. Note the lovely scalloped cranks and the beautiful concealed roller brake levers. You can see my completely original but rather better preserved 1908 Lea and Francis here. Before you say that this this machine doesn’t look THAT bad, the rust around the bottom bracket is very serious indeed and would affect the structural integrity of the bike. Pity… but its still a thing of beauty!

click on photo for large scale image

Cyclists Whistles

In the early days of cycling a bell was the most common means to warn pedestrians, horse riders and carriages of the approach of a cyclist. The earliest forms were simply globe-shaped rumble bells attached to the handlebars by a leather strap. They rang continuously as the machine rattled over the roadway. Later came a bell with a sprung lever to sound it only when required. If you were riding an Ordinary (penny farthing or high bicycle) this was very necessary to ensure that the horses were prepared for this strange beast passing by, often taller than the horse. As we know, horses are highly strung, and their reaction to bicycles, particularly high ones, can be unpredictable. There were many disasters in the early days with carriages running out of control, the horses having been spooked by cyclists, and there were many serious injuries to bike riders. As reports in cycling journals and many court cases evidence, there was quite a bit of animosity between horse and carriage owners and cyclists in the early days.

There were other means of making noise for cyclists. A small bugle, often made by Henry Keat and Sons of Stoke Newington, London, was used by Clubs as a rallying call. A number of the Clubs even had their own specific bugle calls. There were various other types of pocket horns and sirens.

Then there were whistles. These were commonly kept in the top pocket of one’s jacket, attached by a chain with a T-bar through the lapel buttonhole, or sometimes with a lanyard around the neck, so they could quickly be whipped out for use. Whistles specific to cycling are now very rare. The earliest and rarest whistle here is marked ‘The Kings Own’ and T.B.L.W. The latter stood for Thomas Bowling Lamp Works, after the Joseph Lucas works in Little King Street, Birmingham. ‘The Kings Own’ was used as a trade name for Lucas TBLW lamps as well. It dates from the early to mid 1880’s. It has two holes and consequently two tones. You can hear it being blown here!.

The second is an ACME whistle with a rider on an Ordinary on each side. I’ve never been able to establish if this whistle is from the time of the high bicycle, or made later as a decorative item. Still, its a rare and lovely beast. You can hear it being blown here!

The next whistle is marked ‘The Cyclist’s Road Clearer H.A.K. & Co.’ It was made by J.Stevens and Son of London and Glasgow, and probably dates from the 1890’s. You can hear it being blown here!

The other whistles pictured here are not necessarily related to cycling but I like to imagine they were the sort of items used by early pioneers of the road. I particularly like the Acme Siren, which you can hear in operation here.

Sparkbrook Grand Lady’s Light Roadster c.1905

Founded in 1883, the Sparkbrook Manufacturing Co. Ltd. of Coventry made very fine quality bicycles, with close attention to detail and finish. This is the Lady’s version of the top of the range model. One of the unusual features is the cable operated rear brake, very finely made, and fully adjustable in front of the bottom bracket. The cable loops around the pulley under the bottom bracket and back up to the neat adjuster (see photo’s.) The freewheel is a Lea and Francis patent type, and the chain-case a celluloid covered open-back model, to keep weight down. Chain size is 5/8 inch pitch, a rare size also used in the early 1900’s by Humber, Rudge and Lea Francis. Further signs of quality are that there are oilers fitted to everything – steering head, pedals, two oilers to bottom bracket. The spokes are fine and all are tied and soldered. Wheel size is an unusual 28 x 1 3/8 inches, making tyres extremely difficult to find today, in fact almost impossible. Cranks are beautiful oval section items. Much of the green enamel remains, along with signs of lining and transfers. The wheels originally had their centres enameled and lined, with nickel edges. Green was Sparkbrook’s choice of enamel for their top of range machines at this time, whilst later prime machines were finished in a handsome dark chocolate brown. It is interesting to note from the 1906 catalogue that Sparkbrook bicycles at this time were sold through the London agency of Lea and Francis in Piccadilly. The 1906 catalogue further states ‘The Company does not advertise. The aim of the firm has been to make “Sparkbrook’s” advertise themselves’. Over 100 years on, this bicycle rides beautifully and is still a fine advert for the Company.

Click on photo’s for large scale detailed images

Chater-Lea path racer c.1905 and Edwardian ‘turbo’ trainer!

I took advantage of the recent snow to take some new photo’s of my Chater-Lea path racer, which dates from about 1905. The cross frame design was borrowed from Raleigh and made under license from them by Chater-Lea, according to contemporary adverts in ‘Cycling’. Nice details include the extraordinary handlebars which are definitely original. I can’t really see the advantage over drop bars but you can tuck your elbows in for a more ‘aero’ shape! Similar design bars are fitted to Graeme Obree’s home made bike ‘Old Faithful’ on which he beat Moser’s hour record in July 1993. The Chater has a huge 28 inch frame and the top of the seat tube is considerably higher than the top of the head tube, like somewhat more modern Lo-Pro bikes. It is fitted with a Chater-Lea chainset with removable chain ring. When I bought the bike a few years ago it was fitted to a home training machine from the same period, which I later acquired. The fittings bolt onto the end of the axles and the pressure of the roller on the tyre can be adjusted by means of rotating the long handle to the left. Works well but is very noisy and not too kind on tyres!

Click on photo’s for larger scale images

BSA Light Roadster c.1914

Finding a bicycle in this state of originality is a great rarity and exciting when it happens. With the exception of the saddle leather (replaced by me on the original frame) and tyres this machine is absolutely correct and in a remarkably fine state for nearly 100 years of age. It was supplied by the Birmingham Small Arms Company Ltd. agent G.W.Pyne of Chatsworth Road, Clapton (East London) around 1914. It is the rare and slightly unusual ‘light roadster’ configuration with a sloping ‘road racer’ style top tube but riser handlebars… A bit of a contradiction, presumably to provide a sporty looking, somewhat rakish, but nonetheless practical mount!

The black enamel and green lining is nearly complete, and the nicely preserved transfers testify to the poor quality of the available modern reproductions of the originals which are inaccurate in both design and colour. It is fitted with an Eadie coaster brake to the rear and a pull up brake to the front. All the fittings are the usual top quality BSA items, nickel plated, everything stamped with the BSA piled arms trademark, including the chain and the celluloid inflator. The wheels are beaded edge 26 x 1 1/2 inch, fitted with modern Maloya tyres as fitted to Swiss Army bikes, so thankfully still available! The final image shows an early Hutchinson beaded edge tyre fitted to the machine when I acquired it. The bicycle is light, quite highly geared at 74 inches, and a pleasure to ride. BSA’s are amongst my very favourite machines due to the superb quality of everything they made, particularly before the Great War.

It’s perhaps interesting to compare this bicycle to my somewhat ‘over restored’ BSA path racer.

Click on photographs for large scale detailed images

c.1935 Rudge Whitworth Crescent Roadster

I found this beautiful Rudge roadster for a good friend of mine. It was dirty and looked a bit sad, but underneath was an almost immaculate machine. Supplied to a retailer in Amsterdam, this bicycle was clearly used very little. There is hardly any wear on the components, unusual for a Dutch supplied bike. It could perhaps have been the ‘Sunday best’ machine for the owner. It took me about 10 – 12 hours of work to carefully clean it, remove later additions such as the horrible rear reflector, and remove light surface rust from the chrome. It was a pleasure to see the condition of the enamel, transfers and chrome under the grime. The Crescent was the top of the range at the time. It is fitted with a Sturmey Archer 3 speed KB5 gear/hub brake, dating it to 1935. The result was a time warp machine (hard to believe that it is 75 years old) and a pleasure to ride. Here are some ‘before and after’ images:

Please click on image for high resolution detailed picture

Lea & Francis Gentleman’s Roadster Bicycle c.1908

The most expensive bicycle of the time, in my opinion the Lea & Francis was the bicycle equivalent of the Rolls Royce Silver Ghost. The quality of the fittings and finish is truly outstanding.

This completely unrestored example was in one family ownership before I acquired it, and it was always kept inside the house when not being used… as it is today! Dating from c.1908, it is fitted with the Lea & Francis 3 speed gear ( I believe manufactured by The Micrometer Gear. Co. ), L & F patent alloy pedals, L & F alloy rear carrier, and patent L & F reflector. There is no rear step for mounting since it is fitted with the ‘trip motion’ device which locks the left hand crank in the 4 O’Clock position for mounting from the pedal, releasing automatically when riding forward. The concealed roller lever brakes are a work of art, the front one being easily adjusted by removing the cap at the centre of the bars and turning the adjusting bolt. The gear change is topped by an ivory knob. The finish is very restrained with no fancy lining to the black enamel, except for a thin red line on the rims. There are two transfers, one at the top of the head tube, largely missing, and the other on the rear mudguard in fine condition. Original L& F (Brooks) B90 saddle with oiler in seat pin, puncture repair kit concealed in handlebar grip, and correct period Powell & Hanmer ‘Kingfisher’ oil lamp.

The bicycle has clearly had little use… the mileometer reading of 5690 miles (about 500 are mine) is probably correct, and it still rides like a ‘Rolls’!

Click on pictures for full sized detailed images

Terrot Modèle E De Luxe with Lavigne Chain c.1901

The French Company Terrot made top quality bicycles in their factory in Dijon. At the turn of the 20th Century this particular model was the top of the range and just about the most expensive French bicycle at that time. It is fitted with the patented Lavigne chain used extensively by Terrot on their top models. The chain is toothed and the chainwheel and sprockets have rollers which engage with the teeth of the chain. The chain works very well and is smooth and quiet. This probably explains why this chain was not just a novelty but was used for a number of years from around 1896 until the early hundreds. This bicycle is also fitted with a ‘The Hub’ 2-speed gear, a great rarity, and one of the first multiple gears, manufactured by the Two Speed Gear Co., and later known as the Manchester gear (thanks to John Ward/Tony Hadland for this information.) Interestingly it is fixed in the low gear and freewheels in the high gear. Athough the chainwheel is huge, the gearing is 66 in the low gear and 85 in high. The wheelbase of the bike is a bit on the long side!

Click on photo’s for full size and click again for more detail