Hercules

[Biker man]

I preferred the b side, but moderators might be miffed if I quote it...

?

 

[Biker man]

And here she is on Pathe News 1956:

View: https://youtu.be/XjNzpWph-io

They were popular when I was young then they seemed to disappear.

 

[Biker man]

They were popular when I was young then they seemed to disappear.

Wish I could pedal like that 🤠

 

[biggs682]

And here's the bike I Coventry transport museum

 

[winjim]

?

https://www.discogs.com/master/13336-Buzzcocks-What-Do-I-Get

 

[Biker man]

And here's the bike I Coventry transport museum

View attachment 615532

Fantastic thanks for sharing .

 

[Chris S]

They were popular when I was young then they seemed to disappear.

"No wonder she wins races, she has to, to get back in time to catch up with the housework."
You couldn't get away with that these days. It reminds me of a comedian on TV saying that he didn't mind his wife being a junior doctor and working a 48 hour shift, so long as his dinner was on the table when he got home ...

 

[Biker man]

"No wonder she wins races, she has to, to get back in time to catch up with the housework."
You couldn't get away with that these days. It reminds me of a comedian on TV saying that he didn't mind his wife being a junior doctor and working a 48 hour shift, so long as his dinner was on the table when he got home ...

I better no say anything or I will be lynched 😄

 

[Once a Wheeler]

I have been told by denizens of the former Empire that Hercules was the most sought-after make of bicycle in Kenya. Apparently, Hercumatic gears made a rhythmic tick-tick-tick-tick when the bike was ridden whilst Sturmey Archer gears progressed in silence. Either the ticking must have appealed to the locals' sense of rhythm or perhaps it was an audible status symbol declaring that one's bike had gears when most machines were bog-standard single-speed boneshakers, possibly both. Long term, it seems someone missed out on a marketing opportunity — or did SA come up with a better ticker?

 

[Smokin Joe]

Back in the day they were as good as any other mass produced bike .
As long as the rider enjoyed it that's all that matters.
Eventually they were swallowed up by Raleigh .
Many famous cyclists in the 50's used Hercules

Hercules badged frames maybe, but the pro team used another makers frames.

 

[biggs682]

Hercules badged frames maybe, but the pro team used another makers frames.

nothing that isn't still being done

 

[Biker man]

nothing that isn't still being done

Suppose the name suggests strength shame they disappeared.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I think I'm right in saying that for a brief period, the Hercules factory was actually the biggest in terms of annual production, slightly ahead of even Raleigh. However the total bicycle market size was declining with increasing car ownership, so when consolidation resulted in Hercules and Raleigh joining forces, the enlarged Raleigh organisation then became the largest producer and remained so for many years.

 

[Biker man]

I think I'm right in saying that for a brief period, the Hercules factory was actually the biggest in terms of annual production, slightly ahead of even Raleigh. However the total bicycle market size was declining with increasing car ownership, so when consolidation resulted in Hercules and Raleigh joining forces, the enlarged Raleigh organisation then became the largest producer and remained so for many years.

Didn't know that something very British in both names I think they wear built in the Midlands.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Mass market bicycle production was primarily concentrated in Birmingham, Nottingham and Barton on Humber.