Les Vince Cyclemaker of Bath info.

[Stamford]

Thanks again guys..your help is greatly appreciated
I've had a reply from the cycle club in Bath and it may shed some more info in the next few days and I'll keep things up to date.

 

[BalkanExpress]

Lovely looking bikes

Here is a little more info on the front hub

http://velobase.com/ViewComponent.aspx?ID=abb35a8e-44aa-4477-b003-9fa01c0a8720&Enum=110

 

[Illaveago]

I said that I would try to do a bit of research into Les Vince Invincible Cycles so I popped into Bath Records Office today and found the following information.
Leslie. R. Vince was born in 1905 and died in 1981 at the age of 76.
In the records of Bath in the 1930's it listed him as a cycle agent and mechanic. I also discovered that he had premises at 7a Northgate Street and Broad Street.
He was President of the Bath Wheelers and Vice President of the Bath Cycle Club.
Here is a copy of a section from the Bath Evening Chronicle from 1st March 1972.

 

[Letmein123]

I,ve a couple of old steel bikes from Les Vince "The Invincible" Cyclemaker of Bath.Ive looking for any info regarding the frame builder as I,m not finding much online.If anyone has any links or could direct me in the right direction,I would be grateful..
Thansk

Dear fellow member, I lived at Chippenham (Marshfield Road) in the fifties. I was a schoolboy cycling fanatic and often attended the local time trials as a marker, probably around 1955. Les Vince was a cycle repairer and had a shop in Bath not too far from the railway station, at that time he was a repairer and I do not think he was manufacturing frames, I think
those days had gone but I may be mistaken - when I visited him he was on his own but I think he was a somebody of note in his day. Time has made me forget (I am 74 years and still an avid cyclist in Thailand) but I seem to remember Les had a
continental accent but I may be wrong - he was certainly a very helpful guy but probably long dead now.
A couple of times I travelled from Chippenham to Bath on the train to have Les build me new lightweight wheels which he would do on the spot right in front of me - fascinating to watch somebody so expert building wheels.

There were many Les Vince bicycles around at this time, but like you I cannot find any more information on the internet but it was in the days of Claud Butler's popularity.

Another prominent repairer in those days was Terry Hatter of Melksham who was the repairer for a big cycle outfit there
who I knew personally - and from whom I purchased my first Rotrax frame.

The more I write the more memories it uncovers as those were the days of cycling before motorcycles became popular.

 

[Letmein123]

Further to my posting regarding LES VINCE I now see his retirement notice in the local Bath paper, even after all
these years I still recognise his face in the picture, quite amazing to look back into the past like that.

Travellingman (Peter)

 

[biggs682]

Dear fellow member, I lived at Chippenham (Marshfield Road) in the fifties. I was a schoolboy cycling fanatic and often attended the local time trials as a marker, probably around 1955. Les Vince was a cycle repairer and had a shop in Bath not too far from the railway station, at that time he was a repairer and I do not think he was manufacturing frames, I think
those days had gone but I may be mistaken - when I visited him he was on his own but I think he was a somebody of note in his day. Time has made me forget (I am 74 years and still an avid cyclist in Thailand) but I seem to remember Les had a
continental accent but I may be wrong - he was certainly a very helpful guy but probably long dead now.
A couple of times I travelled from Chippenham to Bath on the train to have Les build me new lightweight wheels which he would do on the spot right in front of me - fascinating to watch somebody so expert building wheels.

There were many Les Vince bicycles around at this time, but like you I cannot find any more information on the internet but it was in the days of Claud Butler's popularity.

Another prominent repairer in those days was Terry Hatter of Melksham who was the repairer for a big cycle outfit there
who I knew personally - and from whom I purchased my first Rotrax frame.

The more I write the more memories it uncovers as those were the days of cycling before motorcycles became popular.

What a great insight to your's and Mr Vince's life

many thanks

 

[Illaveago]

Dear fellow member, I lived at Chippenham (Marshfield Road) in the fifties. I was a schoolboy cycling fanatic and often attended the local time trials as a marker, probably around 1955. Les Vince was a cycle repairer and had a shop in Bath not too far from the railway station, at that time he was a repairer and I do not think he was manufacturing frames, I think
those days had gone but I may be mistaken - when I visited him he was on his own but I think he was a somebody of note in his day. Time has made me forget (I am 74 years and still an avid cyclist in Thailand) but I seem to remember Les had a
continental accent but I may be wrong - he was certainly a very helpful guy but probably long dead now.
A couple of times I travelled from Chippenham to Bath on the train to have Les build me new lightweight wheels which he would do on the spot right in front of me - fascinating to watch somebody so expert building wheels.



There were many Les Vince bicycles around at this time, but like you I cannot find any more information on the internet but it was in the days of Claud Butler's popularity.



Another prominent repairer in those days was Terry Hatter of Melksham who was the repairer for a big cycle outfit there
who I knew personally - and from whom I purchased my first Rotrax frame.



The more I write the more memories it uncovers as those were the days of cycling before motorcycles became popular.

Hi, and . You will see that I am from Chippenham and finding out that there was a cycle builder in Bath got me interested in this subject.

It was interesting that you mentioned that there were many Les Vince cycles around in the 50's as it looks as the 2 in the original post could be from that period.
It is also interesting that you mentioned a large cycle outfit in Melksham as that is another area that I was looking into.

 

[Letmein123]

Hi, and . You will see that I am from Chippenham and finding out that there was a cycle builder in Bath got me interested in this subject.

It was interesting that you mentioned that there were many Les Vince cycles around in the 50's as it looks as the 2 in the original post could be from that period.
It is also interesting that you mentioned a large cycle outfit in Melksham as that is another area that I was looking into.

Hey guys it is interesting to chat now about an era that I had long forgotten. We, my mates and I, were cycling crazy
we went to all the local events, both time trial and grass track and the chat was always about the best frames and components. I mentioned Melksham before, well there was a big cycle shop on the roundabout there and Terry was the
repairer - he was an expert repairer and wheel builder and I knew him as he was my sister's boyfriend for a short time- laugh. I don't think I ever paid for my repairs - laugh. It was from this company that I purchased my new Rotrax frame
they ordered it in from Rotrax cycles then in Shirley Road, Southampton and I built up a complete road bike at a saving
over an off the floor purchase. It was also about this time that I bought a Freddie Grubb grass track frame - most of these
manufacturers names can be googled.

It was interesting to note that nearly every large town had their own cycle manufacturer and you were treated like a king if you visited as a potential customer. Claud Butler, Dawes, Falcon, Holdsworth, Carlton, Rotrax and Viking just to name a few
in fact I bought my new Viking bike from Bulsons electrical shop whilst Currys displayed the latest Raleigh and Rudge down near the bridge. My early cycling days were all around Chippenham.

I think I could chat forever but I think I will now pose a question. At the age of 11 years in 1954 I purchased a second hand
bicycle for three pounds with the plaque "CHASE CYCLES" on it - the bike was probably twenty years old when I bought it.
I see Chase cycles have been reborn to day but has anybody any knowledge of an earlier manufacturer?
Always happy to talk to the Wiltshire guys and I wish that I had a dollar for every time I cycled up and down Box hill.

Regards,
Peter

 

[Illaveago]

Thanks, you have given me something to go on, I will see if I can find some information about Chase Cycles.

 

[Letmein123]

Geoff,
Love to talk to you offline about Chippenham, it was part of my life that I lost contact with and it is good to talk to a local
and catch up with the news.

Yes I have heard of the name "Albion cycles" but cannot remember where or when. My knowledge is mainly from the 1952 to 1966, with regards to cycling in England. I would think that your Les Vince bikes would be worth quite a few pounds. I remember seeing the Les Vince trophies in his shop but I never asked him if he had been a racing cyclist so now I would love to know. Uncanny to see him staring back from that newspaper add - I immediately recognised him even after all those years something about those penetrating eyes - but I might add he was a very pleasant man.

The cycle shop in Melksham on the roundabout was also an electrical shop I think but had a huge cycling fellowship and everyday there was a group of onlookers at Terry Hatter's repair shop - nothing to do with Albion cycles. I would love to take a nostalgia trip one day soon and take a walk down memory lane. Chippenham held its own weekly cycle time trials
both ten miles and twenty - five miles. Fun times for a 12 year old.

Regards,
Peter

I

 

[biggs682]

More great memories keep them coming

 

[Illaveago]

1966 I would have riding round on my brother's old Humber with rod brakes, it was a year later that I was given my first bicycle a Sun Mist from Sawyer's Cycle shop.

 

[wiesmier]

Ooof I recognise Les Vince too. My late Dad took me there once up Broad Street. My first 'proper' bike came from a shop in Melksham don't know which one. I remember Sawyers too. We lived not far from there. Swapped an old frame I had for a Carlton Flyer track bike - first track bike i had. loved fixed wheel and riding track ever since.
I seem to recall Mr Hatter riding cyclocross in Bristol on a coaster brake single speed bike. The local TTs were great as well. Wed - Chippenham 10tt, Thursday the other way round from Melksham.
Happy days

 

[Illaveago]

Ooof I recognise Les Vince too. My late Dad took me there once up Broad Street. My first 'proper' bike came from a shop in Melksham don't know which one. I remember Sawyers too. We lived not far from there. Swapped an old frame I had for a Carlton Flyer track bike - first track bike i had. loved fixed wheel and riding track ever since.
I seem to recall Mr Hatter riding cyclocross in Bristol on a coaster brake single speed bike. The local TTs were great as well. Wed - Chippenham 10tt, Thursday the other way round from Melksham.
Happy days

Hi and.
When were you in Chippenham ?
A friend of my wife her husband used to work with Sawyer in a cycle shop next to the Western Arches, Hinders. They both left , Sawyer set up his shop and the other chap opened one up in Devizes.

 

[Illaveago]

A bit of an update!
Frame number 53 dated as sold in July 1948 .