Raleigh bikes. BBC4 Wed 21:00

[Archeress]

This program made me regret selling my old Raleigh Scorpio a few years back. Bought in '95 it would have been among the last of the Nottingham bikes.

Hugs
Archeress x

 

[Fenrider]

Thanks for the alert - downloading it from iPlayer now......

 

[Blue Hills]

Raleigh Street in Nottingham? Used to live opposite the factory site. We were told the company was named after the street, and not the street after the company. Does anyone know if that is true?

I'm assuming the prog did its research. I had always assumed that the street was named after the company. Since it appears to have been the other way round, the company struck pretty lucky. Lots of other street names adopted would have sounded damn odd.

 

[Haitch]

I'm assuming the prog did its research. I had always assumed that the street was named after the company. Since it appears to have been the other way round, the company struck pretty lucky. Lots of other street names adopted would have sounded damn odd.

Erm, the landlord told us the company was named after the street. I couldn't watch the programme so can't comment on the quality of its research.

 

[flake99please]

Just watched it on iPlayer. I enjoyed seeing one of my old cycling routes near mkt harboro in one of the videos. It hasn't changed at all since that film was recorded.

 

[Spiderweb]

What about the Lady riding Lands End to John O'Groats in 2 days 11 hours on a Hercules!

 

[Alembicbassman]

I'm assuming the prog did its research. I had always assumed that the street was named after the company. Since it appears to have been the other way round, the company struck pretty lucky. Lots of other street names adopted would have sounded damn odd.

Fanny Chopper

 

[Blue Hills]

What about the Lady riding Lands End to John O'Groats in 2 days 11 hours on a Hercules!

Very impressive for sure but apparently it wasn't a Hercules. Clearly a long tradition of things not always being what they seem in sports cycling. I read this after the prog but had a feeling watching it that there was a bit of mischief going on. She also implied, with a bit of a twinkle in her eye, that riding a Hercules didn't necessarily put a smile on your face.
An amazing feat riding whatever.

 

[robgul]

What about the Lady riding Lands End to John O'Groats in 2 days 11 hours on a Hercules!

I met this lady at a bash at Coventry Transport Museum about 10 or 12 years ago when she opened a new cycle section - absolutely tiny!

The "Hercules" wasn't - like many of the pros they rode bikes that suited them but were re-badged for their team/sponsor (IIRC Tom Simpson didn't ride an actual Peuegot machine)

Rob

 

[Blue Hills]

Hi rob

Can you confirm that the bike in that museum is the one she rode in the record ride?

I plan to visit it in a few weeks.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Very impressive for sure but apparently it wasn't a Hercules. Clearly a long tradition of things not always being what they seem in sports cycling. I read this after the prog but had a feeling watching it that there was a bit of mischief going on. She also implied, with a bit of a twinkle in her eye, that riding a Hercules didn't necessarily put a smile on your face.
An amazing feat riding whatever.

The Hercules cycling team that rode the 1955 Tour de France had frames made by someone else but spayed and badged in their own factory colours. I think the frames they used were made in Italy.

 

[Justinslow]

Enjoyed that, but, bikes declined as cars increased yet the British car industry also collapsed. Sad.

 

[Blue Hills]

The Hercules cycling team that rode the 1955 Tour de France had frames made by someone else but spayed and badged in their own factory colours. I think the frames they used were made in Italy.

Be interesting to know if folk at the time were aware of what i can only call deception. And if so, whether there was any public comment.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Be interesting to know if folk at the time were aware of what i can only call deception. And if so, whether there was any public comment.

The public were never meant to be aware of it as the sponsors wanted to give the impression their frames were being used at the top level. They themselves were not fussed what frames the riders used as long as they looked like the sponsor's model. They could hardly force the riders to use their own brand as they did not want Louise Le Pedal telling the world that he left Team X because their frames rode like a garden gate.

 

[I like Skol]

Just watched this a second time. Still brilliant!