Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

brentono wrote:

mikesbytes wrote:Isn't his bicycle somewhere in Sydney?

Right Mike (and Derny)
Seems Major Taylor's black bike he rode in 1903 and 1904- was owned by Jack Walsh.
(on display, but had sat unnoticed in Walsh's suburban cycling shop for 15 years in 2004)
As to where the bike is now? (Vale Jack Walsh- 2010)

After 1904, Taylor retired, for several years after the birth of his Daughter "Sydney" in Sydney.
His racing number was always 13, and although considered by many to be unlucky,
Taylor always insisted that promoters allot him the "devil's number" on the programme.

bigfriendlyvegan wrote: Here's an article about it

Taylor died a pauper in 1932 in Chicago. He was buried in an unmarked grave.

brentono wrote:

bigfriendlyvegan wrote: Here's an article about it

Thanks BFV, the info was from the dated (2004) article on the black bike.

Taylor died a pauper in 1932 in Chicago. He was buried in an unmarked grave.

Actually-
"May 23, 1948 -- A group of former pro bike racers,
with money donated by Schwinn Bicycle Co. owner Frank Schwinn,
had Taylor's remains exhumed and reburied in a more prominent part
of Mount Glenwood Cemetery in Illinois."

Some former racing stars and members of the Olde Tymers Athletic Club
of the South Wabash Avenue YMCA persuaded Frank Schwinn,
owner of the Schwinn Bicycle Company, to pay to have Taylor’s remains exhumed
and transferred to a more fitting location—the cemetery’s Memorial Garden of the Good Shepherd.

There, a bronze tablet reads:

“Worlds champion bicycle racer who came up the hard way—Without hatred in his heart
—An honest, courageous and God-fearing, clean-living gentlemanly athlete.
A credit to his race who always gave out his best—Gone but not forgotten.”

brentono wrote:From the Smithsonian

Some former racing stars and members of the Olde Tymers Athletic Club
of the South Wabash Avenue YMCA persuaded Frank Schwinn,
owner of the Schwinn Bicycle Company, to pay to have Taylor’s remains exhumed
and transferred to a more fitting location—the cemetery’s Memorial Garden of the Good Shepherd.

There, a bronze tablet reads:

“Worlds champion bicycle racer who came up the hard way—Without hatred in his heart
—An honest, courageous and God-fearing, clean-living gentlemanly athlete.
A credit to his race who always gave out his best—Gone but not forgotten.”

The black bike in Sydney was a Massey-Harris bicycle.

By 1902 and 1903, Taylor was thinking of retiring even as the sport was declining in popularity. However, he agreed to a second lucrative Australian tour in 1904. This time, promoters invited his primary white rivals from the United States to make the competition more interesting. They used their typical tactics to block Taylor, while Australian racers saw no reason to cooperate with him to block some of these efforts since they would not share in Taylor's pay. In a match race in Melbourne, one of the rivals caused Taylor to crash, leaving him stunned, bruised, and lacerated.

These activities made Taylor all the more popular with the Australian public, which attended his events in great numbers. Over 32,000 people attended a race at the Sydney Cricket Ground. However, the experience left Taylor bitter. Not only were his competitors blocking him, but officials' decisions were frustrating him. Many of the races were "inconclusive, spoiled as they were by bad judges' decisions, refusals to appear, and the muddle of frequent official inquiries and the withholding of prize money." By the time Taylor left Australia, he had decided never to return:

Ultimately, the public were deeply disappointed by the disputes, the confusion, and the chaos that spoiled Australian bicycle racing that year and often made it impossible for Taylor to give the stunning performances for which he was noted. [Major Taylor , 143-144]

brentono wrote:Skol 6 England (Promoter Aussie Ron Webb)

1976: Introduction of the Lycra® fabric in the production of cycling bib-shorts. Historically,
until this moment, the bib-shorts were produced with black coloured wool and equipped with leather paddings.
Santini promote this change and begin the production of the Lycra® bib-shorts
with antibacterial synthetic fabric chamois.

Around 1977 Castelli had released their first Lycra cycling short.

brentono wrote:Skol 6 England (Promoter Aussie Ron Webb)

... with some views of the Track April 3, 2013 after sanding sessions.
The result of the work is excellent Steps will hold cleaning,
approval by the team of France (Florian Rousseau) and paint lines ..

david.w.kimber wrote:

PS how do I insert photos into a reply?