International wins by Oz Bikes ? Pre '60

Torana68
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International wins by Oz Bikes ? Pre '60

Postby Torana68 » Fri Nov 10, 2017 12:27 pm

Ok ,
So I was thinking, I know Speedwell has some good wins overseas (I'll list some below) but what other brands, not riders, did well in International competition? PRE 1960 please and please be sure of the bike brand or just say your not sure. I'm saying that due to some records claimed by Malvern Star (for example) were ridden on a BSA (Europe/England) but if you know it was a Malvern Star please post away.

Speedwell:
Frank Kramer the USA champion , unsure but this is from an undated letter to Speedwell, in the early Teens "All the best riders in America are on Speedwell's" by an Australian rider Mr W. Erskine who Id guess was riding one in the USA.
c1920's Cecil Walker nine times world champion, was contracted to Speedwell at some stage but I cant confirm he won overseas on Speedwell , anyone confirm that?
1928 Dunc Grey Bronze at Olympics in Amsterdam
1932 Dunc Grey Gold at the Olympics in LA
1934 Empire Games , Dunc Grey, two British Empire Championships
1936 Arie Van Vliet world's professional sprint championship,
1938 Arie Van Vliet world's professional sprint championship not 100% sure he was Speewell mounted both years but looks probable
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Re: International wins by Oz Bikes ? Pre '60

Postby bicyclepassion » Fri Nov 10, 2017 7:30 pm

Russell Mockridge, rode Healing in some international performances. I could not say exactly which ones without going back through photos. He did ride other brands whilst overseas as well. He rode a Malvern Star in London Olympics 1948, (lugless 5 star) then Healing at Helsinki in 1952. (Not a Healing in tandem gold medal ride though).

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Re: International wins by Oz Bikes ? Pre '60

Postby Torana68 » Fri Nov 10, 2017 8:35 pm

thats a start , its not easy as its usually reported by the riders name not what he rode
Was Sid Patterson on a MS in '49?
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Re: International wins by Oz Bikes ? Pre '60

Postby Derny Driver » Fri Nov 10, 2017 9:00 pm

Well i know my uncle took his Blackbird bike on the freighter to England... he trained on the rollers Oppy style. Alf Strom Im pretty sure took a Bismire bike. Both sydney bike builders. A few small races won in England before they hit Belgium. Once Strom - Arnold turned professional they were given bikes and the big 6 day races and european championships they won were on Raleigh Terrot Coppi and such like. As a matter of interest Jack Hoobin won the world championship on my uncles bike which he borrowed after he crashed his one a few days before the race. So that would have been a Terrot bike.
Travelling overseas was a difficult thing in those days and it was easier to find a bike in Europe than to take one with you. My uncle always took his saddle everywhere from country to country. That Brooks B17 was the most important thing. A bike could be picked up anywhere.. a friend, local bike shop, or sponsor .
So i think your search may be headed down a bit of a dead end. No point even for Patto to ride a Malvern Star in Europe. They werent sold there.

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Re: International wins by Oz Bikes ? Pre '60

Postby Torana68 » Fri Nov 10, 2017 9:14 pm

Derny Driver wrote:Well i know my uncle took his Blackbird bike on the freighter to England... he trained on the rollers Oppy style. Alf Strom Im pretty sure took a Bismire bike. Both sydney bike builders. A few small races won in England before they hit Belgium. .....................
So i think your search may be headed down a bit of a dead end. No point even for Patto to ride a Malvern Star in Europe. They werent sold there.
Well that's another two but I'm hopeful of more I'm sure Speedwell wasn't the only one to win overseas.
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Re: International wins by Oz Bikes ? Pre '60

Postby find_bruce » Fri Nov 10, 2017 9:50 pm

The 1928 & 1931 TdF trips & the 1935 record breaking trip to England were organised by Bruce Small so its a fair bet they were all riding Malvern Stars. No one would want to lay claim to the bike ridden by Opperman for most of his Bol d'Or win in 1928, but the 1931 Paris–Brest–Paris would probably have been on a malvern star.

Of course whether what they were actually riding matched the name painted on the bike is a whole different question

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Re: International wins by Oz Bikes ? Pre '60

Postby Torana68 » Sat Nov 11, 2017 10:12 am

find_bruce wrote:The 1928 & 1931 TdF trips & the 1935 record breaking trip to England were organised by Bruce Small so its a fair bet they were all riding Malvern Stars. No one would want to lay claim to the bike ridden by Opperman for most of his Bol d'Or win in 1928, but the 1931 Paris–Brest–Paris would probably have been on a malvern star.Of course whether what they were actually riding matched the name painted on the bike is a whole different question
unsure of the TDF I know the first trip in 1914 (no MS content) the Australians had local (French?) bikes , Mr Opperman AFAK was contracted to BSA outside Oz so all rides over there were on BSA , happy to be corrected :) There is a Master Sports in a English museum from the 1948 Olympics should anyone be interested (didn't win anything that I'm aware of)
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Re: International wins by Oz Bikes ? Pre '60

Postby find_bruce » Sat Nov 11, 2017 12:55 pm

Contemporary Australian advertising (eg 1935) claimed they were riding Malvern Star with genuine BSA throughout - whether there is truth in advertising ...

I have seen conflicting stories about the tandem ridden by Mockrigde & Cox - most say it was a British spare, but there are also claims it was built by Fred Cobcroft. There is a bike shop in Port Macquarie (Graham Seers cyclery) with a malvern star painted tandem on the wall. IIRC it is claimed to be the bike.

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Re: International wins by Oz Bikes ? Pre '60

Postby bicyclepassion » Sat Nov 11, 2017 10:25 pm

Mockridge mentions the tandem that he and cox rode in Helsinki in his book My World On Wheels. It was lent to him by an Englishman, it definitely wasn't a Malvern Star.
Pretty sure Patterson rode a Sun in 49. Definitely not a Malvern Star.

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Re: International wins by Oz Bikes ? Pre '60

Postby Derny Driver » Sun Nov 12, 2017 9:48 am

find_bruce wrote:.... There is a bike shop in Port Macquarie (Graham Seers cyclery) with a malvern star painted tandem on the wall. IIRC it is claimed to be the bike.
No. I have a photo of Mockridge and Cox winning the Olympic race and its not the bike in Grahams shop. He knows that. It may possibly be the bike Hec Sutherland used to win the National title. Sutherland was a MS rider.

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Re: International wins by Oz Bikes ? Pre '60

Postby Torana68 » Sun Nov 12, 2017 1:52 pm

find_bruce wrote:The 1928 & 1931 TdF trips & the 1935 record breaking trip to England were organised by Bruce Small ...........
I thought that too but Wiki says the 1928 team was the "Ravat-Wonder-Dunlop cycling team" organised by :
Norman Broomhall as chairman, W. Smith , A. D. Mc. Heywood , Charles Brown Kellow , J. M. Cross , W. R. Forster (editor of The Sporting Globe and sporting editor of The Herald), and J. J. Maher (cycling editor of The Herald and The Sporting Globe). I see no reference to Mr Small , perhaps he sponsored?

mybe another bit of Mr Smalls smoke and mirrors? Pretty sure I've seen photos of him at one or other TDF ? I have a few articles on the fund for the '28 event and no sign of Mr Small there but surely he must have put his hand in his pocket.
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Re: International wins by Oz Bikes ? Pre '60

Postby find_bruce » Sun Nov 12, 2017 7:25 pm

That was the fundraising team. The selection team was Mr H B James (Dunlop Rubber Co) Mr J M Cross (handicapper of the League of Victorian Wheelmen) and Mr Norman Broomhall (president of the Federal Cycling Council).

I thought Small's was involved in the 1928 TdF, traveling as Opperman's manager but as Derny Driver has shown, my memory is unreliable. :)

[edit] The Sporting Globe fundraising list shows Bruce Small Pty Ltd as donating just £25.

For 1931 the Sporting Globe reports
Because of the depression no public appeal was considered advisable this year, but Mr Bruce Small pluckily decided to shoulder the financial responsibility of sending the four riders that are now in Paris for the great race.
The one thing that troubles me about the TdF is that I have seen plenty of Malvern Star ads for the 1935 record breaking trip to England, but no reference in ads to the TdF - doesn't really fit with Bruce Small's penchant for promotion.

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Re: International wins by Oz Bikes ? Pre '60

Postby Torana68 » Sun Nov 12, 2017 7:55 pm

"find_bruce"
That was the fundraising team. The selection team was Mr H B James (Dunlop Rubber Co) Mr J M Cross (handicapper of the League of Victorian Wheelmen) and Mr Norman Broomhall (president of the Federal Cycling Council).
ok noted :) The Dunlop company also organised the team to be looked after by a French team who supplied everything (as reported)

I thought Small's was involved in the 1928 TdF, traveling as Opperman's manager but as Derny Driver has shown, my memory is unreliable. :)
He travelled as manager in 1935, separate to the team with Mr Opperman, for reasons I dont know

The Sporting Globe fundraising list shows Bruce Small Pty Ltd as donating just £25.
not too flash but I figured he must have coughed up something.

For 1931 the Sporting Globe reports
Because of the depression no public appeal was considered advisable this year, but Mr Bruce Small pluckily decided to shoulder the financial responsibility of sending the four riders that are now in Paris for the great race.
So £25 in '28 but in '31 he found the £3000 ish? will have to look closer but that's a bit off track for me just now

The one thing that troubles me about the TdF is that I have seen plenty of Malvern Star ads for the 1935 record breaking trip to England, but no reference in ads to the TdF - doesn't really fit with Bruce Small's penchant for promotion.
99.9 % sure the bikes in '28 were French, the 1935 bikes may be Australian, but the team mechanic was a BSA employee which sorta points to BSA bikes, would like more info on the bikes used (that means you Warren :) )
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