The Cycle Industry
Contents
Traces the bicycle's origins from the 1868 Coventry velocipede through the evolution of the high-wheel ordinary.
p. 1
Describes how the tricycle emerged to address the dangers of the high bicycle and its subsequent decline.
p. 17
Examines the tandem bicycle's appeal and mechanics despite its limited popularity compared to single machines.
p. 24
Reviews the challenges early manufacturers faced sourcing and developing suitable steels, tubes, and components.
p. 27
Traces the manufacturing process from raw materials through each production stage to finished bicycle delivery.
p. 32
Compares the diverse factory approaches used by different cycle manufacturers to produce complete machines.
p. 45
Chronicles the pneumatic tyre's invention by Dunlop and how it transformed the entire cycle industry.
p. 50
Surveys the development of variable gearing systems and their contribution to popularising cycle touring.
p. 58
Reviews attempts to spring bicycle frames for rider comfort before and after the advent of pneumatic tyres.
p. 64
Explores how racing successes shaped manufacturers' reputations and drove commercial competition.
p. 67
Examines the 1890s boom in cycle manufacturing, its speculative excesses, and its lasting impact on the trade.
p. 71
Assesses the state of British roads and the cycling movement's campaign for better road surfaces.
p. 76
Debates the significance of machine weight and the engineering compromises between lightness and durability.
p. 81
Compares British and Continental cycle designs and describes the European market for British machines.
p. 84
Describes the deployment of bicycles by military forces and other specialist uses in wartime service.
p. 87
Provides a detailed tour of a cycle factory, from frame building and machining through to finishing and assembly.
p. 91
Catalogues the wide range of lamps, bags, bells, and other accessories supplied with or alongside bicycles.
p. 96
Celebrates long-distance record journeys that demonstrated the bicycle's endurance and advertised the industry.
p. 102
Traces the motor cycle's development from motorised bicycles and tricycles to the modern petrol-engine machine.
p. 105
Speculates on the cycle industry's prospects amid competition from motor vehicles and changing public tastes.
p. 115