I am sorry to correct our list master but Ernie Clements did at one stage in the late 40s/early 50s have his own business - Ernie Clement Cycles which was based at Chapel Steet, Dawley, Shropshire - this is almost West Midlands and fairly close to Wolverhampton. I have three items from Ernie Clements Cycles - a gear chart with a list of models on the reverse side - two are welded (fillet brazed), the Wrekin and the Special Course. The second item is a price list which is dated September 1948 with just the Wrekin and Super Course models welded. The third item is a catalogue which must date from 1950 or a little later. The Special Course is available at this time in lugged form as well and the Clees model is available in both lugged and welded versions, the Wrekin is also just available in welded form. Featured is his own design of fork end incorporating a hanger for Simplex or Cyclo Benelux gears. Over the years I have seen several Clements frames with these ends which are quite distinctive with two concave shaped faces to the rear of the dropout. I think they were supplied to few other makers too - but nothing like in the quantity that Percy Stallard supplied his designs of end. However what I find most fascinating is the fact that he has copied Percy Stallard's gear chart to even being printed on yellow card just the same and the use of very similar model names for his cycles. The Clements brothers were not known as the West Midlands cycle industry mafia without good reason! Ernie I think still runs Cycles Clement in Ledbury who import Simoncini frames and Frank runs Sirius Cycles (the less said the better about Sirius - a sponsored rider of theirs had the front forks fail whilst out training!).
Hilary Stone, Bristol, England
> In a message dated 6/3/2003 9:19:34 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
> brucerobbins@supanet.com writes:
>
> <<
> I've been offered a 1952 Ernie Clement fillet brazed frame but don't know a
> lot about him other than that he once kissed Jean Kent on the CR British
> Isles
> page. I know he went on to design some Falcons but does anyone know anything
> about his own, earlier bikes? >>
Dale Brown wrote:>
> I cannot verify this, but my understanding was that Ernie never built bikes
> but had his name applied to them. He was the top manager at Falcon in the
> 1960s
> and 70s. The history of that particular bike would be interesting to know but
> my educated guess is that it came into being as part of an effort to
> capitalize on his popularity and fame as a racer...