Hey all,
These are all very nice "little" collections of bicycles, but there are a couple of guys out there--who won't be posting to this group--who purchased so many bicycles that they had to open museums to justify all their stuff. I doubt if hese guys could find time to inventory all they own.
One is The National Cycle Collection of the UK. I'm guessing here, but I think Mr. David Higman (?) or some other folks purchased part of the British National Cycle Museum in Lincoln (?) and added their own private collections to come up with this huge lot. (Correct me on the details Hillary) There are a couple of hundred on display and Mr. Higman said he has a few hundred more in storage in his garage! (His garage is huge since he displays the bikes in an old car dealership). Too bad it's hard to get to. It's off the beaten track in Llandrindod Wells, Wales
http://www.cyclemuseum.org.uk/
I think most of us know about Jim Dicke of Crown Forklift Equipment Corporation, who purchased the Schwinn family collection in Chicago. That huge lot of stuff is now displayed in a two story building, as well as his restaurant next door, in New Bremen, Ohio (Near Dayton).
The funny thing about these two collections is that the Cycle Museum in Wales has nothing but European bicycles and The Bicycle Museum of America has nothing but American bicycles (There's a couple of exceptions from the early days when some companies built Ordinaries in both countries)
I know there are several more examples of people that have their own
private museums, but those are the only two I've visited.
Others:
http://www.pedalinghistory.com/
Mark Stevens of Scotland-Land has a very nice collection, but he needs to round out his selection with some British bicycles--I'd suggest something nice, like a Gillott :-) Mark should certainly get some government funding and call his lot the Scottish National Bicycle Museum and let us all in for a couple of bob to see it :-)
Off like a flock of turtles, Stratton (with a paltry two dozen bicycle in the basement) Hammon Louisvlle, Kentucky, USA
>Mark Stevens wrote:
>Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2004 00:29:18 EST
>From: CMontgo945@aol.com
>To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: [CR]Re: Mark Steven's Garage Made in Heaven
>Message-ID: <ae.5209726b.2d796a2e@aol.com>
>Message: 11
>My head may be full of sheepshit and hobnails, but as far as I'm
concerned
>Mark Stevens wins "Best Collection" hands down. Maybe I'm envious of
his
>Steading too.
>Craig Montgomery in a very Scotland-like Tucson
>Hey Mark, let's trade houses for the month of July. Let's trade bikes
too. In
>fact, I'll throw in my wife and daughter.
> OK, I live in what's called a Steading up here in Scotland. Its a big
old
> farm building built circa1850. It's 175 feet long. The upstairs 1/2 is
our
> living space, downstairs 1/2 is bike space. The rest is undeveloped,
tin
> roof, wooden beams, bare boards with sheepshit and hobnail bootmarks.
It is
> for sale.
> Downstairs
> 1946 Gillott Spear road . 22'' Simplex Champion du Monde. 36th built.
Lam
> brakes. period respray
> 1947 Gillott Spear road. 23'' Cyclo Olympic. GB Hiduminium
brakes.26's
> restored
> 1947 Gillott Curly cut. road.23'' only 2 known to exist. Needs
repaint.
> 1948 Gillott Taper tube Spear, 23.75'' fixed Hardens w/Asps.
GBHids.orig but
etc. etc. etc.