Original Message: ----------------- From: ADP aphillips9@mindspring.com Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 14:17:32 -0500 To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: [CR]neat pictures of 1951 Holdsworth Cyclone Deluxe
"Is Cirque '05 time enough for British themed year yet?
Seeing all these British bikes from the 1950s has sparked my own interest in the classic marques of the 40s and 50s.
Its too bad they were all such big bikes, they sure are pretty
Ann Phillips, Decatur GA"
All we Anglophiles would be dead-chuffed at a British themed Cirque even if we non motorists haven't a prayer of getting to it! These things should be held in the middle of transit/cycle accessible urban centres, but that's another story.
Ann.. you are the only one I know who complains about British lightweights being "such big bikes"... everyone I know is reduced to headscratching at just how SMALL the frames seem to be. 21" was standard for pre-war. Wow. And 22" or 22 1/2" seems the norm post-war. The British were inseam-challenged it appears. So when I see all these small frames, I'll know who to alert. You should join the V-CC in the UK; you'll find zillions of small frame lightweights for sale. The ones that made it here were generally larger frames assuming they were even made.
Collecting bikes is one of those comparitive rare hobbies (unless you collect old hats or golfshoes) where size really matters; we've all seen that "dream" bike only to realise it's either too small or too big and usually by a factor of two. The sexy 'seventies Raleigh Carltons of late are invariably 20 1/2" or 25 1/2" it seems.
Peter Kohler Washington DC USA
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