I go along with Mick and his few manufacturers he selected but ofcourse the it does'nt rest there the list is endless. Everone had their favourites depending on which part of the UK they lived. It can be said that some of the leading makers did spread their fame and became a national institution ie.Holdsworth ,Claud Butler, GA, Raleigh, etc. whilst others remained regional. The London marques were numerous and on the South Coast, the town of Brighton there was Strudwick.Further on Rotrax of Southampton supplied club men far and wide as they still do today. These frames could be found in large numbers around the Home Counties in 1930/50's .There was always a vast number of makers to choose from but the days of mail order being in its infancy, one had to rely on their nearest supplier.
So selecting the Best British Bike for me would be a tough task as I've always had great respect for all those other little known makers who contributed in that era , they I must say kept in line with the best builders world wide. For me personally, my choice was always the British bike manufacturers of the past and still remains the same .Otherwise there would be no point in me having my current collection of "Londoners" to ride and enjoy with others all having the same interest!
Doug Smith
North Dorest
UK