By this time of the day, the knowledgeable British are all asleep. They could more accurately remember the exploits of greatest female cyclist of all time (Jeannie Longo is French so that immediately eliminates her from consideration :). What I vaguely remember is that she held the all time record for the fastest 12 hour or 24 hour time trial (I can't remember which), man or women at one time. This is even more impressive when it is understood that the British have a culture of doing time trials. The police wouldn't let them race in packs long ago - or even race at all. They would wear black, start at 5 Sunday morning and be finished before anyone wanted to wake up. She set some fantastic times and the 4 hour 10 minute century mentioned wasn't her greatest time over a set distance. We'll let the real authorities in England answer that after they wake up.
Julian Shapiro asked: "ok you ID hounds, name that pathracer!"
There isn't any identification on her frame but I remember when I was learning to build frames at Ellis Briggs in Shipley, West Yorkshire that Jack told me they had built some of the frames she used while she was sponsored by Ron Kitchin - a wholesale distributor of bicycle parts in Harrogate. In other words, Briggs would build it and plaster Ron Kitching decals (well I guess since this was in England I should say "transfers") all over it. He said she always specified "pencil seat stays" which were 1/2" at the top (9/16" or 14 mm is the common standard and 5/8" are the beefy ones) and very slim at the dropout end. She didn't live far away from Shipley. Paul Briggs (Jack's son) was a racer when I was there and I remember him telling me about her passing him in a time trial. "Very smooth" is what he said, she didn't seem to be putting out a lot of effort and would blow right on by. It seems like he also said she pushed a huge gear.
Beryl had a nice looking daughter that raced as well. I would enjoy seeing her at the races to admire more than just her athletic ability. Their were stories that the old lady didn't like it if her daughter ever beat her.
You will notice in the picture her signature way of holding the handlebars with one hand slightly more forward of the other. She died riding her bike before she was 60 (I think) and was found by the side of the road. I'm not sure if that mystery was ever solved.
Doug Fattic Niles, Michigan
From: Julian Shapiro <julians@optonline.net> Subject: Re: [CR]Now: riding like a girl
Never mind the cheesecake. How about a 4' 10" century? I give you the very great and under-appreciated Beryl Burton:
http://www.boxowires.com/
ok you ID hounds, name that pathracer!
Julian Shapiro
Sag Harbor, NY