Dave, Stuck up in snowy Scotland, moving D Fleets about. They transporter them up and where the transporter can't get they drop them off for us to plate in. Lucky there is a computer in the digs will be here until at least the weekend. Racing in the 50s. In the early 1950s most competitive cycling took the form of time trials in which riders were (and are) sent off at 1 minute intervals to cover a fixed distance, over an out-and-home course in the shortest possible time, or to cover the greatest possible distance in the time allotted. Standard distances are 10, 25, 30, 50 and 100 miles, or 12 or 24 hours. Lots of the courses had dead turns right up until the early 80's. Time trialling is regulated by the Road Time Trials Council (RTTC).
Pre-war and the immediate post-war years, this type of racing on the open roads was conducted, in great secrecy. Events started in the early hours of a Sunday morning on courses identified only by codes. Riders were required to be inconspicuous, wearing long black tights, black alpaca jackets and even black socks. In the early 1950s riders were allowed to wear track shorts and short-sleeved jerseys, but still all in black. By 1952 they were allowed to wear a coloured flash on the shoulders to identify your club, but any other colouring, or lettering, was banned. Only in 1953 and later could you wear racing jerseys in club colours in time trials. Take care Mick.
Thats all for now. Keep those wheels spinning, in your memories if not still on the road. Be lucky Mick Butler Huntingdon UK.