Following Tory Werne's posting yesterday on the above subject . As a teenager and
a newcomer to the sport in 1948 at the age of 17 years I had to add my comments
on the subject although none has appeared on the open list.
Being just after the war we club folk at that time were a mixed bunch of enthusiasts
in our approach to the sport joining in with former experienced members just coming
back from the various duties of wartime Britain. Many of these folk came back after
five long years to retrieve their pre war machines from storage and we younger folk
were begining to start out with all steel made goods in great shortage and with little
financial or choice to purchase the bike of our dreams.
Having said that I can only speak as a member of my local club and others whom
I met both in competition and socially in the South London and Home Counties area
As regards the choice of frame and components it really depended on which part of
the sport folk chose to take part in ie. racer or tourist and their personal selection
of their needs. I and many of my colleagues always strictly chose only the British
frame and components although there was the exception with some others which
did prefer French and Italian goods Campag and Simplex among the most notable.
Again it was all down costs and as I and many others were apprentices in various
trades found it a stumbling block and used of the hire purchase method of paying
our way. British goods were in majority at the time in early post war Britain.
If it had'nt been the demise of the British manufacturing of cycling goods I would
still only have components made in this country today to go on my British bikes.
I can only dream!!
Doug Smith
North Dorset
UK