Old Ned
Old School Grand Master
It will soon be time for the annual bike-fest that is the Bygone Bykes Classic Display held in Shelf between Halifax and Bradford. This year it is on Sunday 17 April and the poster scan below shows details.
Every year there is a 'theme' and this year it is 'The British League of Racing Cyclists' which was formed in 1942 as very much a 'Rebel' body, to promote the sport of 'Massed Start' bunch road racing in the UK which was very much frowned upon at the time by the two other governing bodies, the National Cyclists Union and the Road Time Trials Council. The BLRC became very successful but eventually, in 1958, they amalgamated with the NCU to form the British Cycling Federation much to the dismay of the more hard-core members of the BLRC - but that's another story altogether!
The 'Founding Father' of the BLRC was Percy Stallard, a very good rider in his youth (and as a Vet!) who owned a shop and frame business in Wolverhampton. He promoted the first race, Llangollen-Wolverhampton in 1942 which was won by Albert Price, also of Wolverhampton. As a point of interest, the second placed rider by the name of Anslow, rode an 85" FIXED wheel!
To celebrate this event, the organiser of the Classic Show would like memorabilia of the BLRC, bikes of the period and also, if at all possible - a P J Stallard complete bike of the time. Do you have one or know of one?
Other Classic Bikes from '58 onwards will also be made very welcome as well!
PM me for more info - or if you can source a P J Stallard bike.
Every year there is a 'theme' and this year it is 'The British League of Racing Cyclists' which was formed in 1942 as very much a 'Rebel' body, to promote the sport of 'Massed Start' bunch road racing in the UK which was very much frowned upon at the time by the two other governing bodies, the National Cyclists Union and the Road Time Trials Council. The BLRC became very successful but eventually, in 1958, they amalgamated with the NCU to form the British Cycling Federation much to the dismay of the more hard-core members of the BLRC - but that's another story altogether!
The 'Founding Father' of the BLRC was Percy Stallard, a very good rider in his youth (and as a Vet!) who owned a shop and frame business in Wolverhampton. He promoted the first race, Llangollen-Wolverhampton in 1942 which was won by Albert Price, also of Wolverhampton. As a point of interest, the second placed rider by the name of Anslow, rode an 85" FIXED wheel!
To celebrate this event, the organiser of the Classic Show would like memorabilia of the BLRC, bikes of the period and also, if at all possible - a P J Stallard complete bike of the time. Do you have one or know of one?
Other Classic Bikes from '58 onwards will also be made very welcome as well!
PM me for more info - or if you can source a P J Stallard bike.