1869 English Velocipede

1869 English Velocipede

38″ Front wheel

30″ Rear wheel

LENGTH: 67″

WIDTH: 25.5″

HEIGHT: 49″

(Now sold)

Even though they were built in just a short period – from 1868 to 1870 – the overwhelming majority of English velocipedes have unknown makers. Such was the enthusiasm for this novel means of transportation that hundreds of engineers, blacksmiths, coach-builders, wheelwrights, sewing machine manufacturers, toolmakers, gunsmiths and the like jumped on the bandwagon to create a new cycle industry.

The advertising industry was still in its infancy in 1869. Even when a velocipede was advertised for sale in a newspaper or magazine, few were illustrated. Even if there was a picture, the differences between them were mostly in the fine details, which is too hard to discern from a line drawing. There is no known list of all the makers. So it is almost impossible to attribute a manufacturer to a machine nowadays, and the best information that cycle historians can usually offer is the country in which an unknown velocipede was manufactured.

The origin of this one is based on information passed on by previous owners – when it was purchased by my friend 20 years ago he was advised that it had been built in Bedfordshire, but there’s no proof of it. Wheels of English velocipedes invariably have exact measurements in inches, in this case 38 and 30, rather than centimeters.

This velocipede, built 155 years ago, is in good overall condition, and its wheels still show the remains of their original lining. I would recommend servicing the wheels before it is ridden. It has been in storage for many decades, before and since my friend bought it. I’ve done nothing to it except wheel it out and photograph it. This is exactly how we like to find our bicycles, and its new owner will have the pleasure of fettling it to their personal taste.