JAMES STARLEY ON THIS 1885 ROVER MODEL
1885 Starley & Sutton Rover (Replica)
Prototype Model
25″ Frame
Front wheel 31″
Rear wheel 28.5″
This replica represents one of the prototype Rovers built before the final design was settled. It is believed to be the fifth prototype, with the next model being the design adopted. This prototype was documented but it did not appear in any Rover catalogue, presumably because the design updates occurred quite quickly. The Rover at The Science Museum in London is the same, and was copied by Paul Knight when he built this replica. The only difference I can see is that the handlebar on this replica is not tightly curved like the Science Museum example, but follows the lines of the well-known picture below, illustrating the famous race held in September, 1885, between the Rover and a Kangaroo built by Hillman, Herbert & Cooper.
The latter company was run by William Hillman, who had worked at Coventry Machinists’ Co with James Starley. Together they had designed, built and patented the ‘Ariel’ wheel before leaving to form their own companies. HHC’s Kangaroo was the first successful ‘safety’ bicycle, so called because its front wheel was geared to make it smaller – and therefore safer – than that of an ‘Ordinary’ bicycle. The success of the Kangaroo enabled Hillman to focus on the next step in cycle design, which was what we now call a crossframe safety bicycle. (At the time they were called ‘dwarf safeties’). The Premier crossframe, which made its debut in February 1886, was widely copied because its design was much simpler than the Rover. The Rover was a superb machine, though Starley also had a better publicity department than Hillman. So it is James Starley and the Rover that became icons of bicycle history.
This superbly made replica is a one-off, made by the builder for his own use (now taken by me in part-exchange). I’ll upload a video of me riding it soon, so you can see that it is ready to ride and display.
1885 ROVER AT THE SCIENCE MUSEUM
This machine was built as a copy of the Science Museum Rover (above). You can see it being built below.
