1899 Trent Cycle Co Patent Saddle
Fitted to a 1906 Dursley Pedersen
This is the only known surviving Dursley Pedersen saddle made by the Trent Cycle Co in 1899. The Dursley Pedersen Lady’s ‘Model A1’ to which it is fitted is different from other Pedersen lady’s models and would appear to have been specially built by the company (in 1906 according to the frame number) to accommodate the Trent patent saddle.
According to the the Dursley Pedersen Study Guide: “During 1898 and 1899 the Pedersen was built by several firms, among them Humber, Singer, Monopole and Trent …Trent Cycles were the first to offer a proper lady’s frame, at the 1899 Show, previous so-called lady’s models being smaller gents models. Mr Pedersen also manufactured some complete machines himself.”
Trent Cycle Co also made “…the saddle which they extensively advertised at the time.”
I’m not sure if this machine was one of those first lady’s models built by Trent Cycle Co in 1898/1899 and then stamped up and sold by Dursley Pedersen as a Model A1 in 1906, or if the Dursley company built the special frame to promote the saddle in order to bring in extra sales.
TRENT CYCLE CO
The firm was licensed by the Dursley Pedersen Cycle Co. to produce machines.
Commenced in business in 1892 at Clifford Street, Long Eaton, Nr Nottingham. The 1892 ‘Trent’ safety had several features. It had an adjustable bracket with a quadrant arm and notched edge, into which a bolt screwed so that the whole bracket swung for chain adjustment, there was also a steering lock. This machine was priced at £25. There was a High Court action in 1893 to restrain the Trent Bridge Cycle Co. from trading as the Trent Cycle Co. The latter was dissolved in late 1893.
The Trent Cycle Co. was still in business in 1898 making the ‘Trent’ when it also had an address at 62 Holborn Viaduct, London and 32 Kings Road, Brighton, Sussex. The manager then was L. F. Potter.
[Extract from Ray Miller’s Encyclopaedia]
COMPARISON: SADDLES & FRAMES
The above illustration (figure 48) is the only one I have found of this bicycle: “The Cantilever frame should be stiffer laterally on account of the extra tubes from the back hub to the bottom of the steering head. In this machine an ordinary saddle is used, whereas in the Pedersen a hammock saddle in tension is employed.”
Does that paragraph imply that the Cantilever illustrated is not a Pedersen-built frame?
Compare the conventional saddle below…
The catalogue illustration shows the conventional Pedersen saddle, as fitted to a 1905 Pedersen Lady’s that I sold recently. Observe the extra frame tube from the rear axle to the front of the saddle.
1906 DURSLEY PEDERSEN LADY’S A1 MODEL
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1906 DURSLEY PEDERSEN LADY’S A1 MODEL
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