By 1904, over-production and a messy rescue operation by Colonel Pope had caused the downfall of the American cycle industry. Britain’s cycle industry still dominated the rest of the world, with a strong export market centered on the Commonwealth, Nevertheless the 1890s ‘cycle boom’ had ended in Britain too, so the industry was wary of cheap US bicycles being dumped overseas.
Britain had actually assisted in the decline of the US cycle market. Patents for pneumatic tyres and metal wheel rims had been bought up by businessman Harvey du Cros (director of Components Ltd, owners of Ariel Cycle Co), which precluded their use by US cycle makers. Buying stocks of superior British Westwood wheels and pneumatic tyres would have eaten too far into the profits of the American companies, so instead they used wooden wheels (patented by an American, banjo maker A.C Fairbanks) and single use tubular tyres. The cycles were sold cheaply but, in due course, customers discovered that it was expensive to replace the wheels and tyres. This also affected their popularity in export markets, even if they were sold at discount prices.
Regular British cyclists were a hardy bunch, and also loyal customers, but cycle firms needed to reach out to new purchasers. For some years, the cycling press had been discussing ride comfort and the strength of frames, and the industry had responded with many new designs for X frames, Girder frames and Truss frames which provided an appearance of rigidity. American cycle makers’ response was with Spring forks and Cushion frames – a ‘shock absorber’ built into the top of the seat stay plus a flat plate behind the bottom bracket to act as a spring; combined, they articulated the rear end of the bicycle.
Cheap US bicycles were Britain’s major competition abroad, and the top end of the market – with bigger profits – was fiercely protected. American bicycles with cushion frames or spring forks were very attractive to customers. BSA did not supply complete machines until 1910 and, prior to that, frame builders purchased BSA components to build a ‘BSA Fittings Machine’ and add their own transfer (decal) or head badge. BSA’s leading model at this time was their Spring Frame, which was supplied in knock-down form for export to avoid other countries’ import tariffs. But they also offered a cheaper version with an American style ‘Cushion’ rear fork.
In my opinion, the BSA Cushion frame was supplied to compete with American Cushion frames in export markets. Because it was cheaper to produce and sold in component form, it could be assembled by local firms and sold more cheaply than American bicycles subject to import tax. It was a clever marketing strategy, but it may also have been a solution to problems experienced with the hinges on the Spring frame – BSA updated its design before discontinuing it in 1905 and sending the remainder of their stock to Australia.
What is not usually known is that BSA went one step further and also offered a Spring fork with their Cushion frame. This is the only example I’ve seen. It was previously owned by well-known collector Ned Passey (RIP), who painted it green over its rusty metalwork. We pumped up the old tyres and I’m pleased to report that this unique Spring fork model is in rideable condition.
1904 BSA Fittings Cushion Frame with Springfork
25″ Frame
28″ Wheels
Eadie Coaster brake
1905 BSA CATALOGUE EXTRACTS
FRANCIS BIRTLES’ BSA SPRING FRAME BICYCLE
ASSEMBLED & BADGED by DAVIES-FRANKLIN CYCLE AGENCY, PERTH
On 26 December 1905, Birtles left Fremantle, Western Australia to cycle to Melbourne, an achievement which attracted widespread attention as it was the first west-to-east bicycle crossing of the country. His BSA Springframe Fittings Machine was badged as a Davies-Franklin, assembled at their cycle agency at 242-244 William St, Perth. Davies-Franklin of Ballarat, Victoria subsequently became Australia’s top cycle and motorcycle manufacturer, until the business was sold in 1913.
In 1907-08, after a short stretch as a lithographic artist, Birtles cycled to Sydney and then, via Brisbane, Normanton, Darwin, Alice Springs and Adelaide back to Sydney, where he based himself.
In 1909 he published the story of his feat, ‘Lonely Lands’, which he illustrated with his own photographs. That year he also set a new cycling record for the Fremantle to Sydney continental crossing. In 1910-11 rode around Australia. In 1911 he was accompanied from Sydney to Darwin by R. Primmer, cameraman for the Gaunt Company: the resulting film ‘Across Australia’ was released the following year. Birtles had continued on to Broome and Perth, then broke his previous records by riding from Fremantle to Sydney in thirty-one days. By 1912 he had cycled around Australia twice and had crossed the continent seven times.
