1908 Ariel Superb X frame

“…really began with F. Bowden’s 1894 patent for the lady’s Raleigh. Although Bowden was granted the palent, G.P. Mills took the credit for the design. There was apparently no development until 1898, when the well-known Raleigh cross-frame appeared; it was to last for about 40 years.

Then in 1899 G. L. Morris was granted a patent that covered practically every permutation possible in tube-crossings, and the famous Referee cross-frame appeared on the market. From then on, most if not all makers of cross-frames paid royalties to either Raleigh or Referee.”

– Derek Roberts

From 1901, Charles Sangster of Components Ltd was one of the dominant patent holders for the X frame design. Its style is very similar to the Referee X frame that preceded it, so I assume there must have been some tie up between Sangster and George Morris of the Referee Cycle Co. As Components Ltd bought some of the most important patents – they owned those for Westwood wheel rims and Dunlop tyres – my assumption is that they bought the patent from George Morris; but as their cycle building operation was much bigger than that of Referee Cycle Co, maybe they just paid him royalties.

The market leader for X frame bicycles in the early 1900s was Raleigh in terms of quantity sold, followed by Centaur for quality – their popular Featherweight X frame was the lightest.

I would place Components Ltd as the third most popular design regarding sales, as Sangster not only sold the Ariel X frame as a ready built bicycle, but also offered the similar Components Ltd X frame as a frame only through the cycle trade so that other companies could build their own machine to a customer’s requirements and add their individual transfers (decals).

Sangster also owned the patent for Crabbe brakes, so their ready built bicycles were made to a high standard even if they undercut Raleigh on price. The 1908 Ariel Superb X frame with 3 speed gear was advertised at £15 17/- 6d, against the 1907 Raleigh X frame with 3 speed at £17 10/- and the 1909 Centaur at £16 4/-.