1908 Components Ltd Ariel Featherweight X Frame (Restored)

Charles Sangster of Components Ltd was one of the dominant patent holders for X frame bicycles, but the market leader for lightweight – ‘Featherweight’ – X frames was Centaur Ltd.

As the Centaur Featherweight – which used narrow duplex tubing – was one of the world’s most expensive bicycles, Components Ltd countered this by selling their own frames and parts at wholesale prices through the cycle trade, and they also copied the ‘Featherweight’ name.

Their patent covered two X Frame styles: one with the cross tube ending at the seat tube and the other at the rear axle. Components Ltd owned Ariel Cycle Co. So as well as selling them as frames and fittings for other companies to add their individual names, they offered them as Ariel models with a variety of fittings. This example has the same Williams chainset used by Centaur.