1910 Golden Sunbeam for Gentlemen

Sunbeam’s All-Black Golden Sunbeam for Gentlemen with epicyclic gears retailed at 16 guineas (£16 16/-), the company’s most expensive machine. The Golden only had two gears, but Sunbeam maintained that their patent epicyclic two-speed system was the equal of a Sturmey-Archer or BSA Three-speed.

Nevertheless, by now, with Sturmey-Archer’s extensive advertising for its three speed gears, the public was at last sold on the idea of three-speed gears, and Sunbeam was obliged to offer it as an option.

These Sunbeams were some of the most expensive bicycles in the world. To compare other upmarket three-speed British bikes from 1913, a top-of-the-range Elswick was 15 guineas, Raleigh Superbe X-Frame 15 guineas, Beeston Humber £15 12/- 6d, Ariel (without gears) £15, Dursley-Pedersen £12 7/- 6d, Triumph 10 guineas, Royal Enfield Duplex Girder £9 17/- 6d, BSA £9 15/- and Rudge-Whitworth £9 12/- 7d. Centaur had gone out of business by 1913, but their 1909 Resilient was 17 guineas and their 1911 Lightweight £9 15/-.