“If you have a photograph of the Prince of Wales riding a bicycle, keep it – you will not get any fresh ones. The Prince was asked last week by one of the royal servants as to what should be done with half-a-dozen bicycles standing in a shed. ‘You can give them away,’ said the Prince. ‘I shall not ride them any more.’
Upon reading the above paragraph, Messrs Rudge-Whitworth Ltd, who supplied the machines in question, immediately made inquiries at Buckingham Palace, and were officially informed thatthere was absolutely no truth whatever in the statement. They further point out that the Prince of Wales only uses one machine, the other five belonging to Princess Mary, Prince Albert, Prince Henry, Prince George and Prince John.”
– article in a May 1915 issue of Cycling magazine
1910 Rudge-Whitworth No. 341 Aero-Special ‘de-Luxe’ All-Weather Full Roadster
25″ Frame with Double Top Tube
Eadie 2-speed gear with Coaster brake
Front & Back Rim Brakes with Inverted Levers
28″ Wheels.
35.5″ Standover Height
Frame No 568806
(Now sold)
According to the catalogue, opting for a coaster brake on your double top tube Rudge-Whitworth All-Weather cost an extra 14/- and its model designation changed from No 3 to No 341. The description suggests that a coaster brake would replace the back rim brake. As the coaster on this example is an Eadie 2-speed, it retains both rim brakes. So it has three brakes in all.
It was very well fitted out from new. As well as Rudge-Whitworth’s tradtional ‘V section’ mudguards, the celluloid-covered ‘No 76’ handlebar with inverted brake levers was standard issue. There was a choice of either two-bar or four-bar pedals; this one has the older style four-bar (or ‘split’) pedals. Another attractive detail is the oilers above the bottom bracket and on the hubs – their tops display the Rudge-Whitworth ‘hand’ logo.
This appears to be an old-time restoration. It’s fitted with an attractive Brooks ‘B90’ saddle, is in good mechancil condition and it rides well.
The No. 3 Aero-Special Full Roadster model was introduced in 1906. As you can see in the 1906 catalogue, above and below, there was also an All-Weather model.
By 1909, these two models appear to have merged into the No. 3 Aero-Special ‘de-luxe’ All-Weather Full Roadster, below.
OLYMPIA SHOW REPORT, CYCLING MAGAZINE, 29th November, 1912
FRAME NUMBER on SEAT TUBE 9RIGHT SIDE) & UNDER BOTTOM BRACKET
1914 RUDGE-WHITWORTH CATALOGUE EXTRACT
To read the history of the Rudge Cycle Co and Whitworth Cycle Co
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