1930 Lines Bros (Tri-ang) 'Fairycycle' – The Online Bicycle Museum

1930 Lines Bros (Tri-ang) ‘Fairycycle’

Come on you chaps! Look at this Fairycycle! With balloon pneumatic tyres, powerful brakes and glittering handlebars – what a bike! What a proud machine to ride! Fancy going out to tea on it! Fancy turning up at school on it! Fancy other chaops crawling round! Yes, you must wangle a Fairycycle.

1930 Lines Bros (Tri-ang) ‘Fairycycle’

13″ Frame

12″ Wheels with Solid Tyres

LENGTH: 40″

After the Fairy, Fay and Colson companies merged in 1917, they named their child’s ‘pavement cycle’ or ‘park cycle’ the ‘Fairycycle’. It was well-built and popular and sold well. Other companies copied the design and these became known as ‘Fairycycles’ as a generic term for the style.

You can see that this example is British because of the style of the front plunger brake and chainwheel. Lines Bros exchanged model licenses with American manufacturers. Triang bikes and trikes were known in the USA as ‘English Style’, and in Britain Lines Bros sold their own version of the ‘Fairycycle’.

This example has been well cared-for, except for the saddle which has a split. I recently bought it from a museum where, unfortunately, one of their visitors had sat on the bike and broken the saddle.

As well as liking this distinctive bicycle design, I enjoy the fact that the same model is advertised on the side of Triang buses (below).

LINES BROS LTD

(TRIANGTOIS)

Old Kent Rd, London

Happy are the owners of Fairy Bikes – Velocipedes, Scooters, Tricycles, Coasters – each ride so gracefully, speedily and safely. Only Fairy Bikes are made exactly like you want them and last the way your parents hope they will.

Playtime is always joytime on a Fairy. What fun you can have! Out in the glorious sun, riding here and there in the fresh air, building strong, healthy bodies.

Tell Dad and Mother to get you a Fairy because a Fairy costs no more and is so much stronger and better than ordinary bikes, rides so smoothly and looks so bright and gay.

– Fairy Cycle Advert