Ever since I read Jim Fitzpatrick’s excellent books, I’ve fancied an Aussie bike with upturned handlebars. This rusty jewel has its original paintwork and transfers (decals) and a slightly bent frame, ideal contrast to a retro coaster wheel set and cream tyres.
What might be common down under is very rare in Britain, so I’ve enjoyed riding this machine on my regular jaunt along Brighton sea front from Rottingdean to Hove and back.
1947 Malvern Star ‘2 Star’ Path Racer
22″ Frame
28″ Wheels
Frame no 7P 31892
Well, all I can really say is “Gee Mum …it’s just what I wanted.”
MALVERN STAR
Malvern Star Cycle Works
58 Glenferrie Rd, Malvern, Victoria, Australia
Malvern Star was established in 1898. At this time, companies took on agencies from British and American brands, importing bicycles in knock-down form for resale locally. They also imported BSA Fittings bikes and added engines to produce Australia’s first motorcycles.
But the guiding force behind Malvern Star was Bruce Small, an entrepreneur, promoter and salesman who bought the company and its small suburban bicycle shop in 1920, and developed it into one of Australia’s largest manufacturing and retailing enterprises.
One very important aspect of his business was the BSA franchise which Bruce Small obtained in 1935, after ruthless dealings with other competitors. This was essential to his company, as BSA was a manufacturer of quality bicycle accessories and components. The BSA franchise gave him a ready overseas and interstate market. The 1936 Malvern Star catalogue below displays the BSA ‘Piled Arms’ merged into the Malvern Star logo.
I think BSA must have complained about the misappropriation of its trade mark logo, because the Malvern Star catalogue of the following year shows a traditional BSA logo.
The above ad is from 1944. Below is a 1942 Malvern Star catalogue. I particularly like the page advertising ‘Speedy, economical transport for the defence of Australia’ which shows a cyclist wearing a tin hat being pursued by bombers.