The Online Bicycle Museum

MAKERS: RUDGE & RUDGE-WHITWORTH Cycle Co

rudge-whitworth-1

Dan Rudge was one of the founders of the British cycle industry. After forming the Rudge business, he died on 26 June, 1880. His widow ran the company until November 1880 when it was sold to George Woodcock and amalgamated with the bankrupt businesses of Haynes & Jefferis and Smith Starley & Co. to form the Tangent and Coventry Tricycle Co.
The combined business relocated and traded at Ariel Works, Trafalgar Street, Coventry, Warwickshire, in 1880. In 1885 the business was transferred into a private limited company called D. Rudge & Co. Ltd.
In May 1891 George Woodcock (b.1836) died. This coincided with a reduction in trade as although Rudge had a good name its sales were low as the models were dated. The company was rescued by the Whitworth Cycle Co in 1894, to form Rudge-Whitworth Ltd. Until 1896 there was a combined catalogue showing Rudge-Whitworth, Rudge and Whitworth machines.

Start Guided Tour

Items in this Collection

1871 Ariel Ordinary (Starley & Hillman patent) 0

1871 Ariel Ordinary (Starley & Hillman patent) Replica with Tangent spoked wheels

View
1873 Ariel – the first penny farthing 1

1873 James Starley ‘Ariel’ Penny Farthing

View
1876 James Starley Tangent-Spoked 48 inch Ordinary 05

1877/1878 Haynes & Jefferis ‘The Tangent’

View
1879-Coventry-Rotary-Tricycle-05

1879 Coventry Rotary Tricycle (Reproduction)

View
1888-Rudge-Bicyclette

1888 Rudge Bicyclette Dwarf Safety Roadster with Spring Fork

View
1-1888-Rudge-Royal-Crescent-Tricycle

1888 Rudge Royal Crescent Tricycle

View
1888 RUDGE ROYAL CRESCENT TRICYCLE

1888 RUDGE ROYAL CRESCENT TRICYCLE VIDEO

View
1890 Rudge Bicyclette Diamante 05

1890 Rudge Bicyclette Diamant No 2

View
FOR SALE 1891-Performers-Pneumatic-Penny-Farthing-18-1

1891 Performers’ (Trick Riders’) Rudge Pneumatic Ordinary

View
1891 Rudge Bicyclette Diamant 05

1891 Rudge Bicyclette Diamant ‘Modele H’

View
1893 Rudge Racer 05

1893 Rudge Racing Safety (Model D)

View
1895_Rudge_Whitworth_051

1895 Rudge-Whitworth No 3 Road Racer

View
FOR SALE 1896 RUDGE WEDGE 05

1896 Rudge-Wedge No 21 Full Roadster

View
1897 Rudge Wedge 05

1897 Rudge Wedge Roadster

View
1898 Rudge Wedge 05

1898 Rudge-Wedge No 21 Full Roadster

View
1898 Rudge-Whitworth Racing Tricycle 18 copy

1898 Rudge-Whitworth Racing Tricycle

View
FOR SALE 1900 Rudge-Whitworth No 23 Special Lady’s Bicycle 5 copy

1900 Rudge-Whitworth No 23 Special Lady’s Bicycle

View
1900 Rudge-Whitworth No 31 Special Lady’s Tricycle 1

1900 Rudge-Whitworth No 31 Special Lady’s Tricycle

View
1902-Rudge-Whitworth-Gents-Tricycle-04

1901 Rudge-Whitworth Light Roadster Tricycle 

View
1901_Rudge_Tricycle

1901 Rudge-Whitworth No 31 Special Lady’s Tricycle

View
princess-victoria-rudge-whitworth-1-1

1903 Rudge-Whitworth Lady’s ‘No 2’ Aero-Special

View
1902 Rudge-Whitworth No 1 Aero Special 05

1903 Rudge-Whitworth No 1 Aero-Special

View
x1904 Rudge-Whitworth Racing Tandem 18

1904 Rudge-Whitworth Racing Tandem

View
1905 Rudge Whitworth Road Racer 00

1905 Aero Special Rudge-Whitworth Road Racer

View
1905 Rudge Whitworth 05

1905 No 2 Aero Special Rudge-Whitworth

View
1905 Rudge-Whitworth Racing Tricycle 00

1905 Rudge-Whitworth Road Racing Tricycle

View
1906_Rudge_Tricycle_20

1906 ‘No 30 Special’ Rudge-Whitworth Light Roadster Tricycle

View
1906 No 2 Aero Special Rudge-Whitworth 05

1906 No 2 Aero Special Rudge-Whitworth

View
1906 Rudge-Whitworth ‘No 23’ Special 05

1906 Rudge-Whitworth ‘No 23’ Special

View
1907 Rudge-Whitworth No 20 Special Light Roadster 5 copy

1907 Rudge-Whitworth No 20 Special Light Roadster

View
1907 Rudge-Whitworth Ladies Tricycle 05

1907 Rudge-Whitworth Tricycle: No 31 for Ladies

View
1908 Rudge-Whitworth No 20 Special Light Roadster 0

1908 Rudge-Whitworth No 20 Special Light Roadster

View
1908-Rudge-Whitworth-041

1908 Rudge-Whitworth No. 2 Aero-Special Lady’s Bicycle

View
1909 Rudge-Whitworth Crescent Light Roadster 00

1909 Rudge-Whitworth Crescent Light Roadster 

View
1909 Rudge-Whitworth No 27 Crescent Road Racer 02

1909 Rudge-Whitworth No 27 Crescent Road Racer

View
1909-Rudge-Whitworth-No-27-Crescent-Road-Racer-05

1909 Rudge-Whitworth No 27 Crescent Road Racer

View
1909_Rudge_01

1909 Rudge-Whitworth No 61 Crescent Lady’s Bicycle

View
1909 Rudge-Whitworth No 1 Aero-Special 05

1909 Rudge-Whitworth Special Light Roadster

View
1910 Rudge-Whitworth ‘No 4 Aero Special’ Path Racer 1

1910 Rudge-Whitworth ‘No 4 Aero Special’ Path Racer

View
1910-Rudge-Whitworth-No-24-Special-Road-Racer-05

1910 Rudge-Whitworth No 24 Special Road Racer

View
1910 Rudge-Whitworth Aero Special Path Racer 05

1910 Rudge-Whitworth No 4 Aero Special Path Racer

View
1910-Rudge-Whitworth-18

1910 Rudge-Whitworth No. 341 Aero-Special ‘de-Luxe’ All-Weather Full Roadster

View
1911 Rudge Whitworth Track Racer 05

1911 Rudge-Whitworth ‘No 4 Aero Special’ Track Racer (ex-Works)

View
1910-Rudge-Whitworth-Aero-Special-Path-Racer-05

1911 Rudge-Whitworth Aero No 4 20″ Track Racer (ex-Works)

View
1912 Rudge Ladies 05

1912 Rudge-Whitworth Lady’s Bicycle (Red)

View
1912 RUDGE CRESCENT 05

1912 Rudge-Whitworth No 61 Crescent Lady’s Bicycle

View
01_1912_Rudge_Whitworth

1912 Rudge-Whitworth No. 3 Aero-Special Roadster

View
1914 Rudge-Whitworth Munitionette 0

1914 Rudge-Whitworth Lady’s Crescent (WW1 Munitionette)

View
1914 Rudge Sussex Battalion 05

1914 WW1 Rudge-Whitworth Service Roadster: Royal Sussex Cyclist Battalion

View
FOR SALE 1915 Rudge-Whitworth No 61 Crescent 05

1915 Rudge-Whitworth Lady’s Model 61 Crescent

View
FOR SALE 1924-Rudge-Whitworth-DeLuxe-Ladys-Bicycle-5

1918 Rudge-Whitworth DeLuxe Lady’s Bicycle

View
1921 Rudge-Whitworth 01 copy

1921 Lady’s Rudge-Whitworth No. 2 Aero-Special 

View
1921 Rudge Whitworth Aero 05

1921 Lady’s Rudge-Whitworth No. 7 Aero-Special

View
1921 Rudge Whitworth Gents 05

1921 Rudge-Whitworth No 1 Aero Special Roadster

View
1922 Rudge Whitworth 05

1922 Rudge-Whitworth No. 1 Aero-Special ‘All-Black’ Featherweight Roadster

View
FOR SALE 1920s Rudge-Whitworth No. 1 Aero-Special ‘All-Black’ Featherweight Roadster 2

1922 Rudge-Whitworth No. 1 Aero-Special ‘All-Black’ Featherweight Roadster

View
1910-Rudge-Aero-06

1922 Rudge-Whitworth No. 2 Aero-Special Lady’s Featherweight

View
1924_Rudge_01

1924 Rudge-Whitworth DeLuxe Lady’s Bicycle

View
1924_Rudge_Whitworth_20

1924 Rudge-Whitworth Gent’s No 6 Sporting Aero Special with Sloping Top Tube

View
1925_Rudge_02

1925 Rudge-Whitworth No 28 Lady’s Standard Bicycle

View
1927 Rudge Whitworth No 5 Aero-Special 05

1927 Rudge-Whitworth ‘No 5’ Aero-Special Speed Iron

View
1928_Rudge_03

1928 Rudge-Whitworth No 28 Lady’s Standard Bicycle (with Coupled Brakes)

View
1928_Rudge_05

1929 Rudge Whitworth No 36 All-Weather Model (Aero Special)

View
1929-Rudge-Whitworth-No-28-Ladys-Standard-Bicycle-05

1929 Rudge-Whitworth No 28 Lady’s Standard Bicycle    

View
1931 Rudge Model 30 Sporting Roadster 05

1931 Rudge-Whitworth ‘Model 30’ Sporting Roadster

View
1931 Rudge-Whitworth Celerity 05

1931 Rudge-Whitworth ‘Model 38’ Celerity Lightweight

View
FOR SALE 1931 Rudge-Whitworth All Weather 1

1931 Rudge-Whitworth ‘No 37’ All Weather Model

View
1931 Rudge-Whitworth ‘No 5’ Aero Special Speed Iron 5

1931 Rudge-Whitworth ‘No 5’ Aero Special Speed Iron

View
1931-Rudge-Whitworth-No-5-Aero-Special-Speed-Iron-2-1

1931 Rudge-Whitworth ‘No 5’ Aero Special Speed Iron

View
1932_Rudge_Sports_011

1932 Rudge-Whitworth Gent’s Crescent Sporting Roadster

View
1937-Rudge-Whitworth-05

1937 Rudge-Whitworth Light Tourist Model 57

View
1937-Rudge-Whitworth-Roadster-04

1937 Rudge-Whitworth Roadster Model No 78

View
1947-Rudge-Whitworth-02

1947 Rudge-Whitworth De-Luxe Tourist Policemen’s Bike

View
1956 Rudge De-Luxe Tourist 05

1956 Rudge De-Luxe Tourist, 26″ Frame with double top tube

View
1959 Rudge de Luxe Super Safety Tourist 76

1959 Rudge de Luxe Super Safety Tourist (Rich burgundy paintwork)

View
1960s-red-rudge

1960s Rudge-Whitworth De Luxe Roadster Export Model (Red)

View
1968 Rudge Whitworth All Chrome 05

1968 Rudge-Whitworth ‘All-Chrome’ Roadster

View
rudgewhitworth-com

RUDGE-WHITWORTH BICYCLE MUSEUM

View