DISRAELI GEARS
The Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) was founded in 1861 in Birmingham. It grew into a huge metal-bashing conglomerate, operating many dozens of factories producing hundreds of different types of engineered products.
Initially BSA manufactured firearms, but it seems that even the Victorians could not properly manage defence procurement, and a slowdown in orders led it to start producing bicycles as early as 1880. Following (or possibly pioneering) a well trodden path, BSA went on, from guns and bicycles, to produce motorcycles, Daimler cars and commercial vehicle bodies. In the 1930s it was famously the sponsor of Hubert Opperman (‘Oppy’), arguably the best known cyclist of the day. BSA was also active in British cycling in the 1950s. As part of a long, slow, post-second-world-war decline, BSA finally sold its bicycle manufacturing operation to Raleigh in 1957. The last remnant of the once magnificent BSA empire was the London Taxi Company, producer of the famous black cabs, which has recently been absorbed into the newly magnificent empire of Geely of Hangzhou, China.
In a slightly pale imitation of Raleigh, BSA produced bicycle components, notably three speed hub gears. BSA took out a patent on a design of derailleur in 1944, but I do not think this design made it to production. I am only aware of two production models of BSA derailleur, one introduced in 1949, and then a slightly revised version introduced in 1950. The laster version was called the BSA 4-Star but I am not entirely clear whether this name was also used for the earlier version.
No history of BSA would be complete without a mention of Sir Bernard Docker - who was chairman from 1940 to 1956 and with his ‘all mouth and no trousers’ style was the Sir Richard Branson of his day. Lady Docker was also a formidable character, described on wikipedia as having ‘rather poor social graces when under the influence’. Been there, done that.
see also TCF Rev Mens 10/1901 - Autour du Concours de Freins
see also TCF Rev Mens 10/1901 - Autour du Concours de Freins
see also TCF Rev Mens - 08/1902 Concours de Bicyclettes de Tourisme (part II)
see also TCF Rev Mens - 08/1902 Concours de Bicyclettes de Tourisme (part II)
see also TCF Rev Mens - 10/1902 Concours de Bicyclettes de Tourisme (part IV)
see also TCF Rev Mens - 10/1902 Concours de Bicyclettes de Tourisme (part IV)
see also TCF Rev Mens 05/1912 - Gauloise ad
see also TCF Rev Mens 05/1912 - Gauloise ad
see also TCF Rev Mens - 07/1921 Troisième championnat de la bicyclette polymultipliée
see also TCF Rev Mens - 07/1921 Troisième championnat de la bicyclette polymultipliée
see also TCF Rev Mens - 06/1922 Le Concours de Bicyclettes polymultipliées de Chanteloup
see also TCF Rev Mens - 06/1922 Le Concours de Bicyclettes polymultipliées de Chanteloup
see also TCF Rev Mens 08/1922 - La Semaine d'Auvergne
see also TCF Rev Mens 08/1922 - La Semaine d'Auvergne
see also TCF Rev Mens - 06/1923 Les résultats du 5e Championnat de la Bicyclette polymultipliée
see also TCF Rev Mens - 06/1923 Les résultats du 5e Championnat de la Bicyclette polymultipliée
see also TCF Rev Mens - 06/1924 L’équipement des brevetés cyclotouristes
see also TCF Rev Mens - 06/1924 L’équipement des brevetés cyclotouristes
see also TCF Rev Mens - 06/1924 Le 6e Critérium de la Bicyclette polymultipliée
see also TCF Rev Mens - 06/1924 Le 6e Critérium de la Bicyclette polymultipliée
see also UK Patent # 577,429 1944
see also UK Patent # 577,429 1944
see also The staff of ‘Cycling’ - Cycling Manual 1944
see also The staff of ‘Cycling’ - Cycling Manual 1944
see also UK Patent # 640,473 1947
see also UK Patent # 640,473 1947
see also Cycling 07/1949 - BSA ad
see also Cycling 07/1949 - BSA ad
BSA Fine Quality Bicycles 1950
BSA Fine Quality Bicycles 1950
see also H. H. England - Cycling Manual 1960
see also H. H. England - Cycling Manual 1960
see also New Cycling 05/1981 - Derailleur Collection
see also New Cycling 05/1981 - Derailleur Collection
