This is the fourth of four articles about the Concours de Bicyclettes de Tourisme in August 1902 - one of the seminal events in the history of the development of the modern bicycle.

This article, by Carlo Bourlet, is the formal report on the event and contains a shed-load of data about the various bicycles that took part.

It’s notable that all three de Vivie bikes failed to complete the event. After this set back, de Vivie branded bikes rarely featured again. Perhaps this event showed Paul de Vivie that he did not have the resources to be compete with full scale industrial manufacturers. He, however, continued to play starring roles as an inventor and as a prolific and passionate advocate of derailleur gears.

(Source gallica.bnf.fr/ Bibliothèque nationale de France)

• Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
• Country: France
• Date: October 1902
• Derailleur brands: BSA, de Vivie, Hirondelle, Peugeot, Terrot
• Derailleurs: none