BSA derailleurs

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 its first patent on the 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. Both were called the 'BSA 4-Star'.

No history of BSA would be complete without a mention of Sir Bernard Docker - who was chairman from 1940 to 1956. With his ‘all-mouth-and-no-trousers’ style - Sir Bernard 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.

BSA 4-Star (1st style) derailleur thumbnail

BSA 4-Star (1st style) 1947

BSA 4-Star (2nd style) 1950

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: October 1901
Derailleur brands: de Vivie, BSA
Derailleurs: none

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle October 1901 - Autour du Concours de Freins scan 1 thumbnail

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

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle August 1902 - Concours de Bicyclettes de Tourisme (part II) scan 1 thumbnail

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

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle October 1902 - Concours de Bicyclettes de Tourisme (part IV) scan 1 thumbnail

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: May 1912
Derailleur brands: de Vivie, BSA
Derailleurs: none

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle May 1912 - Gauloise advert thumbnail

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: July 1921
Derailleur brands: As, Audouard, Boizot, BSA , Chemineau, de Vivie, Phillips, Sturmey-Archer
Derailleurs: Audouard, Boizot 4 speed, l’As, Le Chemineau

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle July 1921 - Troisieme championnat de la bicyclette polymultipliee scan 1 thumbnail

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: June 1922
Derailleur brands: As, Boizot, BSA , Chemineau, Matocq, Phillips
Derailleurs: Boizot 4 speed, l’As, Le Chemineau, Matocq

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle June 1922 - Le Concours de Bicyclettes polymultipliees de Chanteloup scan 1 thumbnail

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: August 1922
Derailleur brands: As, Audouard, BSA , Chemineau, Sturmey-Archer, Terrot
Derailleurs: Audouard, l’As, Le Chemineau, Terrot Modèle HT

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle August 1922 - La Semaine d'Auvergne scan 1 thumbnail

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: June 1923
Derailleur brands: As, Audouard, Boizot, BSA, Chemineau, Sturmey-Archer
Derailleurs: l’As, Super As, Audouard, Boizot Tri-direct, Boizot 4 speed, Le Chemineau

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle June 1923 - Les resultats du 5e Championnat de la Bicyclette polymultipliee scan 1 thumbnail

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: June 1924
Derailleur brands: Audouard, Boizot, BSA, Peugeot, Terrot
Derailleurs: none named

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle June 1924 - L'equipement des brevetes cyclotouristes thumbnail

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: June 1924
Derailleur brands: As, Audouard, Boizot, BSA, Chemineau, Cyclo, Peugeot, Sturmey-Archer, Terrot
Derailleurs: Super As, Audouard Le Crack, Boizot Le Montagnard, Boizot 4 speed, Le Chemineau, Le Cyclo 2 speed, Le Cyclo 3 speed