DISRAELI DOCUMENTS
I never cease to be amazed by the outfits that cyclists are shown wearing in 1950s brochures. Here the jolly good chap on the cover is sporting a tailored jacket with Miami-Vice-style rolled up sleeves, a submariner’s polo neck sweater, very short shorts which appear to have turn-ups, and it’s all topped off by his office shoes, worn with short socks. His rather charming female friend is wearing an interesting jacket with lapels but short sleeves with ribbed cuffs, a high-necked blouse with some kind of choker and the tiniest of short shorts. What sort of fancy dress party are they off to?
On a more serious note, and in contrast to my later Phillips catalogue, the derailleur that is featured is a 3 speed ‘Phillips’ (not a ‘Resilion’) and attaches at the axle (not to the chainstay - see the Kingfisher on scan 2). Other options offered include 3 and 4 speed versions of the Cyclo Benelux, with the 4 speed version more expensive than the Phillips.
