DISRAELI DOCUMENTS

Ron Kitching Everything Cycling - 1984

Ron Kitching Everything Cycling - 1984 front cover main image

If Ron Kitching catalogues were not the bible for British cycle shop workers, they were certainly one of the more meaningful religious texts (see also the various Holdsworth ‘Cyclist’s Aids’ booklets). This 1984 edition is no exception, packed with interesting and bizarre products from literally hundreds of brands:

  • For derailleurs see SunTour (from page 30) and Zeus (from page 50). Ron Kitching was the sole importer of SunTour in the UK, and SunTour was the leading derailleur brand in the UK at the time.
  • For other brands that made derailleurs at one time or another see Cyclo (page 6), MAVIC (page 15), Roto (page 28) and Stronglight (page 29).
  • For a touch of off-road history imagine a Mountain Bike with SunTour drive train, Dia Compe brakes, Nitto bars and stem (the MT-1 stem was known as ‘the happy hippo’), Araya rims and Mitsuboshi Grippa tyres. A class act.
  • For a touch of road history you need go no further than the Milremo Arresta honking lever, the Pelissier Thorn Catcher and the Velox tubular repair outfit (including needle and thimble). Just thinking about the repair outfit makes me break out in a sweat from long suppressed anger and frustration.
  • If touring is your bag, don’t ignore the TA Gourde bottle, the .....etc. etc. etc.