This 1944 Cycling Manual has a certain charm. The drawings of men cycling in their tailored jackets, the notes about war-time restrictions that apply to the cyclist, and the way that it is printed on paper that is clearly made from crushed Digestive Biscuits all add to the charm.

The section on derailleurs cannot help but betray a faint suspicion of all things ‘Continental’, while the text describing the operation of the Villiers gear system is an object lesson in how to use a thousand words and still fail to explain as much as even the most basic picture.

Well worth one shilling and sixpence.

• Publisher: The staff of ‘Cycling’
• Country: UK
• Date: 1944
• Derailleur brands: BSA, Cyclo Gear Company, Osgear, Simplex, Sturmey-Archer, TriVelox, Villiers
• Derailleurs: too numerous to list