Found this preview whilst mooching around planning a trip to the lakes.

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/tour-de-britain-halfway

Morecambe to Glasgow 😯

what’s with the chain device?

. . . i’ve of course also been drawn to watch the Eiffel tower death jump!! 😯

great times, great times . . .

what’s with the chain device?

It’s an Osgear – early type of derailleur with the gear changer and tensioner separate.
Riders in the 1951 ToB included one J Savile.

Ian Steel

http://www.largsandmillportnews.com/sport/largs/articles/2012/08/13/433577-ian-was-our-bradley-wiggins-of-1951/

brilliant stuff just sent it to my dad, he’ll be chuffed

I wondered what the “chain device” was as well so I’ve just googled Osgear and apparently they required the rider to back pedal when changing gear.

Also found out that gears were banned in the Tour De France between 1919 and 1937 for the professional riders 😯

The Bike Brothers video is fantastic MacCavity.

The oddest thing there is watching cars going about their daily business on the other side of the road. Bonkers.

And that “parachute” jump is more hardcore than anything even the Jackass boys would attempt. Lunacy.

Macavity, that you tube film is great, my dad sat and watched it last night with me and didnt shut up for hours telling me tales of the Batey brothers (him with the made up stammer) He’s 72 now and I grew up with him being away for weekends racing and midweek 100 mile training rides, so listening to him chat on last night about trips to Ireland and the Isle of Man with his old team mates was great, you made an old man very happy (and his son)

The oddest thing there is watching cars going about their daily business on the other side of the road. Bonkers.

Considering the route they took was the only road between England and Scotland up that side of the country at the time, its a wonder they didn’t get knocked off or cause havoc.

Mind you, whilst climbing Shap, they could have overtook some of the old trucks which used to struggle up the mountain

Son of a 72 year old former racer here, too. I’ll send him that link (then go round and show him how to open it). Love listening to his tales of racing back then, battling with Les West and the likes, leaving work at lunchtime on a Friday to spend the weekend racing on the continent, etc.

There was a nice feature in Rouleur about Ian Steel. Apparently, before the race, each team was paraded in front of some sort of powerful military / government honcho, and was obliged to give some form of greeting. Not knowing the native language, the Viking boys elected for “Bollocks”.

Good that it means so much.

And more oncoming traffic…
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/tour-de-britain

until recently the Giro D’Italia used to be as chaotic.

Stevestunts who’s your old man? I ride with a guy in his 70s he was a Holdsworth pro, and can still kick botty.
Strangely I only ride off road with him, and he is buying a top end 29er bless his cotton socks….which are always white of course 🙂

Love the Taylor Brothers Video. Could watch that sort of thing all day long.

My dad used to know Jack Taylor – we lived not far from him
Their factory shed was an awesome place to visit as a kid

(got one of their frames in the garage, too)

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/ian-steel-wins-tour/query/147125

RIH cycles Amsterdam

With commentary and subtitles

oldgit – here’s a nice little feature on him, wish I could find the rest of the coverage of the event:

Our dad

I can just about beat him on the MTB, but he kicks my head in on the road bike, and he’s twice my age 🙂

http://thetour.co.uk/tourofbritain/271.php
The first stage of this years Tour of Britain finishes at Drumlanrig Castle.
The bike museum at Drumlanrig Castle is worth a visit.
http://www.drumlanrig.com/visit-drumlanrig-castle/drumlanrig-castle/cycle-museum