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Bicycle manufacturers in Birmingham

Thanks for the photo Phil. At one stage in my life I spent a lot of time gazing into shop windows like that. Priory Cycles had two shops that had to be checked out a couple of times a week for their displays of such beauties as Bianchi with the crackled paint finish.
Always bought my bits and pieces from Mosley Cycles, just round the corner from Ombersley Rd and had my alloy rims trued pretty often. Can't remember the blokes name but called on him as a rep for the finance company I worked for and recalled old days. This was prior to 1961 when I came to Oz.
In reply to your question oldbrit,my cycling interests have not been kept up but I do have a made in China Schwinn mountain type machine I use to do a bit of shopping and the such like.
Cheers Tim
 
Priory Cycles, affectionately known as Priory Pram to cycling aficionados - I think their trading name when in Yardley Wood was something along the lines of cycle and pram company - was a haunt for those who admired cycles. I was given two bicycles purchased from them. They were the nearest place for anyone living in the south of the city and beyond as I did. Puncture outfits and new tyres were always in vogue. ;)
My first two wheeler was a 22" wheeled Sun given to me on my eight birthday. At ten years old I got a 26" dropped handlebar sports version. That bicycle, over a period of five years, including one year in Devon, took me some great distances. From the Solihull area I rode to Leicester, Coventry, Stafford, Tenbury Wells, a fair part of Worcestershie and Warwickshire and the northern Cotswolds.
 
One thing that I do often, Thanks to the new world of the internet is Google street view. I go from my home for 23 years on Moat Lane, Yardley and drive my PC down the Cov Rd etc along many of the routes I rode my bike in the late 1940s 1950s, It a little slow but lots of fun. Of course many of the lane's I rode are now main roads. But still fun to do
 
oldbrit said:
One thing that I do often, Thanks to the new world of the internet is Google street view. I go from my home for 23 years on Moat Lane, Yardley and drive my PC down the Cov Rd etc along many of the routes I rode my bike in the late 1940s 1950s, It a little slow but lots of fun. Of course many of the lane's I rode are now main roads. But still fun to do
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So you are still cycling on a regular basis? I was a keen cyclist for a few years or so. Cycled to Rhyl from Aston in 1955, when I was 15. I had an H.V. Powell bike. I did quite a bit of cycle speedway before that. I was so short, my dad had to make a special cut down frame so that I could ride a full size bike and my feet could touch the ground. I still love to cycle now, however, living in a cold winter / hot summer climate, I've become a fair weather cyclist.
Dave A
 
adap2it said:
So you are still cycling on a regular basis? I was a keen cyclist for a few years or so. Cycled to Rhyl from Aston in 1955, when I was 15. I had an H.V. Powell bike. I did quite a bit of cycle speedway before that. I was so short, my dad had to make a special cut down frame so that I could ride a full size bike and my feet could touch the ground. I still love to cycle now, however, living in a cold winter / hot summer climate, I've become a fair weather cyclist.
Dave A
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I am now 84 years young, I live in Parker. Colorado USA My home is at 6400f in the Rocky Mountains. I ride every day when the weather is OK 40-50 miles.I did close to 9k last year, this year so far I have logged 3k due to the weather. I have a collection of vintage bikes plus a full carbon Concorde Xbalde full Campagnolo bike weighs 15 lbs
 

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adap2it said:
So you are still cycling on a regular basis? I was a keen cyclist for a few years or so. Cycled to Rhyl from Aston in 1955, when I was 15. I had an H.V. Powell bike. I did quite a bit of cycle speedway before that. I was so short, my dad had to make a special cut down frame so that I could ride a full size bike and my feet could touch the ground. I still love to cycle now, however, living in a cold winter / hot summer climate, I've become a fair weather cyclist.
Dave A
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Was H V Powell the cycle dealer in the Aston/Birchfield Road area? My first new bike was a Hercules which came from him, before that I learned to ride on a New Hudson then I met people with Carlton track bikes and road racers for the Sunday morning Sutton Park runs with names like Vecchietti, Frejus and Paris as well as Dawes and Claude Butler. I still ride today, but mainly on North Devon's Tarka Trail.
Bob
 
Onceabrummie said:
Was H V Powell the cycle dealer in the Aston/Birchfield Road area? My first new bike was a Hercules which came from him, before that I learned to ride on a New Hudson then I met people with Carlton track bikes and road racers for the Sunday morning Sutton Park runs with names like Vecchietti, Frejus and Paris as well as Dawes and Claude Butler. I still ride today, but mainly on North Devon's Tarka Trail.
Bob
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I use to race at Sutton Park anyone have any photos of races there in the 1950s? I rode a 1949 Claud Butler then a 1950 Billy Gameson he had a shop on Golden Hillock Rd
 
oldbrit said:
I am now 84 years young, I live in Parker. Colorado USA My home is at 6400f in the Rocky Mountains. I ride every day when the weather is OK 40-50 miles.I did close to 9k last year, this year so far I have logged 3k due to the weather. I have a collection of vintage bikes plus a full carbon Concorde Xbalde full Campagnolo bike weighs 15 lbs
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Well you are a SERIOUS cyclist indeed! I am very envious and that you set a standard for us old folks to live up to. Not everyone is capable however, but it is so important to get out and push yourself into some form of physical activity. I guess that living in Colorado means not much flat terrain, so you get a good workout. I was there in '07 and found the altitude a bit of a problem, and I wasn't cycling...
Dave A
 
Onceabrummie said:
Was H V Powell the cycle dealer in the Aston/Birchfield Road area? My first new bike was a Hercules which came from him, before that I learned to ride on a New Hudson then I met people with Carlton track bikes and road racers for the Sunday morning Sutton Park runs with names like Vecchietti, Frejus and Paris as well as Dawes and Claude Butler. I still ride today, but mainly on North Devon's Tarka Trail.
Bob
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Yes, H V Powell was on Birchfield Rd. It was THE place to go for bikes if you lived in my area. It was close to Gower St School and we often used to go there to cast an envious eye on the bike selection.
Dave A
 
One of my interests is the history of the Wake Green Estate. This thread reminded me that William Priest of Quadrant Cycles lived at the local big house [Wake Green House] in the 1890s. Here's an extract from Ray Shills brilliant book with phot.



upload_2017-6-15_16-27-27.png

upload_2017-6-15_16-27-50.png
 
I worked for Bill Bloye the sculptor on Golden Hillock Rd, Lunchtime I would ride to Billy Gameson shop on the same street, Does anyone have a photo of his shop in the early 1950S PLEASE I would love to see one. Many happy memories Billy was a very friendly fellow and very helpful
 

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Eddie 14 said:
John. who was poking his head round the side of the fence?
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I guess you are referring to my photo Eddie? The kid poking his head around the fence is my pal Tony Robinson. BTW, behind that black corrugated fence, are the 4 outdoor toilets, shared by 8 families...
Dave A
 
H V Powell had been quite a successful competitive cyclist in his day I seem to remember. I had my first 'proper' bike from him for Xmas 1964 when I was eleven. He and the other old chap who worked with him were always wearing those brown 'cowgowns' as they were called, and hands covered in oil. I can still remember the great smell of that shop which was unique to bike shops.
Sadly he passed away in 2008 aged 97 so cycling must be good for you after all !!
Here is the obituary entry from the Mail :

POWELL Howard Vincent, Of H.V Powell Cycles, passed away on March 14, 2008, aged 97 years. Fu- neral Service at the Birmingham Crema- torium, Walsall Road, Perry Barr on Thursday, March 27 at 2.00 p.m. Family flowers on- ly, but donations for Robert Harvey House may be sent c/o W H Scott & Son, Funeral Direc- tors, 426 Rotton Park Road, Edgbas- ton, Birmingham, B16 OLA.
 
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I can remember in the mid sixties when I was an Apprentice at G.E.C. in Witton, I saved like mad and bought a FREDDIE GRUB bicycle-can't remember how much I paid for it. I can remember that I could cycle from Sutton Coldfield to G.E.C. faster than any bus or car. Didn't take long for someone to cut the locking chain and steal it from me. Best wishes, Mike.
 
silhouette53 said:
H V Powell had been quite a successful competitive cyclist in his day I seem to remember. I had my first 'proper' bike from him for Xmas 1964 when I was eleven. He and the other old chap who worked with him were always wearing those brown 'cowgowns' as they were called, and hands covered in oil. I can still remember the great smell of that shop which was unique to bike shops.
Sadly he passed away in 2008 aged 97 so cycling must be good for you after all !!
Here is the obituary entry from the Mail :

POWELL Howard Vincent, Of H.V Powell Cycles, passed away on March 14, 2008, aged 97 years. Fu- neral Service at the Birmingham Crema- torium, Walsall Road, Perry Barr on Thursday, March 27 at 2.00 p.m. Family flowers on- ly, but donations for Robert Harvey House may be sent c/o W H Scott & Son, Funeral Direc- tors, 426 Rotton Park Road, Edgbas- ton, Birmingham, B16 OLA.
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Was H.Powell the man with the cycle shop either on Witton Road or on Birchfield Road, a Hercules agent, shop had a yellow frontage I think. Probably got it all wrong

Bob
 
Bob Davis said:
Was H.Powell the man with the cycle shop either on Witton Road or on Birchfield Road, a Hercules agent, shop had a yellow frontage I think. Probably got it all wrong

Bob
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Yes Bob, the frontage was indeed yellow and his shop was on Birchfield Road almost opposite Mansfield Road. If you go to this site and scroll down it to the entry for Powells, there is a pic of the shop and one of the road layout as it is today. Also a pic of the man himself with a customer and one of H V Powells 'Joybikes' which was a moped which he designed and built himself. My late older brother had one in about 1959 -60

https://www.icenicam.org.uk/articles4/pics012.html
 
silhouette53 said:
Yes Bob, the frontage was indeed yellow and his shop was on Birchfield Road almost opposite Mansfield Road. If you go to this site and scroll down it to the entry for Powells, there is a pic of the shop and one of the road layout as it is today. Also a pic of the man himself with a customer and one of H V Powells 'Joybikes' which was a moped which he designed and built himself. My late older brother had one in about 1959 -60

https://www.icenicam.org.uk/articles4/pics012.html
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Very many thanks, the memory has not quite gone, I had a second hand New Hudson and Dad put wood blocks on the pedals so that I could learn to ride. When I had learnt we we t to Powell's and bought a Red Hercules sports bike. Thus was fine until I discovered Vechietti, Paris, Frejus all with alloy brakes, 'double changers...10 gears, who remembers the Campagnola that moved the whole bike when you changed gear, the lever was based by the front chain cog, there were of course also Dawes, Claude Butler, Falcon, Viking, Carlton and a couple of others whose name I cannot remember. Next question what was the name of the cycle dealer at Beggars Bush on the road to Kingstanding with the West Bromwich 25 bus stop outside, finally was that Wheelers or was that somewhere else?
 
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silhouette53 said:
Yes Bob, the frontage was indeed yellow and his shop was on Birchfield Road almost opposite Mansfield Road. If you go to this site and scroll down it to the entry for Powells, there is a pic of the shop and one of the road layout as it is today. Also a pic of the man himself with a customer and one of H V Powells 'Joybikes' which was a moped which he designed and built himself. My late older brother had one in about 1959 -60

https://www.icenicam.org.uk/articles4/pics012.html
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I would love to see a photo of Billy Gameson shop on Golden Hillock rd see attached business card
 

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Anyone have a photo of Billy Gameson shop on Golden Hillock Rd?
 

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Bob Davis said:
Very many thanks, the memory has not quite gone, I had a second hand New Hudson and Dad put wood blocks on the pedals so that I could learn to ride. When I had learnt we we t to Powell's and bought a Red Hercules sports bike. Thus was fine until I discovered Vechietti, Paris, Frejus all with alloy brakes, 'double changers...10 gears, who remembers the Campagnola that moved the whole bike when you changed gear, the lever was based by the front chain cog, there were of course also Dawes, Claude Butler, Falcon, Viking, Carlton and a couple of others whose name I cannot remember. Next question what was the name of the cycle dealer at Beggars Bush on the road to Kingstanding with the West Bromwich 25 bus stop outside, finally was that Wheelers or was that somewhere else?
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Bob I can remember the shop by the Beggars Bush - it was on Kings Road and it was called Wheelocks. Apart from cycles he sold airguns, darts, and all manner of other stuff. I remember taking a wheel there to be trued up - that would be about 1965
 
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