Rover Meteor No.2 bicycle

[geoffpw]

Does anyone know anything about Rover bikes? I have this ladies bike, the brass badge of which says Rover Meteor no.2.
I have found out that No. 2's were made between 1903 and 1904 only but seem to be only for men. I want to know if there was a ladies model. Can anyone help?

 

[lencops]

J.K.Starley while setting up his own company, became foreman of the Coventry Sewing Machine Company. On seeing a French bicycle in 1868 Starley copied it.
Before long he had not only perfected his sewing machines but invented so many bicycle parts that the sewing machine company Holborn Viaduct was renamed from The Coventry Sewing Machine Company to The Coventry Machinists Co.
By 1877 they were working out of Trafalgar Works in Crow Lane, Coventry.
This allowed him to incorporate sewing machines, bicycles and other inventions. Within a very short time shop windows were full of more bicycles than sewing machines.

A Rare Starley Penny Farthing from The Coventry Machinists Co. Picture courtesy of Paul USA.​

James Starley produced the Salvo which was a variation on the Sociable a two-seater four-wheeled contraption which in turn was a descendant of the Lever Tricycle. The Salvo had the historically all-important differential gearing that was to become so famous.
The Salvo had royal connections for Queen Victoria was so impressed on seeing one that she ordered two for her family home, Osborne, on the Isle of Wight. The Salvo then became known as the Royal Salvo.
However, it was not James Starley who invented the first modern looking bicycle but his nephew John Kemp Starley. So, although I said I wasn't going to talk about John Starley I just had to add this...

​

John Starley had the brainwave of a chain drive geared to the rear wheel instead of the front-wheel drive of James' penny farthing.
That new bicycle first appeared, as a Rover, in 1885, 4 years after James' death. J K Starley went on to produce the Rover which became synonymous with the famous car company that recently folded (the name is currently owned by Ford). Below I have a few pictures I have taken around the country over the years.

​

J K Starley not to be confused with J Starley!​

The first modern bicycle

The John Starley Rover Safety Cycle was called Rover as it had great roving potential​

J K Starley Rover Safety Cycle made at the Meteor Cycle Works Coventry.​

​

At the time the Rover was made, John's factory was called Sutton & Starley but after the astounding success of the Rover Safety Cycle it became the Rover Cycle Company and lasted until its closure in the 1930's.​

The Safety Cycle was really the first modern Bicycle.​

More and more bicycles came to his business for repair and it became obvious to the inventor that he could make and supply a better bike than what was on the market.
He began building his own bicycles, namely the Penny Farthing called the Ariel and a tricycle. His novel development of differential gearing for his tricycles was a huge improvement when cornering and still used by most vehicles today!.
As I have said it was James' nephew, John Starley, went on to found the Rover Car Company and even Hillman, Singer and Swallow Cars were started by associates who worked with James. He seemed to encourage inventive genius in others.

Singer Bicycle receipt circa 1880, G. Singer (not Isaac) was another of his employees.​

At the Coventry Transport Museum, and Gaydon Car Museum there are fine collection of Starley Bicycles, vehicles and other machines onview and a monument to him stands in Coventry City. At Gaydon there is the very last Rover car to be made!
The Coventry Transport Museum has a wealth of information on James Starley and is a great way to spend a day if you are in the area. Also it is free entry!
James Starley, although only 51, died a wealthy and respected man in the early summer of 1881. His children carried on with the bicycle business.
His inventions are still in use today from the differential gearing, used in almost every moving vehicle, to hollow bicycle tubing and adjustable, alternating, spoked wheels.
Not bad for the little farm boy from Sussex who had a dream and followed his star.
Starley became famous for his inventions and fondly became known as the Father of the British Bicycle.
His son's continued in the bicycle business for many years after his demise in 1885 at the Meteor Works in West Orchard.
I leave you with one strange fact: In Poland Rover had such an important hold on the bicycle industry that today all bicycles are still called rovers!. Len.+

 

[Lloyd]

See this page https://oldbike.wordpress.com/1903-gents-rover-meteor-no-2-1910-ladies-rover/ - are they like that?

 

[geoffpw]

Thanks Lloyd,

I found my initial info from that site, as you will see it talks only of a 1910 Ladies bike that looks the same as mine but would have a different badge due to No. 2's only being built in 1903/4.
Thanks anyway for your interest.
Geoff

 

[geoffpw]

Thanks Lencops.

I had not seen that article before.
Geoff

 

[dickymint]

Just picked up your thread. I have a copy of A History of Rover Cycles, which I am prepared to let you borrow. I'm not too far from you, just up the M42 at Knowle. Send me a message with contact details. A quick glance at the appendix indicated gents and ladies Meteor No 2's made between 1900 and 1903 (catalogued dates), both models costing 10 guineas. Probably more info in text. Hope this helps.

 

[geoffpw]

Thank you very much for the information and your kind offer.

I will keep your details and arrange to have a look at your book but for the moment I am very happy that it seems there was a ladies bicycle made between those dates as a no. 2. I was really afraid that someone had swopped the badge to a later one, as my previous source made no mention of a ladies model.

Thanks again for spending your time to help.
Geoff