No lightweight, fibre glass, aerodynamic super bike for this Berkhamstedian. His was a 50-inch black-enamelled Columbia Standard bicycle with nickel-plated wheels and a handlebar bag. The whole contraption weighed 45-60 pounds, considerably more than the British Olympic Cycling team’s entire current fleet.
The high wheeler also had no gears, prompting its manufacturers, Pope Bicycle Company, to admit, ‘A rider needed strong leg muscles and vigorous pedalling to propel the vehicle up the smallest of hills. Going downhill could be even more hazardous.’
And Thomas was no athlete. He was born on Castle Street in Berkhamsted on Christmas Eve 1854, and after leaving Bourne’s charity school in the town he became an apprentice grocer.
Emigrating to America with his family in 1871, Tom worked at the Wyoming railroad mill. Here a maverick approach to life made its first appearance – he was run out of town for importing British labourers in exchange for part of their salaries.
‘Even the most experienced riders had ‘headers’ over the handlebars which were sometimes fatal’
Esta historia es de la edición May 2020 de Hertfordshire Life.
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Esta historia es de la edición May 2020 de Hertfordshire Life.
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