The Century Competition of 1911

Marcel, December 1911.

This was the bike he used for the epic year, a 1905 'Mead'. This is not a make I had ever heard of before, but apparently it was a Birmingham firm with only a moderate reputation for quality. This type of machine was (and I suppose still is) known as a 'light roadster' Light here is a relative term, and I think the idea was to make a contrast with the heavier type which had 28" wheels (26" for the Mead and the BSA), and a chain case. As I understand it, the other features of a roadster are : rod brakes, normally onto Westwood rims, upturned bars, and bolted up seat stays (rather than brazed). There are many disadvantages to this design, but it has proved incredibly long lasting, evolving around 1900, with quite a few examples still in use around London even today.

  The string binding the seat stays together is not visible even in the best copy of the picture in my possession, but I've no reason to doubt it was there.  Cycling politely described the machine as: 'by no means ideally suited to its purpose'. Fully kitted out for the road it weighed 45lbs.

  I guess the background is a London street - riding on roads as empty as this must have been some compensation for the problems with the bike.

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