Thursday, July 14, 2011

New Old Bicycles From The Home Front

Last week, Tam and I encountered a Pashley bicycle, a classic British manufacturer continuing in the old style, with a wide range of recreational and industrial bicycles.

The United States is not without a long and proud bicycle tradition of our own and it turns out we, too have a delightful survivor: Worksman Cycles, around since 1898! I'm kind of partial to "The Dutchie," though what's tempting me most are their high-wheelers -- that's right, they don't just make safety bikes. If a pennyfarthing seems too high a bar to clear, have a look at their surreys and trikes, the latter in both "Family Chariot" and "Industrial" models. The basic bicycle price is quite reasonable, especially for a U.S.-made bike. It turns out you've probably seen their products; if not in a factory or warehouse, then at least when the Good Humor man pedaled by, in real life or in a movie or TV program!

About that "U.S.-made" thing: you'll find a sobering reflection about American manufacturing on their website, too. They're just about the last bicycle-maker still building them here.

(FTC, KMA: I received nothing from Worksman Cycles for writing this other than the same interesting web-browse anyone can have, free for taking the time).

5 comments:

Kip Condor said...

This past weekend my LBS celebrated their one year anniversary with a party/cookout. A guy brought several antique bikes to display, including one actual, original 19th-century high-wheeler and I was coveting it the whole time I was there. I suspect I'll probably have one of those Worksman replicas in my stable by the end of the year. Thanks for the link.

NotClauswitz said...

Riding a pennyfarthing is a lot of fun, you get to look down on people in a republican sort of way. :-) We did the theater show, "Spoke Song Trilogy" and built a ramp to ride out among the audience, but none of the actors could master riding and saying lines a the same time - there were just too many cues at once.

Anonymous said...

Does one ride that to a Professor Elemental concert?

Shootin' Buddy

Anonymous said...

When I worked at Fedex in Memphis and L.A. we used the Worksman 3 wheeler bicycles with the wire basket on the back. They worked well to get yourself and a small toolbox out to the airplanes. They weren't cheap though...I think they cost around 1,000 bucks apiece.

Roberta X said...

SB: I'm sure of it!

Kip, Crashr, I envy you.