Raleigh Bikes Just What The Doctor Requested

By Greg Bingam

This actually is very right, and it was according to medic's advice that the Raleigh Bikes Company got founded.

Frank Bowden was enlightened by a physician to cycle a bike for the good of his shape; his physician had given him 6 months, after a severe sickness caught abroad. Well-timed instruction like cycling was turning out the "in thing." In 1887, Bowden acquired a bicycle from a company that was producing 3 bicycles weekly. He became so excited such that he made it to Raleigh Street, Nottingham, address of the company and later offered to buy it.

With cycling as the present craze, the making obviously went up and larger locations were sought and these were discovered in another - Russell - Street. Despite this, Bowden, chastened his business, Raleigh Cycles, in admiration of the original location.

By 1896, Raleigh was the greatest bicycle maker in the world and following the development occupied 7.5 acres in Faraday Road.

Motor cyclists were not left out and in 1903, Raleigh manufactured the Raleighette, a belt-driven, three wheeler. Its driver sat on the back as the passenger, occupied a seat between the 2 front tires. Losses triggered the Raleighette's stoppage in 1908;

In 1915, a baronet emerged and became Sir Frank Bowden.

This name, Raleigh is common with bicycles all over the world and in the middle of the 20th century, it was essentially the frontrunner in its field.

During late 30s and 40s, Raleigh was making roughly twelve thousand bikes a week - six hundred thousand annually. The distinctive Heron Head as well as "Made in Nottingham" became a well-known spectacle and proved to everyone this was a Raleigh bicycle.

A paper advertisement of the age exalted the virtues of the Raleigh as being: "easy running ands proving its worth on the highways and byways of every continent" - yes, even in the war ravaged Europe.

In the 60s and later years, the painless accessibility of affordable motor cars resulted in the drop of the erstwhile devoted bicycle, although Raleigh went on producing them and even had branches abroad. Ireland and Canada.

Currently, anybody riding a Raleigh must have had a wonderful machine with a great and recognized name.

About the Author:

Among the passions of Greg Bingam is actually bikes! Through the many years he's grow to be quite an authority and even started a Raleigh Bikes blog, where you can get facts about all the models and specifically his favourite Raleigh Chopper. http://raleigh-bikes.net