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Bert Kent of Worthing, who was born in 1928, has some fond reminiscences of his early cycling days.
My friend had a fixed-wheel cycle, and somehow one of us figured out that if we were to both stand on a pedal we could move along, each going up and down, on either side of the bike. Once the momentum was achieved, we were on our way down the incline of Norfolk Street quite fast.
We turned into Angelsea Street and on into Clifton Road, and to our advantage there were no cars driving in our way. Then we struck a stationary car, which pulled my blazer pocket off, and brought us to a halt. Needless to say, we only did that the one time.
The first cycle I had to call my own was a loop-frame lady's bike, handed down from a sister. I used it during my lunchtime and on Saturday morning to do the household shopping.
But when I started work, I bought my first second-hand man's bike, with semi-drop handlebars, and a back-pedalling brake, for £3. The back pedalling brake was very efficient, and was very good for skidding into reverse turns, until I found the excessive tyre wear was expensive.
This cycle served its purpose, for going to work, and at the weekend my mates and I would cycle to Arundel, to boat on Swanbourne Lake, or to Brighton to ice-skate or support the Brighton Tigers ice-hockey team.
But when I was demobbed from H.M. service, my younger brother was in the 'Worthing Excelsior's' cycling club, and was very keen to get me interested. So using my demob pay, I bought an orange Raleigh with three-speed and drop- handlebars, a new bike from Curry's, complete with toe straps and a big aluminium bell, for £17-8s-9d.
There was no point in me joining the cycle club with brother Phillip because I had Fridays off, and had to work all weekend. So we decided that we should go on a long ride to the West Country during our annual holiday; and in doing so, represent his club by flying their flag en-route.
With this in mind we made a trailer, large enough to house a ridge tent, stove, billycans, lilos, tinned food, (as some food was still rationed) and so on. I was in engineering, so I made the chassis with two 26-inch cycle wheels and a tow bar; and made matching tow brackets for each bike.
Phillip, being a joiner, made the wooden body and painted it in his club colours.
Bert Kent, Worthing, 2001
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