Paul Patkowsy wrote:
"I've just finished reading a bit about the Malvern Star bicycle company. The article mentions briefly the demise of Australian made components as manufactures began to equipe their bikes with imported components. What where the names of these Australian companies and what was the range of their products?"
I have wondered the same thing, and with a bit of research here's what I've found so far:
Velox Engineering Works (VEW), founded 1930 in Sydney by the Bazzano family. Until the late '60s(?) they manufactured aluminum hubs, brakes, handlebars, stems, seat posts, pedals and chainsets. Production was fairly small but continued during WWII. Probably best known for their hubs, which were used by Malvern Star among others. John Bazzano (grandson of the founder) is now head of Shimano Australia. Charlie Bazzano (John's uncle) represented Australia in cycling in the '48 Olympics. John's son Matthew is also a succesful racer (1990 Aussie champ).
Speedwell apparently made handlebars (as well as frames) pre-WWII.
Pierce Bell (Sydney) made leather saddles starting early WWII, until perhaps the '60s. Their line included a Model 40 and Model 70.
Gem made an "...effective, but roughly finished and unattractive..." (Jack Hepher) V-type brakeset during WWII.
Centrix made various components, including hubs. It was acquired in 1946 by Allied Bruce Small Pty (controlling shareholder of Malvern Star).
Bruce Small, head of Malvern Star (Melbourne) from 1920 to 1958 was a driving force in getting high-quality imported components into Australia. I think he was the first to set up large imports of BSA (he got the exclusive import rights), Cyclo, Coventry, Williams and Chater Lea among others. Starting in about 1937 Malvern Star made (and helped others make) bicycle components because British production was being diverted to the war effort, making shipments unreliable.
I have not yet seen a bicycle equipped completely with Aussie-made parts, don't know that it was done unless during WWII.
I'm sure there is much more that I don't know, and there is a bit of deduction above as well as the great possibility of error (corrections and additions very welcome).
The Canberra Bicycle Museum just hosted a conference on the history of the bicycle in Australia (at the beginning of April). I expect that quite a bit of information was on tap there, and I hope to learn about it when the proceedings are published.
Dave Ross
Portola Valley, CA