[CR]Re: Emailing Selbach

(Example: Events)

From: "Joe King" <joeking@fastmail.fm>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Date: Sun, 03 Dec 2006 19:54:35 +0000
Subject: [CR]Re: Emailing Selbach

Dear Mr. Avitzur, I have had an email passed on by a dear friend and old cycling mate. He asked me to have a look at some of the errors and inaccuracies on that site. Maurice Selbach' career was really at its peak prior to the First World War and just after not as they say in the 1920's. He was well on the way down by then and was not even a scratch man. You might like to check his career out in our National Newspaper library at Colindale in North London. On the 30th.& 31st. of August in 1912 in the North Road 24 he took competition record for this distance 394m riding for the University CC the club he had his early career success with. His next comp record was the 50 in June 1914 riding for Unity in the Southern Counties CU 50. Time 2.19.08. On the 12th & 13th. September again in the North road 24 he increased his comp record to 405m. After this he got the Bath and Back and the 100 mile tandem record but you have got to remember both of these had been sitting on the shelf since the early 1900's. When Maurice had a crack at these the road surfaces and equipment were infinitely better so it wasn't that difficult. His earlier pre 1919 exploits were outstanding for the time. I was lucky enough to have been riding when all the great record breakers were still with us. These were the people who rode with or just after Maurice's time so I have heard many tales of him. Finally the site is an excellent source of reference but take a lot of it with a large pinch of salt especially the makers histories. I have always found that Hilary Stone is far more knowledgeable than this pair. Somewhere I have some time trial start cards from the early 1920's mostly from the Upton and Kingsland events where Maurice Selbach was riding you can see for yourself the handicap he was given in these events and his final time. A few of them have been lent out to a North Roader to show an old cycling mate who's Brother-in Law was also a famous record breaker and had a go at some of Selbach's competition records. Best wishes Joe. Croeso Cymru Joe King Nr. Maenaddwyn Ynys Mon Wales