Re: [CR]BSA Bikes - Foldables for Paratroopers WWII ?

(Example: Framebuilding:Paint)

Date: Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:05:46 -0400
From: "Eric Goforth" <ewgoforth@earthlink.net>
To: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: Re: [CR]BSA Bikes - Foldables for Paratroopers WWII ?
References: <3.0.6.32.20070602081615.01325fb0@mailhost.oxford.net>
In-Reply-To: <3.0.6.32.20070602081615.01325fb0@mailhost.oxford.net>


John Betmanis wrote:
> At 09:25 PM 01/06/2007 -0700, r cielec wrote:
>> Ahoy !
>>
>> I heard of this second hand so, I cannot provide details.
>>
>> I am told that one of the televised Memorial Day holiday (formerly
> Decoration Day) programs with WWII film footage showed BSA made bicycles
> that were foldable and used by certain squads of paratroopers for quick
> travel between objectives.
>>
>> Has anyone seen one of these bicycles ?
>> Anybody own one ?
>>
>> Can anyone corroborate or provide additional information ?
>
> Back in the 1950s in the UK, these were war surplus and sold by mail order
> for 70/- (the equivalent of about $10 at the time). I think they were quite
> heavy compared to a regular bike because of the folding feature.
>
> http://bcoy1cpb.pacdat.net/bsa_airborne_bicycles_(aka_parabike).htm
>
> John Betmanis
> Woodstock, Ontario
> Canada

I noticed that these bikes had a center-pull brake. When did center-pull brakes first appear? I was thinking that it was in the fifties.

Eric Goforth
Durham, NC USA