Pashley Cycles - Wikipedia

Pashley Cycles is a British bicycle, tricycle and workbike manufacturer based in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England. The company was started in ... PashleyCycles FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia Jumptonavigation Jumptosearch UKpedalcyclemanufacturer Thisarticleneedsadditionalcitationsforverification.Pleasehelpimprovethisarticlebyaddingcitationstoreliablesources.Unsourcedmaterialmaybechallengedandremoved.Findsources: "PashleyCycles" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(November2012)(Learnhowandwhentoremovethistemplatemessage) PashleyCyclesIndustryCyclemanufactureFounded1926 (1926)FounderWilliam'Rath'PashleyHeadquartersStratford-upon-Avon,EnglandKeypeopleAdrianWilliamsProductsBicycles(includingworkbikes)andtricyclesRevenue40%ofproductisexportedtoaround50countriesNumberofemployees50Websitewww.pashley.co.uk ThePashleyGuv'nor PashleyDelibike PashleyCyclesisaBritishbicycle,tricycleandworkbikemanufacturerbasedinStratford-upon-AvoninWarwickshire,England.Thecompanywasstartedin1926[citationneeded]andstillmanufacturesbikesintheUK. Contents 1Formationandearlyyears 2Waryears 3Postwar 4The1960sandaproductionmove 5PashleycarriercyclesandtheRoyalMail 6Productdevelopment,acquisitionsandmergers 7PashleyandMoulton 8Pashleytothepresentday 9Seealso 10References 11Externallinks Formationandearlyyears[edit] In1926,WilliamRathbone'Rath'PashleyfoundedPashleyandBarberinNewJohnStreetWest,Birmingham.PashleyandBarberdeclaredthattheywere'Manufacturersofeverytypeofcycle'andthat'Birminghamproducesthefinestcycles,theseareBirmingham'sbest'.Themodelrangeincludedeverydayroadsters,clubmanracingmachines,tradesmen'scarriercyclesandtandems.RathhadbeenapprenticedtotheAustinMotorCompanybeforetheFirstWorldWarandsawmilitaryserviceasadespatchrider.Theseoccupationsinhisearlyyearsgavehimengineeringknowledgeandskillandalsoalifelonginterestintwowheeltransport. Competitioninthecycletradewasveryfierceandafterashortwhile'Rath'Pashleyrealisedthatsuccesswouldcomethroughidentifyingamarketniche.Anewcompany,PashleyCarrierCycles,wasformedtoconcentrateonbuildingcarriercyclesdesignedtowithstandtheabusethrownatthembyerrandboys. In1936,thecompanywasincorporatedasW.R.PashleyLtdandmovedtoalargernewfactory(over30,000squarefeet)inChesterStreet,Aston.[1]Asprosperityreturnedafterthedepression,thecompanyincreasinglyfocusedondeliveryandvendingtricycles-fordairyproducts,icecreamandgeneraldeliveries. Inthe1930s,Pashleymadealmosteverycomponentoftheircyclesintheirownfactory-fortheframes,onlythetubingandlugswereboughtin.Framebuilding,brakes,wheels,sheetmetalwork,polishingandenamellingwereallcarriedoutintheworks. Waryears[edit] DuringtheSecondWorldWar,Pashley,likemanyotherengineeringfirms,turnedsomeofitsproductioncapacityovertothewareffort.Pashley'smanufacturingcapabilityprovedtobeofconsiderablevalueandthecompanyproducedBrowningmachinegunmountsamongotherequipment. Postwar[edit] Intheyearsfollowingthewar,carriercycleswerestillinhighdemandbutitwasthecontinuationofthesupplyoflargertricycles,andtheinfantdevelopmentofthemotorcarforthemassmarket,thatreceivedmostofPashley'sattention.Havingmademotorrickshawsinthelate1940s,PashleystartedthemanufactureofBrockhouseIndianMotorTricyclesin1950-J.BrockhouseandCo.ofBirminghamhavingacquiredtheIndianMotorcycleCompanyofMassachusettsandsub-contractedthemanufacturetoPashley.Thesehadaconventional'twowheelsattheback'tricyclelayout,similartothePashleyPelicanmotorisedrickshaw-withseatsforuptofourpassengers-andthedriver.Pashleywerethefirstcompanytofithydraulicbrakestowhatwas,technically,amotorcycle.ThisinnovationmayhavebeeninfluencedbyRath'syoungerson,JohnPashley,whoworkedatGirling.TheprototypePelicanRickshawhasbeenreturnedtothecompanyandawaitsrestoration. Pashleyalsomovedbrieflyintocarmanufacturein1953,againwithaconventionaltricyclelayout.PerhapsthemostsuccessfulofthemotorisedPashleytricycleswasthe'3cwtLightDeliveryTruck'withaKendrickwheellayout.Thismeanttwowheelsatthefront,givingthedriveraviewofboththeloadspaceandtheoverallvehiclewidth,usefulformanoeuveringintightspaces. Asmoreconventionalmotorisedtransportbecameavailabletomostbusinessesintheearly1960s,Pashley'sfocusmovedawayfrommotorisedvehiclesand,togetherwiththecarriercycles,trolleys,cartsandstreetbarrows,alargenumberofroadtrailersweremanufactured,bothassimplechassisandfullybodied. The1960sandaproductionmove[edit] The1960swasapivotaleraforPashley.Rath'sson,Dick,tookcontrolofthecompanyonhisfather'sretirement.DickhadrecentlymovedtoStratford-upon-Avon,andtookthebolddecisiontomovethecompanyfromAstontobrandnewpremisesonMasonsRoad,Stratford.ProductionManagerJohnKerbybeganworkingforthecompanyin1968andremainswithPashleytothisday. Withtheadventofsmallwheelbicycles,pioneeredbyAlexMoultonin1962,DickPashleydevelopedasimple'shopping'tricycle,nowknownasthePashleyPicador.Manythousandsofthesehavebeensoldsince,usersbenefitingfromthestabilityandlowstep-throughframe.Itsallweldedconstructionwasveryunusualforthecycleindustryatthetime,andmanyyearspassedbeforeothermanufacturersadoptedit.Asimilartwo-wheeledshoppingbicycle,thePiccolo,wasalsomanufactured. AstraditionalroadsterbicyclesbeganbeingremovedfromtherangesofotherBritishmanufacturers,Pashleydecidedtofocusonclassicroadsters.SomecompaniessoldrebadgedPashleyRoadstersinthe1980sand1990s.Thesewerebuilttotheoriginal1920sdesign.Formanyyears,versionsofthesesawserviceinlargenumbersunderthepatronageofUNICEF.PashleystillmakeatraditionalroadsterbicycleanditisstillindemandinUKandexportmarkets. PashleycarriercyclesandtheRoyalMail[edit] PashleyMailstarin2011 SinceinceptionPashleyhasprovidedcarriercyclestoindustryandcommerce.Oneoftheearly,equal-wheelcarriercyclesPashleysoldinthe1930s(the'ModelL'for£7.10.0)hadafrontmetaltubularcarrierandnameplateinasimilarmannertothe'Courier'thatthecompanysellscurrently.Thisledontomotoriseddeliverytricyclesandthemanufactureofice-creamcarts,railwaystationplatformrefreshmenttrolleysandspecialistunitsforthedairyandcateringtrades.Thecompanycontinuestomakeicecreamvendingtricycles(ClassicNo.33)alongsideitsotherworkbikeproducts.[2] In1974,PashleyacquiredGundle,theonlyothersurvivingmanufacturerofcarriercycles.Thiscementedtheirpositioninthemarketforthistypeofbike.FormanyyearsGundlemodelswerebuiltalongsidethePashleyrange,beforebeingabsorbedintothePashleyRHrange.TheRHrangewasnamedafterRath'slocalpublichouse-'TheRobinHood'inHallGreen.Pashleyalsomade'SW'(SmallWheel)bikesanddoessotodayunderthename'Delibike'(seeaboveimage). Bythelate1970s,PashleywassupplyingbikestotheRoyalMail.TheoriginalRoyalMaildesignedmaildeliverycyclewassinglespeedandequippedwithrodoperatedbrakes.PashleywasoneofasmallnumberofUKmanufacturers(includingTownsendsCycles)toproducethisbikeandinthe1990sbecamethesolesupplier.Duringthemid-1990s.Pashleyproposedinterimupgradestothe1992RoyalMaildesignwhichresultedinthe'Millenium'model.Thishadwidertyres,reliabledrumbrakesandforthefirsttimeprovidedpostaldeliverystaffwith3gears. Enteringthe21stcentury,PashleywasfacedwithinternationalcompetitionforthesupplyofRoyalMailbicycles.Forthefirsttime,RoyalMailrequiredthesuppliertodesignthebicycleaswellasmanufactureit.Pashleyhadbeendevelopinganewloadcarryingbicyclecalledthe'Pronto'whichbyemployingastep-throughframedesignwouldallowmailandgoodstobesafelycarriedbothatthefrontandtherearofthecycle.ThiswasputforwardtotheRoyalMail.ThreesuppliersfromtheoriginaleightEuropeantenderingcompanieswereshortlistedandayear-longtestprogrammestarted.Thisinvolved180bicyclesfromthethreemanufacturers.EventuallytheProntowaschosen.TheRoyalMailnameditthe'Mailstar'anddeliveriesbeganin2001.PashleycontinuestosupplytheRoyalMailalthoughvansandtrolleysarereplacingmuchofthebikefleet.UnderitsoriginalnameofPronto,thebikesarestillusedforalltypesofdeliveriesbyothercompaniesintheUKandabroad. Productdevelopment,acquisitionsandmergers[edit] Pashleylaunchedthe'Pickle'children'stricyclein1981.Itwascloselymodelledonchildren'stricyclesofthe1950sandfeaturedproperBallbearinghubs,headset,bottombracketandpedals.Thismadeitbettertorideandmoreresilientthancheapercompetitors.Pashleytandemsmadeare-appearanceinthelate1970swiththeintroductionofthe'Tourmaster'.Thesewereconstructedalongsimplerlinesthanconventionaltandems,and,likethePicador,usedaluglessconstruction.Asaresult,theywereinexpensiveandpopular. In1984,Pashleylaunchedwhatwastobeitslast'allBritish'bike-the'Patriot'.ThiswasaconventionalsportslightroadsterdesignwithallthecomponentssourcedfromtheUK.SomecomponentsbecameunavailableandthePatriotnamewaslaterusedona24-inchwheelhirebike. Formuchofthe1990s,Pashleywereproducingone,twoandthree-wheeledcycles.Unicycleswereaninterestingside-lineforthecompanyandaswellasstandardandtall('Giraffe')modelsPashleycreatedtheUMX(BMXtype)andthe'Muni'(MountainUnicycle).Thisparticularmodelwassuccessfulatoff-roadcyclingeventsandthetermMunibecameagenerictermforoff-roadunicyclesthereafter. Inlate1994,thePashleyfamilyrelinquishedcontroltotheemployeesinamanagementbuyoutledbyAdrianWilliams,anaeronauticalengineer. PashleySpecialProductswassetuptodevelopandmarketnewmodels.Thefirstofthesewasthe'TubeRider'.Itwasmodelledonthewar-timeParatrooper'sbicyclewithtwincurvedtubedframe.Itwasacclaimedbyleadingcyclingandstylemagazines.The'Paramount'followed,usingthesameframebutfittedoutwithracks,mudguardandchainguardforcityandcommutinguse.PashleyalsoworkedwithLandRovertomakeanoff-roadmodelcalled'XCB'withhydraulicdiskbrakesandsuspensionforks. Attheendof1997,PashleyabsorbedCresswellCycles,amanufactureroffoldingbikesandspecialisttrailertrikes.ProductionofthesewastransferredtoStratford-uponAvon. During1998,the'TVSeries'rangeofbikeswasintroduced.PashleyhadanumberoftalentedTrialandTrailsridersinitsemploy:MattandEddieTongue,TimStedman,KyeandTobyForteandDylanClayton.ArangeofframesweremadefromReynoldstubingtotacklethisspecialistformofextremeriding. Inthelate1990sand2000s(decade),thepopularityofmountainbikingsawaboomintheBritishbicycleindustry.Duringthistime,bicycleandcomponentmanufacturersintheUKbegantocloseproductionfacilitiesandspecifyandordertheirproductsfromproducersintheFarEast.Sturmey-ArcheranditssubsidiaryBrooksSaddlesweresoldandbrieflyfellintothehandsofreceivers.Sturmey-ArcherwasacquiredbySun-RaceofTaiwan.PashleyshareholdersacquiredBrooksatthisdifficulttimeandworkingwithBrooksemployees,updatedthebrandingandsetanewcourseintheproductionof"fineleathersaddlesandaccessories". PashleyandMoulton[edit] In1991,Pashleyagreedtomanufacturethenewsmall-wheeled,fullsuspensionMoulton'AllPurposeBicycle'or'APB'asitwasmorecommonlyknown.Thisbroughtallthefeaturesofthe'AM'seriestothemassmarket.The'APB12'and'APB'5'werelaunchedinthespringof1992.In1995,alicensingdealwithLandRoverresultedinthelaunchofaversatile,durablevariantoftheMoultonAPBcalledthe'LandRoverAPB',whichsoldinlargenumberstobothLandRoverownersandMoultonenthusiasts.SeeMoultonBicycleforfurtherinformationonthecollaborationandbusinessconnectionbetweenPashleyandMoulton,whichcontinuedthroughtheTSRrangeuntil2008,whenanewMoultoncompanywasestablished. Pashleytothepresentday[edit] PashleyPrincesswithfrontwickerbasketandBrooksleathersaddle. Inrecentyears,Pashleyhasseenstrongdemandforits'Classic'models,inparticularthewomen's'Princess'traditionalloopframedbicyclewithfrontwickerbasketandBrooksleathersaddle.Themen's'Roadster'isalsoprominentintherange.Thebikeisnotableforitslarge28-inchwheelswithits635mmWestwoodrimsand'situpandbeg'ridingposition.Pashleyhascontinuedtoevolveandimprovethesedesignswhereappropriate.In2007,thecompanylaunchedthe'Guv'nor'(Seeaboveimage)whichwasinspiredbyanoriginalPashleycataloguefromthe1930s.TheypersuadedReynoldstore-introduce531tubing.MorerecentlyPashleyhaslaunchedits'Clubman'range,andagaintheframesaremadewith531andinspiredbyarchivesofthecompany'soldbrochures. PashleystillmanufacturearangeofcarriercyclesandtricyclesthatareusedcommerciallybymanycompaniesintheUKandabroad. Seealso[edit] Listofbicyclemanufacturingcompanies References[edit] ^"PashleyCycles-TheHistoryBehindTheBike".pashley.co.uk. ^"ClassicNo.33-IceCream,Coffee&OtherVendingTricycle-Pashley".pashley.co.uk. Externallinks[edit] Officialwebsite vteBritishbicyclemanufacturersCurrent A-bike Bickerton Boardman Bootie BritishEagle Brompton Campion Condor Dawes Defiance Dolan Falcon Genesis Halfords Hetchins Holdsworth Islabikes Lotus Mercian Moulton Muddyfox Paper Pashley Pedersen Phillips PlanetX Raleigh Reynolds Ridgeback RobinHood Saracen Strida TIGroup Whyte Defunct Ariel BSA Carlton ClaudButler Chater-Lea Coventry-Eagle CoventryPremier EllisBriggs ElswickHopper FlyingScot F.W.Evans FreddieGrubb HarryQuinn Hercules Humber Norman Perry Roberts Rover RoyalEnfield Rudge-Whitworth Sun Sunbeam Triumph Uppadine Viking Warrick Witcomb Components BrooksEngland Dunlop MiddlemoresSaddles Sturmey-Archer Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pashley_Cycles&oldid=1069932015" Categories:CyclemanufacturersoftheUnitedKingdomVehiclemanufacturingcompaniesestablishedin1926MountainbikemanufacturersBritishbrandsHistoryofBirmingham,WestMidlands1926establishmentsinEnglandCompaniesbasedinStratford-upon-AvonHiddencategories:ArticleswithshortdescriptionShortdescriptionisdifferentfromWikidataUsedmydatesfromJanuary2017UseBritishEnglishfromJanuary2017ArticlesneedingadditionalreferencesfromNovember2012AllarticlesneedingadditionalreferencesAllarticleswithunsourcedstatementsArticleswithunsourcedstatementsfromMay2020 Navigationmenu Personaltools NotloggedinTalkContributionsCreateaccountLogin Namespaces ArticleTalk English Views ReadEditViewhistory More Search Navigation MainpageContentsCurrenteventsRandomarticleAboutWikipediaContactusDonate Contribute HelpLearntoeditCommunityportalRecentchangesUploadfile Tools WhatlinkshereRelatedchangesUploadfileSpecialpagesPermanentlinkPageinformationCitethispageWikidataitem Print/export DownloadasPDFPrintableversion Inotherprojects WikimediaCommons Languages DeutschEspañolفارسی Editlinks