Raleigh Bikes Precisely What The Doctor Required

This actually is certainly true, and it was from the doctor's instructions which the Raleigh Company is born.

Frank Bowden was notified by a physician to cycle a bicycle for the good of his shape; the doctor had allowed him half a year, following a critical disease caught overseas. Well-timed advice like cycling was becoming the "in thing." In 1887, Bowden bought a bicycle from a shop that was making three bikes weekly. He became so astounded to the point that he went to Raleigh Street, Nottingham, location of the firm and later moved to buy the firm.

With cycling as the present rage, production obviously increased and bigger premises were wanted and they were acquired in another - Russell - Street. However, Bowden, labeled his company, Raleigh Cycles, in respect of the previous location.

By 1896, Raleigh was the biggest bike manufacturer worldwide and after the expansion occupied 7.5 acres on Faraday Road.

Motor cyclists were not forgotten and in 1903, Raleigh made the Raleighette, a 3wheeler which was driven by a belt. The driver sat on the back and the passenger, sat on a wicker seat between the 2 front tires. Losses instigated the Raleighette's closure in 1908;

1915: a baronet was created and turned out to be Sir Frank Bowden.

The name, Raleigh is common with bikes globally and in the middle of the 20th century, it was essentially the king in its field.

During late thirties and forties, Raleigh was producing roughly 12,000 bikes per week - 600,000 each year. The unique Heron Head and "Made in Nottingham" was a well-known eyesight and proved to all this is a Raleigh bicycle.

A print advertisement of the age praised the benefits of the Raleigh as being: "easy running ands proving its worth on the highways and byways of every continent" - yes, including in the war ravaged Europe.

In the early 60s and following years, the simpler accessibility of affordable cars saw the decline of the erstwhile trusty bike, but Raleigh continue manufacturing them and had branches overseas. Ireland and Canada.

These days, anybody rolling around on a Raleigh has a magnificent asset with a standing out and respected name.