Touring in the 50's

[Sid Aluminium]

You wanted weight. I don't have weight. I can show you volume.

Kazimierz Nowak, Mediteranian-Cape Town-Mediteranian, mid-1930s

[Sid Aluminium]

Young Leopold Wenger on his way to a Hitler Youth Rally, 1937

Wenger was only, hmm, 16? He slept on the ground with no tent. Ah, youth!

[Sid Aluminium]

Norma Jean Belloff, 53 days diagonal across the USA, 1948

Traveling light and fast, Miss Belloff also did not take a tent. When she could not find indoor accommodation, she did what we call in Texas 'cowboy camping' - roll your pallet out on the ground.

[Sid Aluminium]

Victor Franco on a big orbit of the USA, 1950

Quality gear, not too much, well packed.

[Sid Aluminium]

The aforementioned Brian Walker in France, 1950

"The really successful lightweight camper is one whose pack shrinks every year and whose enjoyment increases in ratio with every vanished ounce." - Brian Walker

[Sid Aluminium]

Heinz Helfgen around the world, early 1950s

His book of adventures does not seem to have ever been translated into English. IIRC he made a point of not taking much nor having appreciable funds.

[Sid Aluminium]

Gustaf 'Stälfarfar' Häkansson on his bucket list ride from Sweden to the Holy Land, 1959

He famously entered a Swedish stage race in 1950. I believe he was in his mid-70s at the time of his Israel trip. In 1962 he rode from Sweden to Vatican City to meet the Pope. What a mountain of gear on that roadster! OTOH, very spiffy dresser!

[Sid Aluminium]

Heinz Stücke in 1966. He left home in Germany and stayed on the road for some 48 years!

He seems to have a lot more dunnage than his tour-for-decades contemporary Ian Hibell.

[Sid Aluminium]

Colin Martin, brilliantly packed for around-the-world, 1969

[nsew]

Devla Murphy - Barcelona late 50s.

[Sweep]

why were there not rigid rear racks? One would have thought that in the glory days of heavy engineering they would be rigid. Heavy maybe but tough

Until Jim Blackburn racks came along, no rack that I am aware of had triangulated design struts, so the rack could flex/wobble from side to side when loaded (pedealling out of the saddle was always an interesting experience).
Most racks were 3 point fixing (drop outs plus brake bolt) allowing for even more flex. Anyone who went camping with a Tonard Brazing Co rack will remember this.
Karrimor racks were a bit better (clamped to the seat stays), though the metal was a tad slender, I often used to see racks that had taken a permanent set to one side or the other.

I do remember my Karrimor pannier rack (I recall that we called them "carriers" rather than racks) swaying side to side when loaded. Before that, I vaguely remember a chromed steel wire affair and I do remember thinking the Karrimor to be better in both rigidity and weight. A lad who joined us for a trip had an awful tubular rack that fixed with large eyes over the axle and clamped with a single wide plate across the back of both seat stays.

Before my cycling days, I remember using 1950s (or earlier?) canvas "bivouac tents" with poncho groundsheets when camping with the CCF.

thanks freiston and PT. does seem odd that they didn't come up with anything better. Lack of perceived demand maybe? I do have an old raleigh bike I acquired but never really ridden - must say I wouldn't trust its rack for much.

[freiston]

I've just taken a quick look at some old stuff I have "digitised" on the PC, particularly some 1952 CTC gazette pdf files. I couldn't see any rear rack except for this one in an advert - otherwise almost exclusively saddlebags [EDIT: - I've just noticed that in the advert, the racks are referred to as "carriers" not "racks"]:

I also found this advert for a "pup tent" - only 4½ lbs in weight:

The awful "pannier rack" that I mentioned previously was very similar to this:

[nsew]

Long distance cyclists had custom made racks built into the frame. Pictured are Hibbell’s Argos bike and a 1962 Jack Taylor.

[nsew]

I also found this advert for a "pup tent" - only 4½ lbs in weight

That’s for the canvas. I wonder what the poles (x2) and rubber proofed cloth groundsheet added. Then there’s the pegs and rope. That 4.5 lb is more likely 9 lb.

[freiston]

I also found this advert for a "pup tent" - only 4½ lbs in weight

That’s for the canvas. I wonder what the poles (x2) and rubber proofed cloth groundsheet added. Then there’s the pegs and rope. That 4.5 lb is more likely 9 lb.

Pah! They're optional extras - cut your own poles and pegs from a nearby coppice and use your capes as groundsheets