Romford Wheelers
Posted: 2 Dec 2006, 6:01pm
Does anyone know any history of the Romford Wheelers? My Dad died earlier this year (aged 93) and amongst his possessions was an enamelled Romford Wheelers medallion, engraved on the back "Standard 25, E(rnest) Aldous, 1 hr 13 m 35 s, 1933. I imagine this was for a time trial? I know my dad and his brother (Albert Aldous) were very keen cyclists before the war, and had a successful career in tandem racing. He would have liked to continue but the war changed many things for many people and it was not to be. He did live long enough to see the tandem my husband and I bought for our 30th wedding anniversary, and to know that his grandson was having great success as a cycle trials rider (but not long enough to see him come 3rd in the world this summer in the Expert class!)
Dad used to tell me about time trialling in the '30s - how it was frowned upon as being rather unseemly and the kind of activity only renegades and ruffians would engage in! To escape the general opprobrium they dressed 'inconspiciously' in black tights and tops, and set out very early in the morning, belting up and down the A11 so that they could be finished before 'decent folks' should catch sight of them!
Dad used to tell me about time trialling in the '30s - how it was frowned upon as being rather unseemly and the kind of activity only renegades and ruffians would engage in! To escape the general opprobrium they dressed 'inconspiciously' in black tights and tops, and set out very early in the morning, belting up and down the A11 so that they could be finished before 'decent folks' should catch sight of them!