How a Bicycle is Made (1945)

[krebs303]

How a Bicycle is Made (1945)
Iconic brand digs about in the archives and finds this British Council film

Raleigh has today posted a 17 minute, 1945 produced documentary by the British Council showing 'how a bicycle is made'.

Filmed at the firm's Lenton Boulevard, Nottingham factories, resident historian (HR Manager Frank Ellis) tells us that the bike featured in the film was a “Low Gravity Carrier” (a Butcher’s Bike to you and I).

Ellis said: “The guy putting ball bearings in the bottom bracket took me back….he had that authentic piecework dance…people used to say that if you worked at Raleigh long enough you started doing the dance in your sleep!”

 

[Bespoke]

Thanks so much for posting krebs. Thoroughly enjoyed that window into more quaint times but still relevant to so much of how bikes are made.

 

[Master50]

I was most impressed with the amount of manual labour that went into the entire machine. I would bet the bike in that movie would be very expensive to make today.

 

[Polyarmour]

Great video. I always notice that there are no fat people in those vids. It would be a different story if you filmed it in a British factory today.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Krebs this vid is really cool. It's getting passed around and enjoyed in my world...
Thanx

 

[jamiephillips]

Ah they were the days! Pre Health and Safety at Work Act (1974). You could breathe in what you wanted back then!! Great film!