July 14, 2005 - The riders coming to Gastown for the Tour de Gastown on July 20 may be the fastest in North America, but they've never ridden anything like the Schwinn Red Devil that Alfred Letourner rode to a record speed of 174 km/h in 1941.
The Red Devil is part of the cycling memorabilia that Storyeum, Vancouver's newest entertainment attraction, will have on display in its Water Street lobby during July to celebrate the 25th Tour de Gastown and BC Superweek. The items have been provided by the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum and Cap's Bicycle Shop.
"Storyeum tells the spectacular stories of BC's rich history and the people who made this province what it is today," said Storyeum founder Danny Guillaume. "The Tour de Gastown may have started in 1973, but Gastown's rich cycling history actually dates back to 1887 when the first bicycle race in Vancouver was run right here on Water Street between two Penny Farthings. We 're delighted to give everyone a chance to check out the amazing items that have been provided by the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum and Cap's Bicycle Shop."
Among the displays will be an 1885 Elliott Hickory "Scorcher" with wooden spokes, built before the advent of inner tubes; a turn-of-the-century Penny Farthing; a 1929 CCM track bike raced by the great Torchy Peden; and one of the bikes used by the legendary long distance rider John Hathaway.
For more information on Cap's Bicycle Shop, visit www.capsbicycleshop.com.
For more information on the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, visit www.bcsportshalloffame.com.
Storyeum is Vancouver's newest entertainment attraction, a theatrical adventure under the streets of historic Gastown.. Its new season show is a 65-minute journey through British Columbia's history featuring dozens of performers, state-of-the-art visual effects, seven elaborate sets and two of the world's largest passenger lifts. For more information, visit www.storyeum.com
Selected cycling memorabilia on display at Storyeum:
Penny Farthing Bicycle The Penny Farthing, also referred to as the 'High' or 'Ordinary' bicycle, was first invented in 1871 by British engineer, James Starley. The Penny Farthing was the first really efficient bicycle, consisting of a small rear wheel and large front wheel pivoting on a simple tubular frame with tires of rubber.
Elliott Hickory "Scorcher", 1885
A beautifully preserved bike with hard rubber tires and wooden spokes that pre-date the advent of inner tubes.
Torchy Peden's CCM Racing Bicycle, 1929
Ridden by William 'Torchy' Peden in a variety of local cycling races around Victoria and Vancouver in late 1920s. Torchy later turned professional and joined the lucrative six-day cycling race circuit that competed all over North America. Over his career, he won 38 six-day events, often teaming with this brother, Doug Peden, one of BC's best all-round athletes ever.
Schwinn Red Devil, 1941
Alfred Letourner rode this unique bicycle to a record speed of 174 km/h in 1941. It featured the finest steel tubing from England and a chain drive with a remarkable gear ratio of 9 ½ to 1 and a 252" gear.
John Hathaway's Witcomb Bicycle, 1980s A legendary long distance rider, John Hathaway rode more than 300,000 kms in his lifetime. He set a cross-Canada record in 1956 (24 ½ days) and on one of his trips, rode this bike 48,000 kms through 48 US states in 23 months. The BC Randonneurs Cycling Club's "Iron Butt" Award is named in his honour.
O.B. Allan Trophy
Awarded to the winner of the Vancouver Bicycle Club Annual Road Race from 1926 to 1983. Prominent winners of this trophy include Lorne 'Ace' Atkinson (1939) and Jim Davies (1948, 1957), both BC Sports Hall of Fame inductees.
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