American Flyers: Carlton Cycles U.S. Export Models 1961-1969

To cyclist the world over the name 'Carlton' stands supreme for hand-made cycle design, construction and finish. It is Carlton policy, however, to supply our machines only through Carlton dealers, who have been selected for their interest in cycling and their ability to give satisfactory service. A genuine hand-made cycle is lively and responsive. This is  one reason why Carlton are chosen and ridden successfully by so many leading riders in international competitions. 

first Carlton U.S. brochure, 1961

Coming of Age. The acquisition of Carlton by Raleigh in 1960 marked a new era for the company in building and selling top-end racing bicycles. It led, eventually, to its sponsoring the first British team to win the Tour de France, and for the first and only time, with a British designed and built bicycle. At the same time, Carlton was suddenly thrust into the nascent American market and figured prominently in the country's astonishing "Bike Boom" of the mid 1970s. In many ways, America was the making and eventually the breaking of Carlton which went from a small bespoke factory to one mass producing more high end British racing bicycles than any firm before or since.

This article attempts to document Carlton's initial exports to the United States c. 1961-1969 when its machines were among the comparatively few high end ones available in the country. Before the Raleigh Professionals, Internationals, Competitions and Super Courses, there were Flyers, Franco-Suisses and Catalinas; Dunelts, Huffys and Meteors... all built in Worksop, England.



TAKEOVERS & TRANSFORMATIONS

In Raleigh Cycle Co.'s 125-year (and counting) history, 1960 was a seminal year. Sir Harold Bowden died on 27 August, the son of Raleigh's founder Sir Frank Bowden, and Chairman of the company from 1921-1938. What was then the largest cycle factory in the world, Raleigh's famous Nottingham works, was the backdrop to a newly released film, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, based on a story by Nottingham native and former Raleigh employee Alan Sillitoe and starring Albert Finney. And, most importantly, the business and the British cycle industry itself was transformed with the takeover of Raleigh by Tube Investments which was preceded by a few weeks by Raleigh acquiring Carlton Cycles.

The first of Britain's "New Wave" films probing the changing societal world of the ordinary British worker, Saturday Night And Sunday Morning was shot in and around Raleigh's sprawling Nottingham works and fittingly released in 1960 when the Company and the British cycle industry itself was fraught with the change and upheaval. 

The biggest of two amalgamations, and the largest cycle merger in the history of the industry, on 19 April 1960, was a veritable mating of giants. Tube Investments' British Cycle Corporation (which owned the Birmingham based cycle firms of Hercules, Phillips, Armstrong, Sun and the component makers Brampton and Walton & Brown) purchased Raleigh Industries whose holdings included Humber, Rudge, Robin Hood, BSA and Triumph. In a corporate sense, it was TI that purchased Raleigh, but the decision to consolidate all manufacture at Nottingham made it a Raleigh centered acquisition. At a stroke, TI Raleigh had 80% of the British cycle trade and a global network of associated companies, dealers and distribution centres serving a worldwide market.

The second of the 1960 mergers actually pre-dated the TI takeover and was the last acquisition by Raleigh, that of Carlton Cycles Ltd. of Worksop on 31 March.  At the time Carlton, a small family owned firm specializing in "bespoke" specialised racing and sports bicycles, employed about 60 persons and turned out 2,500 frames a year. Compared to the ensuing TI merger, this paled in scale, but as events proved, not in importance. In many respects, it began a new chapter for the Company in professional cycle sport culminating 20 years later when a Raleigh sponsored team won cycling's most famous race, the Tour de France, and on a British built and designed Raleigh whose roots went back to Carlton.

The mid to late 1950s were a troubled time for the British cycle industry with sales halving by the end of the decade as private motorcar ownership soared. Raleigh's major market had always been centred on the workaday rider and the Raleigh no. 1 roadster was the standard of the world and a bedrock of the firm's line-up. Yet, it was Reg Harris, the great track racing champion, who was Raleigh's spokesman who "rode a Lenton Sports", the firm's famous 1950s sports machine. Like all Raleighs, it was a hub-geared machine and as the multi-speed derailleur became all dominant, Raleigh's reliance on these gears through its longstanding ownership of Sturmey-Archer now hindered its ability to modernize and compete. And it was a machine pitched to the youth "aspiring" market of sports cyclists not discerning "clubmen". Raleigh's only true professional grade racing bicycle, the fabled Record Ace, was out of production by 1954 and the old firm found itself unable to tap one of the few real growth areas in cycling by end of the decade.

As early as 1957, Raleigh explored setting up a specialist lightweight building unit in the old Sturmey-Archer gear works vacant after its new factory extension had opened. This new unit was to be a subsidiary under Reg Harris and using his name. Plans were dropped amid the upheaval of the ongoing negotiations over the takeover of Raleigh by Tube Investments and the absorption of its expansive British Cycle Corporation brands and production at Nottingham.

To provide a quick "key in the door" to the top-end racing and sports cycle market,  Reg Harris instead suggested acquiring Carlton as a going concern. It not only had the reputation among clubmen that Raleigh lacked, but its product and production offered an unusual but very effective means of selling "custom made" bicycles within a set range of options and features that gave most of the benefits of a truly bespoke frame, but at a lower price point. It also enabled semi mass production.

One of the major consequences of the Raleigh takeover was that Carlton's Worksop factory was now the centre of all lightweight frame building for the entire TI Raleigh "empire". All Reynolds 531 production was shifted to Worksop by mid 1961 with the final Lenton Grand Prix models ending 531 building at Nottingham that year. Further, all lightweight model design and specification was henceforth entrusted to Carlton under Gerald O'Donovan. This meant that all previous BCC lightweights such as the Phillips Fleur de Lys were discontinued. The ensuing contraction of brand names meant that Raleigh, Dunelt, Carlton and Sun were the only marques in the TI empire offering 531 frames.  It was this consolidation and concentration which completely changed Carlton's model line-up which was both more varied across price points and levels of sophistication and centred more on complete machines. At the higher end, Carlton continued to offer its traditional take on "bespoke" racing frames by offering a wide but set range of options within model types.

Further, Carlton was now tasked with building lightweights for TI's global markets when the demand for such machines, while low in comparison with overall sales, was growing especially in North America. Overall, American bicycle sales went from 3.7 mn in 1960 to 5.6 mn. in 1965 to 6.9 mn in 1970. Carlton was now building for a growing and potentially enormous market. And it was thrust into the "badge engineering" that characterised BCC/Raleigh marketing at the time.  Worksop was soon turning out Raleighs, Suns, Dunelts, Meteors and Huffys in addition to Carltons during this changing, confusing and challenging period.

EXPORT CARLTON MODELS

In anticipation perhaps of the impending takeover by Raleigh, Carlton had completely revamped its line-up of models by 1960. This started in 1957 with a reworking of the longstanding Flyer model while a completely new mid-priced range was introduced for 1959 which, in classic Carlton tradition, centred around a new and distinctive lugset, the Capella. This would figure prominently in many of the Carltons of the immediate Raleigh-owned era while the revised model range offering a variety of quality machines at different price points reflected new marketing methods under the Raleigh mantle. These new models-- Catalina, Clubman, Continental and Constellation-- would, with the Franco-Suisse and Flyer, form the basis for Carlton's export product to the United States in the first three-quarters of the decade.


CARLTON FRANCO-SUISSE

Not to be confused with the Franco-Italia, the Franco-Suisse was introduced in 1960, "to provide a really light machine yet at the same time a machine durable enough to stand the rigours of racing and general club riding".  It was Carlton's most expensive frameset or complete machine that year and despite its name, it and not the earlier Franco-Italia was the first Carlton to have Campagnolo five-speed derailleurs as an option.

The new Franco-Suisse as introduced in the 1960 catalogue; this was the last new Carlton designed prior to the takeover by Raleigh that April. credit: V-CC on-line archives

The Franco-Suisse in the 1961 (UK) brochure, the first year it was also offered with different components to the U.S. market. credit: V-CC on-line archives

CARLTON CATALINA

One of the more successful and memorable 'sixties Carltons was the Catalina, a machine clearly aimed at the "aspirational" youth market and all the more treasured for it, often being  a lad's first grown up "racer". Introduced for the 1958 season, its design was up-to-date enough with 72° parallel angles in 19-23" frame sizes and 73/71° for 24", oval section forks, Oscar Egg legs, Benelux or Simplex 5-speed gears, Williams chainset and Dunlop 27" x 1¼" rims. Advertised as a "new look" bicycle, it featured "Anodically" coloured finishes that were, shall we say, of their time. What the Catalina didn't have, at least for the British market, was light weight, most being made of 2030 steel tubing. In 1960, a Catalina Special All Chrome model was introduced and this was the model first exported to the United States the following year. In 1961, the distinctive Capella lugs and fork crowns were introduced. For the British market, the Catalina was finally withdrawn from the range in 1966 but continued to be exported to the U.S. through 1967. 

The Catalina got the centre spread of the 1961 catalogue for the U.K. market-- note the "Catalina Special All Chrome" model which was the one sold by Raleigh Industries of America in 1961-1962. credit: V-CC online library

CARLTON FLYER

One could practically tell the story of Carlton, at least in relation to its lightweight cycle production up to the mid 1960s through one model, the Flyer. First introduced in 1938 and through myriad versions and variants for both road and track (today it's best remembered as a track bike), it was a mainstay of the range. In its road version, it was always the top model in terms of up to date geometry and components and in keeping with the preferences of "clubmen" at the time, the simplest in terms of lugs and decoration. 

Catalogue pages for the Carlton Flyer 1938 (top left), 1939 (top right) and 1947 (bottom). credits: ThreeSpeedHub (top left) and V-CC on line library (others). 

The Flyer was completely redesigned and reintroduced for the 1957 model year and this formed the basis for the model for the rest of its production life as well as principal (and best) export model to the United States following the takeover by Raleigh. Owing to the complicated maze of sometimes conflicting contractual obligations and sale agreements arising from the TI-Raleigh merger, the same basic model was, in fact, sold by both Raleigh Industries of America and Dunelt. As with all Carltons, there were both a range of options with components and frame features within each model and during the period in question, the lugwork, too, changed, but the essential frame remained the same for both Raleigh and Dunelt variants.  During this formative period in American cycling especially "serious" road racing and sport, the Flyer was one of the finest racing bicycles readily available in the country.

The Carlton Flyer in the 1962 brochure which was the same as sold by Joannou as the Dunelt Flyer 1962-63

The revised Carlton Flyer Grand Prix in the 1966 brochure which featured Hayden Bird Mouth lugs. This was the same frame sold by Raleigh and Joannou (Dunelt) in 1963-68.

RALEIGH INDUSTRIES OF AMERICA 1961-1968

Raleigh Industries of America (RIA), headquartered in Boston, and with origins dating back to 1937 when Hamilton Osgood introduced Raleigh to the United States. His imports always included its full range of lightweights and such models as the Golden Arrow and RRA were unique in the country before the War and sold well. After the war, Raleigh, like the rest of British Industry, was obliged to concentrate on foreign currency earning exports, and good consignments of Super Sports, Lenton Sports and Clubmans were shipped to America. Ironically, the best selling of the sports machines, the Raleigh Lenton Grand Prix of 1958-61, ended production along with the rest of Reynolds 531 production, just as sales began to peak. Overall, U.S. bike sales went from 3.7 mn in 1960 to 5.6 mn. in 1965 to 6.9 mn. in 1970.


RIA was tasked with representing and distributing all of the Raleigh range in the American market. Prior to the TI Merger, this included Raleigh, Rudge, Humber, Robin Hood, BSA and Triumph, although the later two were not distributed in the country.  Following the merger, TI Raleigh initially continued the old British Cycle Corp. concept of bulk selling complete machines under various names to department stores, sports stores and bigger bicycle/sports conglomorates quite apart from the activities of RIA. For example, AMF sold large quantities of three-speed "English racers" with their decals on them but with Hercules badges and Joannou continued to sell Dunelts, now both being made in Nottingham.

In the lightweight department, RIA had sold far more of the Lenton Grand Prix 8-speed derailleur models of 1958-61 than the earlier hub geared versions, indicative of the slowly growing demand for multi-speed derailleur sports bikes in the U.S. But with its withdrawal, RIA lacked any comparable models. Starting in 1962, it offered the Gran Sport to the American market which was part of Raleigh's new and slightly odd take on "lightweight" bicycles which, being made of 2030 steel, were anything but whilst having good components and finish that made them seem better than their weight and performance. Henceforth, Raleigh customers had to look to Carlton for true quality lightweights.

RIA now had, by virtue of the merger, the sole rights to distribute and sell Carltons in the United States and its network of dealers now had a range and quality of lightweight racing and sports bicycles without equal in the country. In 1960, Carlton had sold about 1,000 machines to America, almost all one-off custom orders from specialist retailers. RIA wisely simplified its "off the shelf" offerings to what was still largely a neophyte customer base within its existing Raleigh dealers to the top-end Carlton model Franco-Suisse with Reynolds 531 main triangle and the entry level 2030 steel tubed Catalina. But, in keeping with Carlton practice, a comprehensive list of options and amendments to the specification was offered. Initially, too, the Carltons were sold quite apart from the main Raleigh line with its own leaflet and in keeping with the "hand built" sales tag, all had to be special ordered via the dealers. 

As early as 1961, Raleigh Industries of America printed a separate brochure for Carlton although only examples of those for 1961 and 1962 are available on the web. Even though two models were featured, "Enquiries for custom built machine are invited. Consult your authorize Carlton dealer and obtain the special order form."

THE CARLTON FRANCO-SUISSE (1961-1962)

Even if only offered in the United States (and indeed Britain) for only a few years in its original form, the Carlton Franco-Suisse was a milestone quality lightweight bicycle in the United States. Not only was it the first top-end Carlton exported in any quantity to the country, but it formed the basis for the later Raleigh International which, with the Raleigh Professional, were the absolute icons of the American Bike Boom in the mid 1970s and the two best selling quality British lightweights ever sold in the country, if not the world. 

In keeping with Carlton's "handbuilt to order" concept, the Franco-Suisse was offered to the U.S. market with a set mid-range specification (including Reynolds 531 tubing only in the main triangle) for $150 as a lead in price, but with a wide range of extra cost options including full Reynolds 531 double-butted and Campagnolo components to satisfy the most demanding customer. With full Campagnolo Record components, fork ends and Weinmann sprint rims and Dunlop tubular tyres, the price rose to $225.45 ($1,866 in 2017 adjusted for inflation) making it one of the most expensive racing machines in the country at the time. 

The Carlton Franco-Suisse model as portrayed in the 1961 Carlton U.S. market brochure. credit: V-CC on line library

From the 1961 Carlton U.S. specification sheet

Frame size (to order, handbuilt): 21", 22", 23", 24", 25"
Frame set: Main tubes built throughout with Reynolds 531 tubing with Nervex Professional lugs. Tapered stays. Dual section forks, 2⅛th" rake. Head and seat angles 72° parallel
Wheels: 27 x 1¼ " High Pressure. Airlite Continental Quick Release hubs
Gears: 10-speed Campagnolo with Williams chainwheel and crank set C-1032. Campagnolo 2-speed chainwheel changer. R.I. spoke protector. Gear ratios to order.
Chain: Brampton 3/32
Pedals: Lyotard alloy 460
Tires and tubes: Dunlop High Pressure R.R. 27" x 1¼" Butyl tubes w/ Schrader valves
Saddle: Brooks B.15 Swallow, Chrome
Brakes: G.B. Coureur #66 Center pull. Rubber hooded levers
Finish: Flamboyant colors, options: Copper (C.1), Red (C.2), Green (C-3), Royal Blue (C.4). Also Enamel: Lilac with White Head and seat panel edged with International Racing Colors (C.5).

Optional Extra: partial listings

Mudguards: Continental
Mudguards: White celluloid
Rims: Conloy and Dunlop Tubular #8 tires
Seat post: Campagnolo
Brooks Highbrook Touring Bag and B.2166 bag support
Milremo Feeding bottle and carrier
Lamp bracket and boss
Campagnolo Quick Release hubs
Alloy pump and Brazed Pegs
Rubber brake lever sleeves
Tire Savers- for cycles without mudguards
UNICA saddle and post
531 Butted Tubing and Forks

The 1962 Carlton U.S. leaflet was the same for the Franco-Suisse except in colour. credit: V-CC on-line library

The 1962 price and options list for the U.S. market. Note that Reynolds 531 is an extra cost option only for the Franco-Suisse model. credit: V-CC on-line archives

Certainly the best example of an early Carlton Franco-Suisse U.S. market model is this example, purchased at a bicycle co-op in New York State in July 2015 for...$140. Completely original except for the wheelset although the front fork had apparently been replaced with an accurate one, just in carmine red. The present owner cleaned and overhaul the machine and stripped the fork paint to the bare but unpolished chrome. Serial number is M(?)9693 293. credit: www.bikeforums.net member GordoTrek

Details of this lovely machine in its original Lilac and white enamel livery, option C.5 in the U.S. brochure, and featuring the optional Bluemel's alloy half 'guards. credit: www.bikeforums.net member GordoTrek

More details and showing the fork with the wrong carmine red paint removed and replica Carlton decal. The machine came without the original wheelset and the replacement is not correct per the original specs. credit: www.bikeforums.net member GordoTrek

Another Franco-Suisse, dating from 1961 and special ordered by its original owner in Lakeland, Florida, in 1961.

Worksop goes Hollywood.... American movie star Robert Mitchum riding a Carlton on the back lot of a studio c. 1962. Note the all chrome fork and the Williams L.C. 1232 cottered steel chainset . 

THE CARLTON CATALINA (1961-1962)

As it was in Carlton's U.K. market line-up, the Catalina was the "beginner" racing bike for the youth and casual sports rider. Even so and despite it being made of 2030 steel tubing and not Reynolds, the Catalina was still a sophisticated bicycle for a market that was still in its infancy in America. Indeed, perhaps too much so for the author has been unable to find a single surviving example (at least posted on the worldwide web) of the initial and distinctive all-chrome Catalinas supposedly sold (but certainly advertised) in the United States in 1961-62. Examples of the later Catalinas abound but not these early chromed versions. So for now, it remains the stuff of brochure copywriters as offered below. 

THE RALEIGH CARLTON (1963-1967)

This was easily the best selling of the original Carlton models in America and the only one regularly featured in the main Raleigh catalogues and sales leaflets. It was not sold by special order, either, but as a stock item which furthered its sale ease and appeal.

It was, basically, the Carlton Catalina sold inclusive of the previous extra cost options of Reynolds tubing (here, it was straight gauge 531 main triangle only), Huret Allvit 10-speed derailleur and the sizing went to Carlton standard in half inches: 21½" or 23½" with Capella lugs and chromed front fork socks and Weinmann 999 centre pull brakes. This gave a good, quality made entry level lightweight "racer" as good as any in its price point and indeed for the period one of the few in this category.

Oddly, it was never actually sold as such as the Catalina in Raleigh literature, but rather as the vaguely named "Raleigh Carlton". Over the course of four years, its basic specification remained remarkably consistent for a Raleigh product of the era. The main differences being whether it had a Raleigh headbadge (mostly with the Raleigh anniversary badge but there are examples of the silver Herons Crest badge being used) or a Carlton one. All were decaled as Carlton in keeping with the marketing decision to stress the name over Raleigh for lightweight models, but also had the Catalina model name on the top tube. 

The most detailed presentation of the Catalina in a Raleigh catalog was that in 1964 where it is described as "The Raleigh Carlton" and featuring a comprehensive (and quite accurate) specification list. Very few of the offered "Carlton Blue" versions appear to have been sold as all examples documented on the web, at least, are the Polychromatic Coffee. 

An absolutely original 1964 Raleigh Carlton from Classic Cycle, Bainbridge Island.  credit: http://classiccycleus.com

The GB handlebars, stem (drilled for centre pull brake cable) and Weinmann levers with Carlton marked hoods. Even the 'bar tape appears quite original. http://classiccycleus.com

Showing the distinctive Capella lugs and on this example, a Carlton not a Raleigh headbadge. credit: http://classiccycleus.com

The distinctive wrapover seat stays, Carlton "C" seat binder bolt and the wonderful "Catalina" top tube decal. http://classiccycleus.com

The Williams three-piece chainset and cottered cranks. credit: http://classiccycleus.com

"The Carlton" as presented in the 1966 brochure now offered a "sunglow with gold trim" paint option in addition to coffee. 

The last appearance of the Raleigh Carlton in the 1967 brochure by which time the model has been enhanced with white seat tube band and head tube. credit: Bulgier catalogue library. 

A 1967 model Raleigh Carlton in the revised coffee livery offered that last model year with the white seat tube band and head tube and "Carlton" in white on a silver band on the down tube. Serial no. W9970 and 1966 date coded Williams chainrings. credit: Fred Smedley, www.bikeforums.com

Another 1967 Raleigh Carlton showing the revised livery offered that final year. credit: offerup.com

Frame details of the same machine showing the silver frame bands and different lugs used in 1967. credit: offerup.com 

A 1967 Raleigh Carlton as offered on eBay in December 2017 with non original rear derailleur but in the rare Avion Blue offered only that final year for the model. 

Further distinguishing this example is that it is fitted with the old silver Raleigh lightweight Heron Crest headbadge whereas most have the Anniversary badge.

Carlton downtube decal and Reynolds Plain Gauge 531 tubing decal.

THE RALEIGH CARLTON FLYER (1963-1967)

After two years, Raleigh stopped selling the Franco-Suisse as a complete machine to the U.S. market. In its place, Raleigh began to offer, as a badged Raleigh machine, the Carlton Flyer, as a special order cycle only. This appears to be one of those models, like the 1972 Competition and the 1973 RRA, that never appeared in a Raleigh catalogue. And precisely when it was offered is also unclear although the few documented surviving examples are c. 1965.

These were fitted with full Campagnolo Record components, 10-speed gearing, Atom freewheels, Weinmann 999 brakes and sprint rims, GB Norma stems and 'bars and Brooks Professional saddle. Unlike the Franco-Suisse models, these were very plainly finished in solid flamboyant Royal Blue or Carmine (at least judging from the documented survivors) with full chromed fork ends, fork crown and head lugs. The lugs were the distinctive Haden "birds mouth" ones now used on the Flyer and the Grand Prix frameset.  The only other decoration on the frames were Imichrome seat tube bands while the name Carlton appeared on the down tube and "Carlton Flyer" on the top tube. All have the Raleigh anniversary headbadge as opposed to the Franco-Suisse models which had Carlton badges.

An amazing example of a 1965 Raleigh Carlton Flyer in that it was purchased new that year and remains with the same owner who was 15 years old when he bought it. credit: Velospace.org

Frame details of this remarkably well-preserved example showing the distinctive Haden Bird Mouth lugs which were used on the Grand Prix edition of the Carlton Flyer and also known as "Grand Prix lugs" for that reason. credit: Velospace.org

The Raleigh Carlton Flyers appear to have sold, by special order, as a complete machines with a full Campagnolo Record gruppo including the earlier 151bcd chainset, front detailleur with built-in cable stop and the original Record derailleur. credit: Velospace.org

Not all surviving Raleigh Carlton Flyers are immaculate as this rather neglected but still "all there" example shows. credit: www.bikeforum.com

An outstanding example of the early Raleigh-Carltons is this lovely, completely original Carlton Flyer, serial no. 9187 479, belonging to David L. Caraher. The complete story of this machine and its story is documented here: https://simplicityvintagecycles.com/2015/06/28/tell-your-story-1965-carlton-flyer/

Raleigh-Carlton Flyers were obviously the mount of choice for Americans with very long inseams! credit: https://simplicityvintagecycles.com/2015/06/28/tell-your-story-1965-carlton-flyer/ 

Frame details, headbadge and transfer details. Note the distinctive Grand Prix lugs which are Haden birdmouth lugs and later used on a batch of 1972 Raleigh Professional Mark IVs. credit: https://simplicityvintagecycles.com/2015/06/28/tell-your-story-1965-carlton-flyer/

Like so many Carltons of the era, the frame is chromium plated under the paint and only the exposed chrome fork ends and head lugs have been polished. credit: https://simplicityvintagecycles.com/2015/06/28/tell-your-story-1965-carlton-flyer/

The handlebar set on these was GB metric "Norma" stem (brand new at the time) and GB deep drop 'bars while the brakeset was Weinmann. The lower photo shows the distinctive Carlton near wrap-over seat stays and Haden lugs. credit: https://simplicityvintagecycles.com/2015/06/28/tell-your-story-1965-carlton-flyer/

Even more remarkable, this machine was found to have the above piece of paper rolled up in the seat tube with the handwritten work order showing the special order no. '479' and the serial no. 9187 written on the reverse of the component options for the Grand Prix Flyer. 

credit: https://simplicityvintagecycles.com/2015/06/28/tell-your-story-1965-carlton-flyer/

DUNELT - G. JOANNOU CYCLE CO. 1962-1968

George Joannou, one of the two pioneers and champions of the British bicycle in the United States before the Second World War. Under the Dunelt marque, he imported the finest examples of Carlton lightweights to America in the mid 1960s.

One of the real pioneers in introducing British lightweight cycles into the United States along with Hamilton Osgood, founder of Raleigh Industries of America, was George Joannou (1910-1981). Joannou was born in Cyprus and immigrated to Britain in the early 'thirties where he was introduced to cycling there. When he later immigrated to the United States, he was struck by the archaic quality of American bicycles at the time, then dominated by very heavy balloon tyred "coaster" (so named for their brakes) bikes that weighed up to 60 lbs or twice that of the average British roadster machine. Adult cycling in the county was a fringe recreational hobby at best. 

Like Osgood, almost at the same time, Joannou was convinced there was a market for the much lighter British models for adult customers. At the time, the American market was non existent for foreign cycle imports and there were no binding dealer contracts or minimum orders so that Joannou was able to convince Tube Investments, which owned most of the big Birmingham cycle manufacturers, to ship him small consignments of 250-280 crated complete machines at a time, mostly Armstrong "sports" roadsters. These were sold in Joannou's own cycle store in New York as well as to various sports and small department stores. It was an exact parallel with what Osgood was doing at the same time with Raleigh and between them, they introduced the British bicycle to America. 

An early advertisement (1947) for Joannou's British Bicycle & Motor Co. distribution company featuring Armstrong roadsters as well as a full range of TI group components. At the time, he and Hamilton Osgood (Raleigh) were the only main sellers of British bicycles in the United States. credit: 43° North Flickriver

By 1955, the company was trading as G. Jounnou Cycle Co, Inc. with a "western branch" in Detroit. Armstrong was still featured although around this time, the first Dunelts were imported and became the main cycle brand offered. credit: 43° North Flickriver

The war interrupted deliveries of course, but Joannou resumed importation of mostly Armstrong machines by 1946. Dunelt, a make largely unknown in its home country other than its motor cycles, didn't return to active export of bicycles until 1952 when it showed its first post-war models at the National Cycle Show that previous November. It was about this time that Joannou began importing Dunelts, both sold in his own shop, and also through an increasing network of stores nationwide that included sports, hardware, garden and household stores that gave a far greater market penetration than Raleigh's rigid dealer system. 

By the mid 1950s, Joannou had settled on Dunelt as his main British cycle import and, as this March 1956 advertisement indicates, already established his "Dunelt Cycle Agency" and a nationwide network of regional distributors. 

Joannou singlehandedly established Dunelt as one of the most recognizable of what came to be known in the United States as "English Racers" and compared to the clunky coaster bikes still prevailing in the country, they were indeed just that. Moreover, while Raleigh Industries of America was content with importing and selling Raleigh, Rudges and Humbers that were no different than those sold in Britain, Joannou uniquely customized Dunelt "English Racers" to American tastes of the time with more colourful, brighter finishes (he practically invented the yellow-gold polychromatic colour Dunelts were known for), two-tone mattress saddles instead of hard leather ones, white brake cabling, white-walled tyres etc that effectively combined the engineering superiority of the British roadster with the American coaster bike style. Further, TI was content to sell export machines at far lower profit margins than Raleigh so that Dunelts were $20-30 cheaper.  For many boys, the Dunelt was their first grown up bicycle and an "English Racer" to boot with "Ride Awheel on Sheffield Steel" in script on the top tube.

By the late 1950s, the "English Racer" had established itself firmly in the U.S., especially in the growing but still comparatively small adult market. An even smaller subset, the lightweight sports model and proper road racing bicycles, too, was expanding so that Raleigh actively sold the Clubman and Lenton Sports models in the U.S. It was a market that Joannou didn't initially cater to until 1959-60 and with a product that wasn't a derived from the Dunelt range, but rather another TI marque, Phillips, and what proved to be its last top quality Reynolds 531 framed machine-- the Fleur de Lys.

The end of an era: the last new 531 top quality lightweight of the TI British Cycle Corporation built in Birmingham, Phillips' Fleur de Lys. This was the only Phillips imported into the U.S. by Joannou and badged as Dunelt but with the same model name 1959-61.

The rebadged Dunelt Fleur de Lys was actually a nicely fitted and finished machine and at various times came in Sunset Yellow (the familiar TI Raleigh colour that was really gold) with silver peak head and the more familar Dunelt Blue or Red with white head tube. Components comprised Cyclo-Benelux Mark 7 rear and front derailleur giving 10-speeds, Williams cottered C-14D crankset with 52/49t rings as standard, Resilon high-flange hubs and Dunlop HP 27"x1¼ rims, Grand Prix side-pull brakes (which appear to be made by Resilon), Wrights Autograph leather racing saddle and Bluemels Special Club white plastic mudguards. With its full Reynolds 531 db frameset and fancy lugs, the Dunelt Fleur de Lys was, in fact, superior to anything imported by Raleigh Industries at the time and comparable in many aspects to the Raleigh Record Ace Moderne of 1957-58.

The last version of the Dunelt Fleur de Lys featured the new Cyclo-Benelux Super 60 derailleur and was among the last Reynolds 531 frames built by Phillips in Birmingham in 1960 before all Reynolds 531 production for the newly merged TI Raleigh was concentrated at Carlton's Worksop factory.  credit: vicsclassicbikes.com

With the TI-Raleigh merger in 1960, Joannou and other distributors around the world who had long imported British Cycle Corporation brands largely continued to do so although the machines were made in Nottingham rather than Birmingham.  For Joannou, it meant no real change in its stock and trade, the Dunelt three-speed "English Racers", which it continued to import quite independently of Raleigh Industries of America and was, in effect, competing against in the same market. But a replacement had to be found for the now discontinued Fleur de Lys and all other former BCC Reynolds 531 machines. Joannou found himself among many suddenly at Carlton's door with which he contracted for a Dunelt-badged version of its top model, the Flyer, for the 1962 model year.  

DUNELT FLYER c. 1962-66

Unlike other companies (including Raleigh Industries of America) initially importing Carlton lightweights into the United States, Joannou did so only with the top-end models.  Indeed, the Carlton-Dunelts were among the best lightweights available in the United States c. 1962-68. However, unlike Raleigh, Joannou didn't stress the Carlton connection with these machines, they were badged and decaled as Dunelts, their quality and the reputation already built for Dunelt for value being deemed sufficient on its own. Indeed, in attractiveness and finish, they were superior to the Raleigh-Carltons of the era. 

The basic model, the Dunelt Flyer, was based on the Carlton Flyer and while various options were available, as with the British version, the basic one was essentially the Flyer model R.C.10X. Circa 1962, the first year it imported into the U.S. as a Dunelt, the components were:

Frame: Flyer Type R.C. (Reynolds 531 DB throughout)

Finish: flamboyant red with green/white seat panels and white head; blue with red/white seat panels and white head or sunset gold with blue/white seat panels and white head. Chromed front and rear fork ends, chromed head lugs, decorated seat stay caps.

Brakes: Weinmann 999 Vanquer (on UK models that year, GB Courer 66 were specified, but most Dunelt examples have Weinmanns)

Gear: Campagnolo  Gran Sport 10-speed

Chainset: Williams L.C. 1232 cottered steel

Wheelset: Campagnolo Record high-flange hubs, Weinmann 27x1¼" alloy rims and Dunlop RR tyres

Headset: Campagnolo

Stem & 'bars: GB

Saddle: Brooks/Lycett Swallow

c. 1962-63 Dunelt Flyer belonging to a Swedish collector (taken from a now defunct site). One of the single best examples of the initial export Carltons. 

c. 1962-3 Dunelt Flyer.

c. 1962-63 Dunelt Flyer

c. 1962-63 Dunelt Flyer

c. 1962-63 Dunelt Flyer

DUNELT GRAND PRIX 1966-68

Beginning in 1966, Dunelt sold a variation on the Flyer called the Grand Prix. Most of these had the Acrillichrome finishes and all had chromed Haden Bird Mouth lugs.  With full Campagnolo components, this cost $175. In finish, details and components, this was certainly the finest bicycle ever made to bear the Dunelt headbadge and Joannou was at its peak in supplying the absolute top-end in racing bicycles to the American market.

Definitively the best looking Dunelt bicycle of all-time is this 1966 Dunelt Grand Prix (so named for the Carlton frameset used) that was beautifully restored by CycleArt in its original Carlton Acrillichrome finish (translucent lacquer sprayed over a polished all chrome base). Exquisite! credit: CycleArt

Details of this rare and truly beautiful frame, a real credit both to Carlton and to George Joannou vision of introducing this level of British cycle craft to the United States under the Dunelt marque. credit: CycleArt

METEOR - WEST COAST CYCLE SUPPLY Co. (c. 1961-63)

One of the consequences of Raleigh's takeover of Carlton was limiting sales of the marque to only appointed dealers in the Raleigh Industries of America network. Hitherto, high end machines such as this had been sold in small consignments or special order through specialty cycle shops. In pre "Bike Boom" America, California was the great nexus of the nascent racing bicycle market and where one found some of the country's best cycle shops like Hans Ohrt in Beverly Hills, Kemp's, John's Bike Shop (Pasedena), Mulrooney in (Paramount) and Lynch (Westwood). Charley Harding, whose family ran a large cycle shop in Cork, Ireland, emigrated to the U.S. and purchased the Lynch store which he renamed Westwood Cyclery. Most of these California shops got their high-end lightweights from West Coast Cycle Supply Co. (WCCSC) run by Howie Cohen who was an avid cyclist, collector and cycling advocate. He imported many of Britain and Europe's top marques like Falcon, Elswick Hooper, Jack Taylor, Alpina, Royal Scot, Olmo, Legnano and, before the Raleigh takeover, Carlton.

Since Raleigh Industries of America already had a west coast distributor, shops outside its dealer network were now cut-off from buying Carltons through WCCSC. It was one of the few regions in the country where the demand and number of dealers overtaxed the existing arrangement so in a perfect example of TI "branding", a solution was quickly found. One of TI's long dormant marques was the Meteor brand, originally made by Starley & Sutton of Coventry and dating to the late 1880s.  It was arranged for WCCSC to import Carltons badged as Meteors, but otherwise identical to the stock machines sold as Carltons. As with Raleigh initially, the model used would be the Franco-Suisse and it was decalled as such and sold as a complete machine with Campagnolo components.

METEOR FRANCO-SUISSE (1961-62)

Most if not all of the Meteors sold c. 1961-63 were by Hardings and were finished in carmine red Acrillichrome with Imichrome seat tube panels. They appear to have been sold as complete machines as all of the examples documented have the same components. 

Carlton-made Meteor Franco-Suisse, serial number K8417, as offered on eBay 2017.

Details of the above machine showing the unique "Meteor" headbadge and "Carlton Hand Built" decal on the seat tube. The brakeset is not original to the machine.

A Meteor Franco-Suisse as offered by Randy's Recycled Cycles, 2017. credit: Randy's Recycled Cycles.

A Meteor Franco-Suisse with touring handlebars but otherwise the same the stock machine. credit: John Siemsen, Classic Rendevous Google Group

HUFFY CORPORATION (1966-69)

The most improbable "rebadging" of Carltons for the U.S. Market was surely that for Huffy (The Huffmann Manufacturing Company of Ohio), the doyen of cheap and cheerful mostly children's bikes that were the mainstay of American suburbia in the 1950s-70s. Most were sold by discount department, hardware, sports and garden stores as well as discount main order firms rather than cycle shops. Huffy also made lawnmowers and garden tractors. Huffy's market was wide, indeed wider than Raleigh or the conventional cycle importers in the country at the time. But it was certainly not one associated with high quality or sophisticated bicycles let alone "foreign" ones until the mid 1950s. 

Huffy certainly had a history manufacturing bicycles, dating to 1887 when George P. Huffman purchased the Davis Sewing Machine Company and in 1890 moved its sewing machine factory from Watertown, New York, to Dayton, Ohio. The Davis Sewing Machine company made their first Dayton bicycle, in Dayton, Ohio, in 1892. In 1924, George's son, Horace M. Huffman, Sr., founded the Huffman Manufacturing Company. From then until 1949, Huffman continued to manufacture and sell bicycles under the "Dayton" brand.  In the late 1950s, early 'sixties the company sold its bicycles under the Huffy name and it became a leader in designing and selling the enormously popular "high-rise" bicycles to an insatiable if not especially discerning youth market. Indeed, it claimed to have invented the concept before Schwinn's Sting-Ray and certainly Raleigh's Chopper. 

In fact, Huffy was no stranger to Raleigh or BCC. In 1955, it joined the "English Racer"mania in America that marked the first real shift away from the heavy balloon tyred coaster bikes. The Huffy Sportsman line was introduced which were rebadged Raleigh made Sports cycles with Sturmey-Archer three-speed hubs. In 1961, Huffy introduced its first "racer" bike which was a rebadged Robin Hood Lenton Sports, a 2030 tubed version of the former 531 tubed model, with Benelux 7 gears and within three years had a range of four similar machines now with Huret Allvit derailleurs.

Huffy's Sportman range introduced in 1955 featured mostly Raleigh-built three-speeds badged as Huffys (1959 range top left) but in 1961 a "racer" with 10-speed Benelux derailleur was introduced (bottom left). By 1964, there were three 10-speed and one 5-models in the range, all with Huret Allvit derailleurs and all TI Raleigh built.

In 1966, two years after it introduced the Dragster, the first high-riser bicycle, Huffman took another course to appeal to an ever widening American bicycle market, the quality "ten-speed" bicycle, and contracted to sell three stock Carlton cycles badged as Huffys, but the Carlton name was prominently featured in advertising to distinguish them from existing low-end Lenton Sports models.

For Carlton, it meant that its name was thrust into one of the dominant U.S. bicycle markets as a niche product. One of the main models exported was the Catalina, albeit in 2030 steel, so that Huffy was in part competing with Raleigh Industries of America just at a lower end of the market. Finally, the move came at the precise time when Raleigh, on both sides of the Atlantic, was completely rethinking the old BCC method of selling complete machines at knock-down prices for sales and distribution in the U.S. under other than "house" Raleigh brands. 

So for the 1966 model year, Huffy offered three different Carlton models-- the Constellation, Corsair and Catalina-- mostly off the peg models that were simply rebadged as Huffy, and all at the low-end of the range and price point and all in 2030 steel rather than Reynolds. Appearance mattered in this market so that all featured Carlton's Acrillichome finishes. And all had the Huret Allvit derailleurs that were already the gearing of choice at the low-end of 10-speed bikedom.

The new Huffy Carlton range as introduced in the 1966 brochures-- even in presentation and photos, these were not your normal kid's Huffys blocking the driveway. credit: www.ebykr.com

The Huffy-Carlton Centurion, 1967 showing the Stronglight chainset and Milremo bottle. This was the finest cycle to bear the Huffy name.

HUFFY-CARLTON CONSTELLATION  (1966)

HUFFY-CARLTON CENTURION (1967)

Model 632 22½"

Model 633 23½"

Specifications (from 1966 dealer brochure)

The extra-responsive Constellation makes every mile of riding a pleasure

Frame — Finished in Acrillichrome Pearl green — Special long life finish over chrome plating. Hand made, utilizing Carlton Capella lugs at major frame joints for both strength and beauty. Brazed-on brake and shift cable fittings and special rear brake cable bridge — give smoothest possible cable movement.

Wheels — Weinmann light alloy rims, Dunlop high pressure (27x1¼") Sprite tires and Atom quick release light alloy hubs. Sturdy, extra light, for effortless riding and easy removal.

Brakes — Weinmann 999 center pull with quick release — easy sure stops.

Gearing — 10-speed wide ratio gearing to meet all conditions. Utilizes Huret Allvit derailleurs, Stronglight cotterless cranks and alloy chainwheels. Range 38 to 100. Top performance, low maintenance, smooth running.

Plus — Other high quality components include Weinmann short stainless steel mudguards, GB light alloy Maes bend handlebar and GB light alloy stem, Brooks B-15 saddle. Toe clips and straps, feeding bottle, hand pump and cotterless crank tool included. Kickstand not included.


HUFFY-CARLTON CATALINA (1966-1969)

Model 622 22½"
Model 623 23½"

The toughest hills get easier to climb with the Catalina

Frame — Finished in Acrillichrome Copper and contrasting Bronze green - Special long life finish over chrome plating. Hand made with long prong Italian type lugs at major frame joints - includes brazed-on fittings for brake and shift cables to provide smooth cable movement. Special rear brake cable bridge assures even braking, easy adjustment.

Wheels - Dunlop high pressure rims and 27x1¼" Sprite tires. Atom quick release light alloy hubs - lightweight and sturdy with easy removal features.

Brakes - Weinmann 999 center pull with quick release - easy, sure stops.

Gearing -10-speed wide ratio gearing to meet all conditions. Range from 38 to 100 - Huret Allvit derailleurs, Williams crank.

Plus - Other high quality components include Weinmann short stainless steel mudguards, GB light alloy Maes bend handlebar, GB light alloy stem and Brooks B-15 saddle. Kickstand not included. Toe clips and straps, feeding bottle and hand pump also included.

HUFFY-CARLTON CORSAIR (1966-1968)

Model 611 21½"
Model 612 22½"

Cross country rides are a breeze... enjoyable all the way on a Huffy Corsair

Frame - Finished in white and flamboyant burgundy with light blue trim. Hand made with Italian type long prong lugs at major frame joints. Includes brazed-on fittings for brake and shift cables to give smooth, trouble-free operation. Also special brazed-on rear brake cable bridge for even braking, easy adjustment.

Wheels - Dunlop high pressure rims and 27x 1¼" Sprite tires. Large flange Resillion hubs - sturdy smooth running wheels.

Brakes - Weinmann 999 center pull with quick release -easy, sure stops.

Gearing - 10-speed wide ratio gearing to meet all conditions. Range from 38 to 100 - Huret Allvit derailleurs, Williams crank.

Plus - Other high quality components include short stainless steel mudguards, light alloy Maes bend handlebar and stem, toe clips and straps. Brooks B-15 saddle, feeding bottle and hand pump. Kickstand not included.

Huffy advertisement in Life magazine 28 October 1966 showing the range of bicycles that made up the company's range, headed by the "Huffy Carlton 10-speed" (left). 

The Huffy-Carlton line-up for 1967.

For 1967, the Constellation was renamed the Centurion and had the same components etc.

The revised model line-up for 1967 headed by Centurian, the former Constellation. 

For the 1968 model year, the Centurion was dropped from the Huffy-Calton line-up which was now confined to two models, the Catalina and the Corsair.

From the 1968 dealers catalogue, showing the two models offered that year, the Catalina (left) and the Corsair (right) 

The last appearance (and a cut-off scan to boot) of a Huffy-Carlton was in the 1969 brochure with model 622 Catalina (extreme right) the only model offered that final year. 

Huffy Constellation details. credit: https://marksbikes.wordpress.com

A Huffy Catalina. Note the Brampton Latin Line lugs instead of the usual Capella ones. credit: www.bikeforums.net, member Dbakl.

Huffy-Carlton Constellation. credit: Dustin D. Hopkins

Huffy-Carlton Constellation. credit: Dustin D. Hopkins

STUYVESANT BICYCLE DISTRIBUTORS 1967-1968

Dating from 1939, Stuyvesant Bike Shop was long one of Manhattan's "go to" stores for top quality lightweight bicycles, Campagnolo components and racing kit. For a while, it even had its own Italian made racing frame, the Corso, named after Louis Corso whose son Salvatore owned Stuyvesant. And like many of the larger stores back then, acted as a distributor for components, frames and cycles. In the 1970s, they were the distributors for Atala and Bottecchia  cycles. And were also big Raleigh dealers as well.


CARLTON CORINTHIAN (1967-1968)

The Ultimate in Three-Speed Cycling

In 1967, Stuyvesant imported a batch of Carlton Corinthians which it had cleverly spec'd out as deluxe lightweight versions of the ever popular Raleigh Sports. These had Reynolds 531 double butted main frame tubes, alloy mudguards, Williams cottered steel cranks, alloy brakes, chromed rear triangle and fork ends, Dunlop 27 x 1¼" HP rims and tyres. The built up weight was 27 lbs or 12 lbs lighter than a Raleigh Sports. The retail cost was $68.20.

One of the more clever adaptations of a Carlton lightweight was the three-speed roadster version of the Corinthian sold by Stuyvesant Cycles in New York. Both a gents (21", 23" and 25") and ladies (19 1/2" and 21") version was offered. credit: Bulgier.com

The specification of the Corinthian three-speed was exceptional for its day, resulting in a built up weight of just 27 lbs. credit: Bulgier.com

Not the best photographs, but the only ones on the web showing a  c. 1967 Carlton Corinthian three-speed. Note that the red and light blue colours are not the same as those advertised and it is possible is a 1968 assuming it was available for more than a year. credit: madsenmatt98 Flickr

Decals and headbadge from the same machine. credit: madsenmatt98 Flickr

AMERICAN HERON ASCENDANT 

But it was not a success. In order to secure these spectacular mass orders, the company had to cut its prices to an absolute minimum and in the end it was found not to be profitable. Furthermore, despite the vast quantities of bicycles flooding in from Nottingham, the Raleigh name was not becoming any better known in America because so few of the bicycles actually carried the Raleigh brand name.

The Story of the Raleigh Cycle, Gregory Houston Bowden.

Although TI had given over the management of newly amalgamated company to Raleigh and centred production in Nottingham and Worksop, the introduction of Carlton to the American market had been carried out according to the old marketing methods of the British Cycle Corporation and to a certain extent that of the pre-merger Raleigh in building bicycles that were badged, merchandised and marketed for a welter of distributors, brands and companies. In 1963, TI Raleigh exported an astounding 802,000 bicycles to America. Yet of these, only 60,000 were badged as Raleighs. Just as there were Carltons among these sold as Dunelts, Meteors and Huffys.  You could buy a Worksop-made Catalina badged as a Raleigh, a Carlton or a Huffy. 

In the wake of the merger, TI Raleigh remained a maze of venerable, even arcane marques and brands whose individual character had long since be sublimated given all were now made under the same roof and whose only remaining distinction lay in badges and decals. Indeed, TI began to winnow out many of these old brands, but far more had to be done to establish what was always considered the flagship brand in its bicycle business: Raleigh, both at home and abroad.

In 1964, TI commissioned Booz, Allen and Hamilton to undertake a comprehensive analysis of its entire cycle business in the United States.  The results of this recommended that TI phase out direct sales to mass buyers, end "badging" and concentrate on building up Raleigh as the dominant brand. A first class network of Raleigh only dealers would be cultivated to sell the product directly to the American cycle consumer. It meant stopping what had only just begun; introducing Carlton made cycles into the county on an ad hoc basis and instead selling a new dedicated range of Raleigh lightweights made by Carlton. From 1967-69, Carlton progressively declined anymore direct sales to the United States  and Huffy was the last outside firm to feature one of their bikes in 1969.

The end of direct sales to America by TI resulted in short term pain manifest in reduced exports and even lay offs in Nottingham, but a higher profit margin per cycle sold and the beginnings of establishing Raleigh as the premium cycle company in the country. It also transformed Carlton by 1971 into a major lightweight cycle manufacturer on a scale unimaginable just five years earlier. 

To start implementing the new plan, Raleigh sent its Export Manager, Ken Collins, to head Raleigh Industries of America (RIA), eventually replacing its founder Hamilton Osgood. Collins began to phase out the mass direct sales and strengthen the Raleigh dealer network and distribution facilities. RIA sales of "real Raleighs" reached 132,000 in 1966, more than double that three years previously. A year later the figure was 153,000.

With America on the brink of its Bike Boom, Raleigh appointed Norman Langenfeld as Chief Executive of RIA in 1968 and developed a long range programme for the American market. One of the linchpins of this was an entirely new range of high quality lightweights, built by Carlton, but badged and sold as Raleighs.

It was this new range that would change Carlton out of all recognition from building 2,500 machines a year to 2,500 a month within six years.  And it did so building on the success of the initial Carlton models exported to America. Indeed, the Catalina and Franco-Suisse found newfound success as the "new" Raleigh Super Course and Competition/International. Between them, Raleigh and Carlton set about to create the most successful range of top quality lightweights ever.  Worksop-bred and built.

SOURCES

Books

Raleigh, Past and Presence of an Iconic Bicycle Brand, Tony Hadland, 2012

The Story of the Raleigh Bicycle, Gregory Houston Bowden, 1975

Websites

www.bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/

https://www.bikeforums.net/

www.velo-pages.com

www.tapatalk.com/groups/musclebikeforums/

www.threespeedhub.com

www.bikeraceinfo.com

www.veteran-cycle club on line library

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/classic-rendezvous-lightweight-vintage-bicycles

https://simplicityvintagecycles.com/2015/06/28/tell-your-story-1965-carlton-flyer/

http://www.ebykr.com/2006/05/21/carlton/