Bickerton

Origins

The Bickerton was a portable bicycle launched when folding bicycles tended to be 51 cm (20 in) step-through frames with a simple hinge, such as the folding variant of the Raleigh Twenty. The first Bickerton was made entirely of aluminium profiles, without any welds. The prototype was unique, lightweight 8.8 kg (18 lbs) and with a small folded size (76 cm x 51 cm x 23 cm). For its day, it broke new ground in bicycle manufacturing.

Production history

Production started in 1972 in Codicote, Hertfordshire, at around 300 units in the first two years. The weight was 9.1 kg, strengthened to accommodate heavier riders than Bickerton himself. TCK Group of Aston bought the manufacturing licence, and increased production up to 1,000 bikes a year during the 1973 oil crisis. The bike was heavily promoted on TV with the slogan "Go bag a Bickerton", a reference to the dual-purpose bag, which could be used to hold the bike or as a pannier attached to the handlebars. It was cited by Andrew Ritchie as one of his inspirations in creating the highly successful Brompton bicycle.

By 1977 the company was bankrupt, as a worldwide recession dented sales significantly. Bickerton took back the licence, but resold it to an Australian company based in Melbourne, who established world sales licenses in Germany, the US, and Sweden. In those markets, the bikes were assembled from kits shipped from Australia. Innovations around this time included handlebar and seat stem struts to increase rigidity. Some 50,000 Australian Bickertons were produced, before the company folded production in 1982 (secondhand Bickertons are still found in Australia). Finally, Bickerton produced bikes again in the UK from Welwyn Garden City, trading successfully until the late 1980s. In 1988 the ‘Country’ model, with larger 20-inch wheels, was introduced and briefly sold. A version with a 16-inch front wheel weighed 12.5 kg, more than the very competitive and compact steel Bromptons that were being mass produced from 1988. After the end of production in 1989, by which time many other cheaper folders were available worldwide, the factory did not close its doors until 1991. Bickerton's son Mark continuing to explore diversification options, including the rebranding and sale of cheaper Dahon folders.