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unfortunately, stolen at the celebratory banquet!

Also on display in the museum is a “Penny-Farthing” on which Moore won
further race victories and international titles between 1873-1877.
According to a descendant, Moore built it himself out of a gun barrel. In
1874, at the Molyneux Pleasure Grounds – home of Wolverhampton
Wanderers FC - Moore won the World One-Mile Championship, run over events
at 3 separate meetings with times of 3mins 2.25ecs, 3mins 2.5secs, and
3mins 1sec. (Continuing the cycling-football link, the first official British
National Championships were held on 11th May 1878 at Stamford Bridge
arena, which became Chelsea FC’s home in 1905. (And more recently of
course we have the link with Crystal Palace..!)

After the end of the Franco-Prussian war, Moore moved to England to
study as a vet, where he befriended fellow student John Boyd Dunlop, who
went on to invent pneumatic tyres.

As well as races, riders were interested in setting place-to-place and
distance records. In 1868, on his 2nd attempt, John Mayall rode from
London-Brighton in 16hrs , however this was overshadowed 3 weeks later
when the Chinnery brothers covered the distance in 11hrs 25mins – on foot!
(A technique I favour for hill-climbs… J )

In the 1890’s Coventry was the bicycle-producing capital of the world, with
over 50 companies. John Kemp Starley, inventor of the Rover Safety Bicycle,
was the nephew of a manager at the Coventry Machinists Company,
previously a manufacturer of sewing machines. Rover later turned to car
manufacturing!

Riding schools sprang up all over Europe, to teach people how to ride a
bicycle. The 1901 publication “Fancy Cycling Trick Riding For Amateurs” by
Isabel Marks, detailed tricks such as “Backward Stationary Balance –
Removing Jacket”, Stationary Balance – Foot On Saddle And Pedal” and
“Coasting – Knees On Handlebar, Feet On Saddle” which no doubt provided

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