My wife and I have a pair of Bickertons, consecutive numbers and consecutive Sturmer Archers, so both 1982. Bought 2nd hand from an elderly man who bought them new for him and his wife to use when they went caravaning but sadly she died before they could. We love them. Under 9Kg each, go in the car boot and everyone we meet thinks they're the coolest things ever. As long as you remember their purpose and aren't stupidly using them as racers or mountain bikes they are great.
Just to add. One mod I have done is to drill and tap a hole through the handlebar mounting to take a bolt so that the handlebars don't move back and forth. Used to drive us mad, now ok.
Just picked one of these up in good condition, your right about the handlebars moving backwards but fortunately I only weigh 8n half stone so this is ideal for trips along the sea front
Lovely bike. I own a 3 speed & a 5 speed model. Admittedly the 3 speed is my favourite! The hinge is renowned for coming undone whilst in motion! Hence why I’ve bolted on bracing plates with wing nuts so it can still be folded! I’m say keep it! And enjoy it’s strangeness!!😁
The front handle bars are supposed to pull back for when you go up an incline. You should always sit on the saddle and never stand up on the pedals. I used one a lot in the early 90s travelling around London on business meetings. Just about to get it refurbished to use with my campervan.
I have 2 Bickertons - English and Australian versions. Some thoughts: Your main clamp seemed too easy to lock - there is an adjusting screw to make sure it makes a solid catch and will not come loose. Bickerton handlebars are not designed for leverage while pedaling - only for steering. That said, yours are moving back and forth too easily - adjust the headset clamp for less wobble. Same for the 2 clamps that raise and lower (also in and out) the upper handlebar extensions. I think a properly adjusted Bickerton gives the effect of riding on a giant shock absorber. Takes some adjustment when returning to riding rigid frame bikes. Check out the Bickerton Facebook group - Derek Baker can supply you with pretty much every part that you may need.
I have the no gear version. The frame is anodized. I keep it in the van where it has served well for occasional rides when I wouldn't have had any other bike available. It's not reasonable to compare it unfavorably to other bikes, (as many have). It would be more reasonable to compare it to having no bike, because that is the context in which I have appreciated having it with me. The first time I ever saw them was in the 1970s at Mahon harbor,in Majorca where a couple crewing yachts had one each for exploring harbors and the surrounds, when space in a small yachts lockers would never have accommodated a couple of bicycles.
I know this is a bit of a long shot, but you wouldn't still happen to have the dynamo light set for the Bickerton would you? I noticed that you had them on the bike when you were assembling it but didn't have them for the final part of the video. Only I know someone who is restoring a Bickerton and would would like a dynamo lights to fit on it.
I've got 2 of these which I've just tidied up thanks to lockdown! One is a 3 speed, the other a single speed. I've also got a handbook. I think the chainring is 61 tooth. The book says the bars are supposed to move to adjust whilst riding! Wheels are 18 and 16 inch.
The cat is in it so it's a thumbs up from me. I think the Bickerton would be better if it was a rigid frame with a high quill stem and either drop or flat bars. A bit of Brompton style damping would be nice too.
I was going to get one but modern folding bikes seem less hassle to fold and unfold good looking though ended up with a nice cheap seasur folder 6 speed
Not really! I've just been reading in to it. Apparrently it's the norm. Small wheels pick up easier and thus a 50+ tooth ring is usually needed to maintain any decent speed.
I went to the DIY section in Wilko’s and bought two small flat chromed steel plates. The holes in them lined up with the bolts on the Bickerton perfectly! So I didn’t even have to do any drilling! The plates cost less than £1 each! Hope this helps!🙂
your sturmey dates from may 1980, so probably the bike + - also. there is a reinforcement bar for the handlebars. i had bought the same model as yours + -14 years ago but I sold it. I just bought last week the model that differs: sach hub (n ° 28?) not yet find the year, different hinge, handlebar reinforcement. probably there is a list with the serial numbers of the frame to know the year of manufacture, but where to find it?
The bag looks in really good condition. I don't have a bag for mine, is there any chance of you letting me have some close-ups/detailed measurements so I can make my own ??
I bought one of these for twenty quid about 5 years ago,it was the most dangerous bike I've ever come across,if you weigh more than 10 stone,forget it,the handle bars bent en route,the whole thing bends and flexes as you ride it! If you look inside the frame there is a block of wood,where the hinge assembly fits! This is possibly the most useful part of this bicycle,as you can chuck it on your wood burner! I donated mine to a fellow vintage bike enthusiast.....I think the Germans have an appropriate phrase for it, das schadenfreude !
After watching video, decided to ride mine for first time. It wobbles and flexes. Some say better to drunk when riding one as it's more natural that way! Rode for about 3 mile, weigh 210 lbs and survived. Was actually fun!
If you take off the seat post & ride the bike by only peddling, could you use it as a pedal scooter/bike? I can't afford a real pedal scooter so I have to use a folding bike.
I rode one of these once - just the once - never again - my great great great grandads bone shaker was a lot less flexiwobble than these were, so its one of the long line of things shaped like a bike but not actually a bike you would want to ride all the time.
I've just been reading in to it. Apparrently it's the norm. Small wheels pick up easier and thus a 50+ tooth ring is usually needed to maintain any decent speed.
Ive got bickerton portable and classic models Silesia Katowice one of them im preparing for good seling someone who's respecting vintage..last year im changing both midels back gums for expensive schwalbe "7 level"
Some have done rather long trips on these Bickerton Foldable, I have a book written by a woman who crossed the US on one. Daisy, Daisy is the title, written by Christian Miller.
@@MonkeyShred She must have been one brave woman. The book is quite good and implies that Mr. Bickerton lent some support. By the way, just recently happened upon your videos. They are very much enjoyable. Thanks for presenting them.
Great isn't it? I'm not happy with the folding bikes of the day so I'll design something worse! 😂 So, there it is, ready for action! Even with the missing pedal? 😂 yes I saw it! Now I've seen one close up I think I'll give it a wide berth 😨
Haha I didn't even notice that. The NDS pedal has this cool little locking collar on it that you can slide down onto the axle and just twist the pedal to unscrew it. I think I got a bit mesmerized by that.
I have several of these. The later versions have a different clamp mechanism which is more secure. There were single, three, five and six speed version. The country versions were not that bad with bigger wheels (20 inch).
Its like the inital feeling of learning how to ride a bicycle every time you get on it. It is a very unstable ride with everything under you moving. Surprisingly once up to speed, say 15mph. It does reach a state of comfort which is only perceived and not reality. The truth is that its a very unsafe bicycle no matter what speed its moving at. Riding one is risky business.
my opinion, this is the worst folding bike ever to be produced. Rickety, and those handlebars make it look like an oversized little girl's bike. not well thought out at all.
I've got a Bickerton too and also don't have anything on the front by the headset, is it a common thing to loose or did they not come with anything there. Not sure what speed mine is, for some reason I have 4 or 5 speed in my mind but maybe that is my moulton. I do have the bar that goes cross the handlebars for safety but with the terrible braking performance you wondered why they bothered, it brakes like a train. The chances of anyone going through the gap in those handlebars seems unlikely. This video makes it look a great bike but many really struggle to ride them. th-cam.com/video/HX1Nv24Rquw/w-d-xo.html
They did come with a rectangular plastic cap on the end of the frame under the headset! You can tell if yours is a 5 speed from the factory,as like mine it will have two Sturmey Archer shifters,and cables going to both ends of the hub! I found it tricky to set up! Hence why I prefer to ride my 3 speed version!😊
@@jackryalls6841 I'm positive I only have one shifter and a hub cable to one side so its probably the 3 speed version. I didn't realise the 5 speed needed 2 shifters that's very interesting. I don't think my moulton is 5 speed either then but maybe 4 speed.
Yeah. It is an odd bod gear setup! To be honest,the 2 extra gears on the left hand side shifter are a bit excessive! 3 is sufficient! My 3spd was made in 1975. And the 5spd in 1980. Not sure if this was a special edition? Or standard for that period?!🤔
Yeah. When I got the bike I didn’t notice the secondary shifter at first! When I pull off I have the 3spd shifter in 1st. And the second shifter in 4th gear! Very unusual! Hence why I’ll never part with it! 😃
Great video for one of the most ugliest bikes ever made. What they are thinking? When you see bikes like the Raleigh twenty, RSW, Moulton, those are stylish British bikes, but the Bickerton.. for god sake
My wife and I have a pair of Bickertons, consecutive numbers and consecutive Sturmer Archers, so both 1982. Bought 2nd hand from an elderly man who bought them new for him and his wife to use when they went caravaning but sadly she died before they could. We love them. Under 9Kg each, go in the car boot and everyone we meet thinks they're the coolest things ever.
As long as you remember their purpose and aren't stupidly using them as racers or mountain bikes they are great.
Just to add. One mod I have done is to drill and tap a hole through the handlebar mounting to take a bolt so that the handlebars don't move back and forth. Used to drive us mad, now ok.
Yeh I can imagine that! The handlebars would drive me insane.
Just picked one of these up in good condition, your right about the handlebars moving backwards but fortunately I only weigh 8n half stone so this is ideal for trips along the sea front
Lovely bike. I own a 3 speed & a 5 speed model. Admittedly the 3 speed is my favourite! The hinge is renowned for coming undone whilst in motion! Hence why I’ve bolted on bracing plates with wing nuts so it can still be folded! I’m say keep it! And enjoy it’s strangeness!!😁
The front handle bars are supposed to pull back for when you go up an incline. You should always sit on the saddle and never stand up on the pedals. I used one a lot in the early 90s travelling around London on business meetings. Just about to get it refurbished to use with my campervan.
I have 2 Bickertons - English and Australian versions. Some thoughts: Your main clamp seemed too easy to lock - there is an adjusting screw to make sure it makes a solid catch and will not come loose. Bickerton handlebars are not designed for leverage while pedaling - only for steering. That said, yours are moving back and forth too easily - adjust the headset clamp for less wobble. Same for the 2 clamps that raise and lower (also in and out) the upper handlebar extensions. I think a properly adjusted Bickerton gives the effect of riding on a giant shock absorber. Takes some adjustment when returning to riding rigid frame bikes. Check out the Bickerton Facebook group - Derek Baker can supply you with pretty much every part that you may need.
Hi, I hope you can help me, I need a tire for my bike bickerton1978, where I get 1... size 14×1 3/8 please ...let me know ...thnks !!
@@susanacuevas8734 Contact Derek Baker at bickertonspares@gmail.com located in England but ships world-wide at reasonable prices.
Ok. Thank you very much !!!
Bickerton english a match prijs
he pulled it up with force , that kind of starts destroying the mechanism ..
Lovely bike always a fan of the small wheel bike 🚲👍
classy! ive never seen one before, interesting design
It looks like it's supposed to be used by astronauts on the moon! It's amazing!
I guess it does have that look about it.
@@MonkeyShred Shame it was wobbly and weird.
I love all your videos. Your videos really are helping me to survive tough these hard times of the corona lockdown. It gives me mental stimulation
I rode one of these for a while. Imagine sitting atop a large Rountrees Jelley with pedals, be careful, be very careful indeed!
It wasn't nice...
I have the no gear version. The frame is anodized. I keep it in the van where it has served well for occasional rides when I wouldn't have had any other bike available. It's not reasonable to compare it unfavorably to other bikes, (as many have). It would be more reasonable to compare it to having no bike, because that is the context in which I have appreciated having it with me. The first time I ever saw them was in the 1970s at Mahon harbor,in Majorca where a couple crewing yachts had one each for exploring harbors and the surrounds, when space in a small yachts lockers would never have accommodated a couple of bicycles.
I know this is a bit of a long shot, but you wouldn't still happen to have the dynamo light set for the Bickerton would you? I noticed that you had them on the bike when you were assembling it but didn't have them for the final part of the video. Only I know someone who is restoring a Bickerton and would would like a dynamo lights to fit on it.
I don’t. Sorry.
@@MonkeyShred oh well. No worries. Thanks for replying.
I am 16 and a half stone, would this take my weight?
I've got 2 of these which I've just tidied up thanks to lockdown! One is a 3 speed, the other a single speed. I've also got a handbook. I think the chainring is 61 tooth. The book says the bars are supposed to move to adjust whilst riding! Wheels are 18 and 16 inch.
Sorry, wheels are 16 and 14 as you said.
Wait. The handbook says the bars SHOULD move when riding? Oh gawd.
Very clever design.But they creak a bit.Keep an eye on the bottom bracket which neeeds regular tightening.
The cat is in it so it's a thumbs up from me. I think the Bickerton would be better if it was a rigid frame with a high quill stem and either drop or flat bars. A bit of Brompton style damping would be nice too.
looking foreward to the restauration video.
i have 2 of these bikes bit scary to ride but fun
I was going to get one but modern folding bikes seem less hassle to fold and unfold good looking though ended up with a nice cheap seasur folder 6 speed
What is with the Graeme Obree sized chainring!!!
Is it hard to get started again at roundabouts?
Not really! I've just been reading in to it. Apparrently it's the norm. Small wheels pick up easier and thus a 50+ tooth ring is usually needed to maintain any decent speed.
I remember some owners put cross brace in between the bar. Just dunno where to get those.
Probably just grabbed some aluminium stock and bolted it on :P
I went to the DIY section in Wilko’s and bought two small flat chromed steel plates. The holes in them lined up with the bolts on the Bickerton perfectly! So I didn’t even have to do any drilling! The plates cost less than £1 each! Hope this helps!🙂
I think at some stage they were supplied with them.
The handlebar quick release clamp isn't in the closed position, not that they aren't prone to swivel even when it is!
your sturmey dates from may 1980, so probably the bike + - also. there is a reinforcement bar for the handlebars. i had bought the same model as yours + -14 years ago but I sold it. I just bought last week the model that differs: sach hub (n ° 28?) not yet find the year, different hinge, handlebar reinforcement. probably there is a list with the serial numbers of the frame to know the year of manufacture, but where to find it?
No idea on the list of serial numbers I'm afraid.
The bag looks in really good condition. I don't have a bag for mine, is there any chance of you letting me have some close-ups/detailed measurements so I can make my own ??
Yeh, when I get a chance I'll dig it out again
I bought one of these for twenty quid about 5 years ago,it was the most dangerous bike I've ever come across,if you weigh more than 10 stone,forget it,the handle bars bent en route,the whole thing bends and flexes as you ride it! If you look inside the frame there is a block of wood,where the hinge assembly fits! This is possibly the most useful part of this bicycle,as you can chuck it on your wood burner! I donated mine to a fellow vintage bike enthusiast.....I think the Germans have an appropriate phrase for it, das schadenfreude !
There's a block of wood in there?? No way. I'll have to check that out!
After watching video, decided to ride mine for first time. It wobbles and flexes. Some say better to drunk when riding one as it's more natural that way! Rode for about 3 mile, weigh 210 lbs and survived. Was actually fun!
@@MonkeyShred yes Bro 👍
I love your cat
Which build state is this bike?
Gone
If you take off the seat post & ride the bike by only peddling, could you use it as a pedal scooter/bike? I can't afford a real pedal scooter so I have to use a folding bike.
Great video, memories. I have one from the '80s (Australia). Does anyone know if it's possible to fit a kit to make it electric? (Now I'm old!)
Possibly, although, it has 16" wheels right? That might be a little difficult to find.
Looks like a polishing challenge feel sorry for the fingers well worth it😎
I did go round polishing quite a bit... by hand... I'm going to leave the rest until I can get to my bench polisher at work!
I rode one of these once - just the once - never again - my great great great grandads bone shaker was a lot less flexiwobble than these were, so its one of the long line of things shaped like a bike but not actually a bike you would want to ride all the time.
52 tooth? Is that normal? Seams really tall for a folding
I've just been reading in to it. Apparrently it's the norm. Small wheels pick up easier and thus a 50+ tooth ring is usually needed to maintain any decent speed.
Ive got bickerton portable and classic models Silesia Katowice one of them im preparing for good seling someone who's respecting vintage..last year im changing both midels back gums for expensive schwalbe "7 level"
Some have done rather long trips on these Bickerton Foldable, I have a book written by a woman who crossed the US on one. Daisy, Daisy is the title, written by Christian Miller.
Crossed the US on one? Bloomin' 'eck! That's some achievment right there,
@@MonkeyShred She must have been one brave woman. The book is quite good and implies that Mr. Bickerton lent some support. By the way, just recently happened upon your videos. They are very much enjoyable. Thanks for presenting them.
Great isn't it? I'm not happy with the folding bikes of the day so I'll design something worse! 😂
So, there it is, ready for action! Even with the missing pedal? 😂 yes I saw it! Now I've seen one close up I think I'll give it a wide berth 😨
Haha I didn't even notice that. The NDS pedal has this cool little locking collar on it that you can slide down onto the axle and just twist the pedal to unscrew it. I think I got a bit mesmerized by that.
At least then the other folding bikes won't look so bad lol
Lovely bicycle, if you ever decide to sell contact me please. Have been looking for a good one for years. Rare in the USA.
John theroux.. ihev self bike bikerton contact me.. 0032492799070..djavit_fejzulovski77@hotmail.com
3.41 Little carrier bag? You could put the kitchen sink in that!! 😊
Haha yeh, someone is doing a big shop with that bag!
I did, for a few weeks..then the handlebars sheared off whilst riding!
I have several of these. The later versions have a different clamp mechanism which is more secure. There were single, three, five and six speed version. The country versions were not that bad with bigger wheels (20 inch).
Good to hear they improved then.
Its like the inital feeling of learning how to ride a bicycle every time you get on it. It is a very unstable ride with everything under you moving. Surprisingly once up to speed, say 15mph. It does reach a state of comfort which is only perceived and not reality. The truth is that its a very unsafe bicycle no matter what speed its moving at. Riding one is risky business.
That about sums in up!
Please , I need a tire for my bickerton size 14×1 3/8 if some body knows how get 1 please let me know 😊😊
SJS cycles
Thank you very much !!!
Susana tengo una bickerton completa te interesa .yo pague 150. Mas envio si te serve me avisas …
@@3828juarez1 hola, muchas Gracias ,ya conseguí lo que nesecitaba muchas Grqcias !!!
my opinion, this is the worst folding bike ever to be produced. Rickety, and those handlebars make it look like an oversized little girl's bike. not well thought out at all.
It probably is good for the traveler but I need some style and that has very little. Don't think it is for me.
I'll have to do one of those modernised Raleigh Twenty builds then ;)
I've got a Bickerton too and also don't have anything on the front by the headset, is it a common thing to loose or did they not come with anything there. Not sure what speed mine is, for some reason I have 4 or 5 speed in my mind but maybe that is my moulton. I do have the bar that goes cross the handlebars for safety but with the terrible braking performance you wondered why they bothered, it brakes like a train. The chances of anyone going through the gap in those handlebars seems unlikely.
This video makes it look a great bike but many really struggle to ride them.
th-cam.com/video/HX1Nv24Rquw/w-d-xo.html
They did come with a rectangular plastic cap on the end of the frame under the headset! You can tell if yours is a 5 speed from the factory,as like mine it will have two Sturmey Archer shifters,and cables going to both ends of the hub! I found it tricky to set up! Hence why I prefer to ride my 3 speed version!😊
@@jackryalls6841 I'm positive I only have one shifter and a hub cable to one side so its probably the 3 speed version. I didn't realise the 5 speed needed 2 shifters that's very interesting. I don't think my moulton is 5 speed either then but maybe 4 speed.
Yeah. It is an odd bod gear setup! To be honest,the 2 extra gears on the left hand side shifter are a bit excessive! 3 is sufficient! My 3spd was made in 1975. And the 5spd in 1980. Not sure if this was a special edition? Or standard for that period?!🤔
Jack, two shifters for one hub? I've never seen that before. My mind is blown!
Yeah. When I got the bike I didn’t notice the secondary shifter at first! When I pull off I have the 3spd shifter in 1st. And the second shifter in 4th gear! Very unusual! Hence why I’ll never part with it! 😃
Think they went out of business for a reason! 😂😂
Great video for one of the most ugliest bikes ever made. What they are thinking? When you see bikes like the Raleigh twenty, RSW, Moulton, those are stylish British bikes, but the Bickerton.. for god sake
Well that's certainly one way to put it!