ROADSTER (BICYCLE)

A roadster bicycle is a type of utility bicycle once common worldwide, and still common in
Asia, Africa, Latin America, and some parts of Europe. During the past few decades,
traditionally styled roadster bicycles have regained popularity in the Western world, particularly
as a lifestyle or fashion statement in an urban environment.

Design and variants

There were three basic variants of the roadster.

Roadster

Gents' roadster

Contemporary gents' roadster

The classic gents' roadster, AKA the English roadster, has a lugged brazed steel diamond
frame, rod-actuated brakes and of late, cable operated drum brake systems have been widely
produced for the European market, upright North Road handlebars, a single gear ratio or 3 or 5
speed hub gears, a chaincase, steel mudguards, steel cranks, 28 x 1½ inch (ISO 635)
wheels, Westwood rims, and often a Sturmey-Archer hub dynamo. Roadsters are built for
durability above all else and no serious attempt is made to save weight in their design or
construction, roadsters weigh upwards of 40-45 pounds (18–20 kg). They were often the mounts
of policemen and rural letter carriers. A derivative of the roadster, the ladies' model, is seldom
called a roadster.

The roadster is very similar in design and intended use as the European city bike, a model still
used in Germany, Denmark and, most notably, the Netherlands (see below). The primary
differences are that the continental bicycles tend to have a higher handlebar position for a more
upright riding posture, and are more likely to have rod-actuated drum brakes.

Ladies' roadster

The Dutch Omafiets is a ladies' roadster of classic design

The ladies' version of the roadster's design was very much in place by the 1890s. It had a step-
through frame rather than the diamond frame of the gentlemen's model so that ladies, with their
dresses and skirts, could easily mount and ride their bicycles, and commonly came with a skirt
guard to prevent skirts and dresses becoming entangled in the rear wheel and spokes. As with the
gents' roadster, the frame was of steel construction and the positioning of the frame and
handlebars gave the rider a very upright riding position. Though they originally came with
front spoon-brakes, technological advancements meant that later models were equipped with the
much-improved coaster brakes or rod-actuated rim or drum-brakes.

Though the ladies' version of the roadster largely fell out of fashion in England and many other
Western nations as the 20th century progressed, it continuously remained popular in the
Netherlands right to the present day. The Omafiets as it is known, is a national icon, and is even
used by men in the Netherlands; this is why some people refer to bicycles of this design as Dutch
bikes. In the Dutch language the name of these bicycles is Omafiets ("grandma bike") a term
which has been in use since the 1970s. However, in Frisia they often call them Widdofyts (West
Frisian for "widow's bike"). The classic Omafiets is still in production in the Netherlands and has
changed little since 1911: it comes with a single-speed gear, 28 x 1½ (ISO 635) wheels, black
painted frame and mudguards (with white-blazoning at the back of the rear one), and a rear skirt
guard. Modern variants, be they painted in other colours, with aluminium frames, drum-brakes or
multiple gear ratios in a hub gearing system, will all conform to the same basic look and
dimensions as the classic Omafiets. The Dutch gentlemen's equivalent is called
the Opafiets (Dutch for "grandpa bike") or Stadsfiets ("city bike") and generally has the same
characteristics but with a "diamond" or "gents'" frame, thereby much the same as the gentleman's
roadster in England and elsewhere.

Sports Roadster

A variation on this type of bicycle is the sports roadster (also known as the "light roadster"),
which typically has a lighter frame, and a slightly steeper seat-tube and head-tube angle of about
70° to 72° degrees, fitted with cable brakes, comfortable "flat" North Road handlebars,
mudguards and, as often as not, three, four or five-speed internal hub gears. Sports or light
roadsters were fitted with 26 x 1⅜ inch (ISO 590) traditional English size wheels with Endrick
rims, hence a lower bottom bracket and correspondingly lower stand-over height and weighing
around 35-40 pounds (16 – 18 kg). It was these bikes that were dubbed "English racers" in the
United States.[3][8]

Club Sports

Club sports, or semi-racer, bicycles were the high-performance machines of their time and place,
named so as they were the style of bicycle popular with members of the many active cycling
clubs. A club bicycle would typically have Reynolds 531 frame tubing, a narrow, unsprung
leather saddle, inverted North Road handlebars (or drop bars), steel "rat trap" pedals with toe
clips, 5-15 speed derailleur gearing, alloy rims and light high-pressure 26 x 1¼ (ISO 597) or 27 x
1¼ (ISO 630) tires. Some club bicycles would be likely to have a more exotic Sturmey-Archer
hub, perhaps, a medium- or close-ratio model, 3 or 4 speed, with a very few even being equipped
with the rare ASC 3-speed fixed-gear hub. Many club bicycles were single-speed machines,
usually with a reversible hub: single-speed freewheel on one side, fixed-gear on the other.
Derailers began to be used on this type of bicycle starting in the early '40s. Although primarily
intended for fast group rides, club bicycles were also commonly used for touring as well as for
time-trialing.

History

From the early 20th century until after World War II, the roadster constituted most adult bicycles
sold in the United Kingdom and in many parts of the British Empire. For many years after the
advent of the motorcycle and automobile, they remained a primary means of adult transport.
Major manufacturers in England were Raleigh and BSA,
though Carlton, Phillips, Triumph, Rudge-Whitworth, Hercules, and Elswick Hopper also made
them.

In the United States, the sports roadster was imported after World War II, and was known as the
"English racer". It quickly became popular with adult cyclists seeking an alternative to the
traditional youth-oriented cruiser bicycle. While the English racer was no racing bike, it was
faster and better for climbing hills than the cruiser, thanks to its lighter weight, tall wheels,
narrow tires, and internally geared rear hubs. In the late 1950s, U.S. manufacturers such as
Schwinn began producing their own "lightweight" version of the English racer.

In Britain, the utility roadster declined noticeably in popularity during the early 1970s, as a boom
in recreational cycling caused manufacturers to concentrate on lightweight (10–14 kg (23–
30 lb)), affordable derailleur sport bikes, actually slightly-modified versions of the racing
bicycle of the era.

In the 1980s, U.K. cyclists began to shift from road-only bicycles to all-terrain models such as
the mountain bike. The mountain bike's sturdy frame and load-carrying ability gave it additional
versatility as a utility bike, usurping the role previously filled by the roadster. By 1990, the
roadster was almost dead; while annual U.K. bicycle sales reached an all-time record of 2.8
million, almost all of them were mountain and road/sport models.

A different situation, however, occurred and still occurs in most Asian countries as of 2014.
Roadsters are still widely made and used in countries such as China, India, Pakistan, Thailand,
Vietnam and others. Some of the most significant roadster manufacturers are: Flying
Pigeon, Hero Cycles, Eastman Industries and Sohrab Cycles.

During Vietnam's long war for independence, structurally reinforced roadsters were often used to
haul munitions and supplies across the countryside. Generally, the bicycles were so heavily
loaded that they could no longer be conventionally ridden, and were pushed instead. 

Roadsters in contemporary society

In much of the world, the roadster is still the standard bicycle used for daily transportation.
Mass-produced in Asia, they are exported in huge numbers (mainly from India, China, and
Taiwan) to developing nations as far afield as Africa and Latin America. India's Hero Cycles and
Eastman Industries are still two of the world's leading roadster manufacturers, while
China's Flying Pigeon was the single most popular vehicle in worldwide use. Due to their
relative affordability, the strength and durability of steel frames and forks and their ability to be
repaired by welding, and the ability of these bicycles to carry heavy payloads, the roadster is
generally by far the most common bicycle in use in developing nations, with a particular
importance for those in rural areas. In parts of East Africa, the roadster is called the Black
Mamba, where it is used as a taxi by enterprising cyclist/drivers, called boda-boda. Black
Mambas are often repaired, customized, and manufactured locally for low costs. To further
reduce costs of the Black Mamba, engineers have begun to test 3D printed bike parts that
meet CEN standards.

Traditional roadster models became largely obsolete in the English-speaking world and other

parts of the Western world after the 1950s with the noticeable exceptions of the Netherlands and
to a much lesser extent Belgium along with other parts of north-western Europe. However, they
are now becoming popular once more in many of those countries that they had largely
disappeared from, due to the resurgence in the bicycle as local city transport where the roadster
is ideally suited due to its upright riding position, ability to carry shopping loads, simplicity and
low maintenance.

In the United Kingdom, there are a number of bicycle manufacturers (such as Pashley Cycles)
which make updated versions of the classic roadster and many more are imported from the
continent, such as those from Dutch manufacturers such as Royal Dutch Gazelle. They are
popular as student transport at universities, especially at Cambridge and Oxford, and are
increasingly seen in other British cities, including London. In Australia, there has also been an
increase in roadster use, particularly in Melbourne, alongside the growth of local bicycle
companies such as Papillionaire or Lekker, and many second-hand ones from the 1950s and 60s
are being discovered and restored.