THE YOUNG
FAMILY
All of the Young family know all about Vintage cycle clubs.
The garage was full of cycles. The first shed was full of cycles
and the next shed had parts of cycles in it. The house had top
hats, dear stokers, cups and model cycles in it. The vintage cycle
riding all started of quite slowly. A vintage cycle on loan from
Cyril Mundy, of The Peterborough Vintage Club, for my dad to ride
was delivered in his Bedford Van to our house. Dad was a member
of the Peterborough Cycling Club, and this was perhaps just a
one off? This cycle was a Crpto Bandom, a small penny like cycle
with gearing driving the front wheel, so making the need for a
large wheel unnecessary. This cycle was on loan, so after his
first ride it is was returned. This was not the end just the start.
The Peterborough club attended a parade in Peterborough in
the late 1950s My dad was going to ride and asked my older brother
if he wanted to ride as well? My brother rode in just that parade
then,(see more about him later). Then my Dad got a boneshaker
on loan from Cyril.Mundy. Did I want to ride the National at Peterborough
? I was about 10 at the time.The black and white photo above is
of me in Park Road Peterborough, on smaller Crpto bandom, with
my dad along side on Cyril Mundys French boneshaker. This shows
that I did ride a vintage cycle. I also rode at Boston, Benson
and at Harrow and at Traction Engine Rallies, at Stamford and
Carrington Park and at the finish of The Milk Race At Nottingham
and Skegness. During this time I started riding a John bel Fasell
a small penny with treadles. The whole family went to events we
were often the first in the field at Benson,with the locals turning
up about two hours later. One year at Carington Park it Rained
all day and we all sat in the car for most of the morning. It
was two wet for traction engines so we rode round and sank in
the mud! After about three or four years I stopped riding but
when I started driving, "Can you drive round the rally with
the car?" When I got my own car the drive had the trailer
with bikes on getting ready or just coming back from vintage cycle
events and I had to park in the road.
My sister also rode a vintage cycle and who a cup. My auntie
also started riding. She mostly rode a tricycle and became the
secretary of the Peterborough Vintage Cycle Club. When the Benson
Club organised a London to Brighton ride this was on a very wet
and cold day. It was so bad that MY Dad Stopped.But my auntie
did not. The tail end van came along side like the Tour De France
"Do you Want to stop?" they said. "How Far?"
she asked. "Three miles" came the reply. "Is that
All !" she kept going and my dad never lived it down. My
auntie rode most of the rallies and was well known in the vintage
cycle world.
After my brother got marred both him and his wife have also
ridden vintage cycles. Their daughter has also ridden and she
also won a cup. Even after my Dad had to stop riding, he still
attends the rallies. We all get involved in taking him to these
events.
