Viking Bike Badge Illustration
The Viking Cycle Company was an English bicycle company, founded in 1908 in Wolverhampton. It started life as a bicycle repair shop, eventually becoming a bike manufacturer in its own right. Bike manufacture continued up until the Second World War during which the company manufactured munitions. After the war, production resumed and rose to 2,000 cycles a year.
As the company prospered, it decided to form its own road racing team. Bob Thom joined the company as a ‘player-manager’ for Viking's first lightweight cycle team with Managing Director Reg Davies (son of founder Alfred Davies) designing a series of lightweight machines. The Viking road racers were introduced in 1948.
Viking's first cycling team also included Ben Whitmore and Bill Allen with Bob leading the team to victory in the B.L.R.C championship in 1948, 1949 and 1951. Another team member Ian Steele, won what was perhaps their most important triumph when he came first in the first Tour of Britain in 1951.
Viking's name soon became synonymous with racing due to the team's many successes. Viking had 1,250 bicycle dealers throughout the country supplying club type machines and became one of the premier names in the business.
The Viking Cycle Company was an English bicycle company, founded in 1908 in Wolverhampton. It started life as a bicycle repair shop, eventually becoming a bike manufacturer in its own right. Bike manufacture continued up until the Second World War during which the company manufactured munitions. After the war, production resumed and rose to 2,000 cycles a year.
As the company prospered, it decided to form its own road racing team. Bob Thom joined the company as a ‘player-manager’ for Viking's first lightweight cycle team with Managing Director Reg Davies (son of founder Alfred Davies) designing a series of lightweight machines. The Viking road racers were introduced in 1948.
Viking's first cycling team also included Ben Whitmore and Bill Allen with Bob leading the team to victory in the B.L.R.C championship in 1948, 1949 and 1951. Another team member Ian Steele, won what was perhaps their most important triumph when he came first in the first Tour of Britain in 1951.
Viking's name soon became synonymous with racing due to the team's many successes. Viking had 1,250 bicycle dealers throughout the country supplying club type machines and became one of the premier names in the business.
The Viking Cycle Company was an English bicycle company, founded in 1908 in Wolverhampton. It started life as a bicycle repair shop, eventually becoming a bike manufacturer in its own right. Bike manufacture continued up until the Second World War during which the company manufactured munitions. After the war, production resumed and rose to 2,000 cycles a year.
As the company prospered, it decided to form its own road racing team. Bob Thom joined the company as a ‘player-manager’ for Viking's first lightweight cycle team with Managing Director Reg Davies (son of founder Alfred Davies) designing a series of lightweight machines. The Viking road racers were introduced in 1948.
Viking's first cycling team also included Ben Whitmore and Bill Allen with Bob leading the team to victory in the B.L.R.C championship in 1948, 1949 and 1951. Another team member Ian Steele, won what was perhaps their most important triumph when he came first in the first Tour of Britain in 1951.
Viking's name soon became synonymous with racing due to the team's many successes. Viking had 1,250 bicycle dealers throughout the country supplying club type machines and became one of the premier names in the business.