My first bike was a Bickerton

I was recently cycling through New Cross when I saw these bikes chained up outside a second hand furniture shop. Of course I jumped off to look closer because one of them was a Bickerton folding bike, the precursor to the Brompton.

My first bike was a Bickerton and I learned to cycle on it. I previously had a kids bike with stabilisers and I really believed that I could just get on any bike so I was surprised to discover when I got the Bickerton that I couldn’t cycle at all. I was too embarrassed to get training and I just taught myself by getting on and falling off lots of times. My Bickerton had a large blue canvas bag that acted as a pannier on the front of the bike and a storage bag for the bike when it was folded. Bickertons were very light and I was able to carry my bike. However I rarely did this as I had learned to cycle and I was happy to cycle from South London into the West End and back again. I didn’t like cycling over large bridges so I went over Lambeth bridge. But strangely I was comfortable cycling up Park Lane and around Marble Arch, something I wouldn’t do now unless I really had to.

Just seeing this bike took me back to that first experience of being a cyclist.

Unfortunately I could get better photos of this Bickerton. It was parked right by the main road and I would have had to step into the bus lane to get a better shot.

I wonder who owned this bike. I eventually got fed up with the punctures I had on my Bickerton and I moved on to a sturdy Raleigh Cameo bike. I am not sure if I sold it or left it in someone’s basement and didn’t go back. It was because of the Bickerton that I felt comfortable getting a Brompton so I am grateful for that experience.

The only time I had a serious fall from a bike was on the Bickerton when I braked and went over the handlebars and cut my left knee. I still have the scar.

I have just found the original 1980s advert for the Bickerton where you can see the it in all it’s glory and the similarities to the Brompton.