124-456: Singer Motors Limited was a British motor vehicle manufacturing business, originally a bicycle manufacturer founded as Singer & Co by George Singer , in 1874 in Coventry , England. Singer & Co's bicycle manufacture continued. From 1901 George Singer's Singer Motor Co made cars and commercial vehicles. Singer Motor Co was the first motor manufacturer to make a small economy car that
248-583: A 2+2 on the Junior chassis appeared, and the Senior disappeared, while the Six gained a 1,792 cc (109.4 cu in) sidevalve . This was joined by a Super Six , with a 1,921 cc (117.2 cu in) OHV and four-speed manual transmission. This was, said The Autocar , "the most impressive Singer yet" The 8 hp (6.0 kW) 848 cc (51.7 cu in) Junior of 1931, with styling resembling
372-534: A "women's" bicycle, step-through frames are not common for larger frames. Step-throughs were popular partly for practical reasons and partly for social mores of the day. For most of the history of bicycles' popularity women have worn long skirts, and the lower frame accommodated these better than the top-tube. Furthermore, it was considered "unladylike" for women to open their legs to mount and dismount—in more conservative times women who rode bicycles at all were vilified as immoral or immodest. These practices were akin to
496-460: A 'straight handlebar' or 'riser bar' with varying degrees of sweep backward and centimeters rise upwards, as well as wider widths which can provide better handling due to increased leverage against the wheel. Saddles also vary with rider preference, from the cushioned ones favored by short-distance riders to narrower saddles which allow more room for leg swings. Comfort depends on riding position. With comfort bikes and hybrids, cyclists sit high over
620-477: A 1,308 cc (79.8 cu in) engine and modernized styling. It was offered in several models, from the £195 four-seat Popular to the £295 Saloon Limousine Del Luxe. At the 1926 London Motor Show, the company debuted the Junior , powered by a 16.5 hp (12.3 kW) OHV 848 cc (51.7 cu in). Priced from £148 10s as a four-seat tourer , it had only rear-wheel brakes to start. A racing 10 set
744-407: A 1,800-seat theatre with 10 bars. The theatre suffered damage in a fire in 1958 and has not reopened. Between 92 and 162 acts were put on each evening and performers who started there included Marie Lloyd , George Robey , Harry Lauder , Harry Tate , George Formby , Vesta Tilley , Tommy Trinder , Gracie Fields , Tommy Handley and Norman Wisdom . The Islington Literary and Scientific Society
868-568: A French publication to describe an unidentified two-wheeled vehicle, possibly a carriage. The design of the bicycle was an advance on the velocipede , although the words were used with some degree of overlap for a time. Other words for bicycle include "bike", "pushbike", "pedal cycle", or "cycle". In Unicode , the code point for "bicycle" is 0x1F6B2. The entity 🚲 in HTML produces 🚲. Although bike and cycle are used interchangeably to refer mostly to two types of two-wheelers,
992-474: A Scottish blacksmith, in 1839, although the claim is often disputed. He is also associated with the first recorded instance of a cycling traffic offense, when a Glasgow newspaper in 1842 reported an accident in which an anonymous "gentleman from Dumfries-shire... bestride a velocipede... of ingenious design" knocked over a little girl in Glasgow and was fined five shillings (equivalent to £30 in 2023). In
1116-619: A best-seller. Ultimately, Singer's business was acquired by his Rootes Group in 1956, which continued the brand until 1970, a few years following Rootes' acquisition by the American Chrysler corporation. George Singer began his bicycle-making business in Coventry in 1874. At the time, he was foreman of the Coventry Sewing Machine Company , from which he resigned. He was joined in the business by J. E. Stringer, his brother-in-law. It appears Singer
1240-481: A bicycle at low to medium speeds of around 16–24 km/h (10–15 mph) uses only the power required to walk. Air drag, which is proportional to the square of speed, requires dramatically higher power outputs as speeds increase. If the rider is sitting upright, the rider's body creates about 75% of the total drag of the bicycle/rider combination. Drag can be reduced by seating the rider in a more aerodynamically streamlined position. Drag can also be reduced by covering
1364-496: A bike both stiff and compliant by manipulating the lay-up. Virtually all professional racing bicycles now use carbon fibre frames, as they have the best strength to weight ratio. A typical modern carbon fiber frame can weigh less than 1 kilogram (2.2 lb). Other exotic frame materials include titanium and advanced alloys. Bamboo , a natural composite material with high strength-to-weight ratio and stiffness has been used for bicycles since 1894. Recent versions use bamboo for
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#17327983204821488-569: A conventional rear wheel brake, but not as effective as a front wheel brake. Bicycle suspension refers to the system or systems used to suspend the rider and all or part of the bicycle. This serves two purposes: to keep the wheels in continuous contact with the ground, improving control, and to isolate the rider and luggage from jarring due to rough surfaces, improving comfort. Bicycle suspensions are used primarily on mountain bicycles, but are also common on hybrid bicycles, as they can help deal with problematic vibration from poor surfaces. Suspension
1612-487: A copy right off Singer's stand at the 1912 Olympia Motor Show . Martin gave the car a thorough going-over, improving the engine's power and raising the top speed from 40 to 70 mph (64 to 113 km/h). Martin set up shop in Henniker Mews , Kensington , England, tuning the four-cylinder cars, and did a robust business. This was aided by the motor racing success of Martin's own improved Ten, in particular at
1736-496: A cyclist to make fewer pedal turns to maintain a given speed, but with more effort per turn of the pedals. With a chain drive transmission, a chainring attached to a crank drives the chain, which in turn rotates the rear wheel via the rear sprocket(s) ( cassette or freewheel ). There are four gearing options: two-speed hub gear integrated with chain ring, up to 3 chain rings, up to 12 sprockets, hub gear built into rear wheel (3-speed to 14-speed). The most common options are either
1860-471: A dated fixed head. This new 15 used a chassis very similar to the 10's, and had one interesting feature, a retractable luggage rack. In 1924, the 15 was offered with a Weymann fabric body. Sales of the 15 were "modest". The 10's engine was converted to overhead valves in 1923 and monobloc , while the next year, the Ten also got a Waymann body option. The new 10/26 replaced the older 10 in 1924. it offered
1984-437: A female passenger, making good time in torrential rain. The first Singer-designed car was the 4-cylinder 2.4-litre 12/14 of 1906. The engine was bought in from Aster . Singer made their first four-wheel car in 1905. It was designed by Scottish engineer Alexander Craig and was a variant of a design he had done for Lea-Francis having a 2-cylinder 1,853 or 2,471 cc (113.1 or 150.8 cu in) engine. The Craig engine
2108-517: A few years from 1956, after which it stood empty. In 1978 a campaign began with the goal to redevelop the building as a theatre. A public appeal was launched in 1981, and a festival of avant-garde theatre and music was held there and at other Islington venues in 1982. What has become the successful Almeida Theatre was founded. The Royal Agricultural Hall was built in 1862 on the Liverpool Road site of William Dixon's Cattle Layers. The hall
2232-399: A high gear when cycling downhill, a medium gear when cycling on a flat road, and a low gear when cycling uphill. In a lower gear every turn of the pedals leads to fewer rotations of the rear wheel. This allows the energy required to move the same distance to be distributed over more pedal turns, reducing fatigue when riding uphill, with a heavy load, or against strong winds. A higher gear allows
2356-517: A key role in the development of the automobile were initially invented for use in the bicycle, including ball bearings , pneumatic tires , chain-driven sprockets , and tension-spoked wheels . The word bicycle first appeared in English print in The Daily News in 1868, to describe "Bysicles and trysicles" on the "Champs Elysées and Bois de Boulogne". The word was first used in 1847 in
2480-438: A long decline; and by the mid-20th century, it was largely run-down and a byword for urban poverty. The aerial bombing of World War II caused much damage to Islington's housing stock, with 3,200 dwellings destroyed. Before the war, a number of 1930s council housing blocks had been added to the stock. After the war, partly as a result of bomb site redevelopment, the council housing boom got into its stride, reaching its peak in
2604-400: A moving assembly line in their latest acquisition, Singer's offerings were eclipsed by new models from Austin, Morris, and Hillman ; from 1932, these were joined by the new Ford Model Y . The Senior would be redesigned in 1928, with capacity increased to 1,571 cc (95.9 cu in) and an additional crankshaft main bearing added (up from two to three). And, like the Junior and Six,
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#17327983204822728-465: A narrow range of pedaling speeds, or cadence , a variable gear ratio helps a cyclist to maintain an optimum pedalling speed while covering varied terrain. Some, mainly utility, bicycles use hub gears with between 3 and 14 ratios, but most use the generally more efficient dérailleur system, by which the chain is moved between different cogs called chainrings and sprockets to select a ratio. A dérailleur system normally has two dérailleurs, or mechs, one at
2852-460: A new range of larger cars introduced. All cars were now White and Poppe powered. Singer experimented with a cyclecar, powered by a transversely-mounted aircooled engine in 1911–12. Instead, the company built a light car, the Ten , which debuted in 1912 with a 10 hp (7.5 kW) 1,096 cc (66.9 cu in) four-cylinder engine; its main drawback was a three-speed transmission built into
2976-865: A proliferation of specialized bicycle types, improved bicycle safety , and riding comfort. Bicycles can be categorized in many different ways: by function, by number of riders, by general construction, by gearing or by means of propulsion. The more common types include utility bicycles , mountain bicycles , racing bicycles , touring bicycles , hybrid bicycles , cruiser bicycles , and BMX bikes . Less common are tandems , low riders , tall bikes , fixed gear , folding models , amphibious bicycles , cargo bikes , recumbents and electric bicycles . Unicycles , tricycles and quadracycles are not strictly bicycles, as they have respectively one, three and four wheels, but are often referred to informally as "bikes" or "cycles". A bicycle stays upright while moving forward by being steered so as to keep its center of mass over
3100-458: A public pond were shown lining the street. The Peacock Inn at 11 Islington High Street dates from 1564, although the current façade dates from 1857. It featured in Tom Brown's Schooldays as the inn at which Tom stays prior to travelling to Rugby School . It closed in 1962, although the building still stands. Angel tube station on Islington High Street has the longest escalator on
3224-490: A rear hub or multiple chain rings combined with multiple sprockets (other combinations of options are possible but less common). The handlebars connect to the stem that connects to the fork that connects to the front wheel, and the whole assembly connects to the bike and rotates about the steering axis via the headset bearings. Three styles of handlebar are common. Upright handlebars , the norm in Europe and elsewhere until
3348-584: A sales agent of the Coventry Sewing Machine Company (which soon became the Coventry Machinists Company ), brought a Michaux cycle to Coventry , England. His uncle, Josiah Turner, and business partner James Starley , used this as a basis for the 'Coventry Model' in what became Britain's first cycle factory. The dwarf ordinary addressed some of these faults by reducing the front wheel diameter and setting
3472-618: A similar pattern as in aircraft, the goal being high strength and low weight. Since the late 1930s alloy steels have been used for frame and fork tubes in higher quality machines. By the 1980s aluminum welding techniques had improved to the point that aluminum tube could safely be used in place of steel . Since then aluminum alloy frames and other components have become popular due to their light weight, and most mid-range bikes are now principally aluminum alloy of some kind. More expensive bikes use carbon fibre due to its significantly lighter weight and profiling ability, allowing designers to make
3596-461: A spoked aluminium wheel, known as a motorwheel . It was a 222 cc (13.5 cu in) four-stroke designed by former Beeston employees Edwin Perks and Frank Birch. A unique feature was that the engine, fuel tank, carburettor and low-tension magneto were all housed in a two-sided cast alloy spoked wheel. It was probably the first motor bicycle to be provided with magneto ignition. It was perhaps
3720-453: A theatre, has remained on the same site, opposite the parish church, since 1543. The founder of the theatre, Dan Crawford, who died in 2005, disagreed with the introduction of decimal coinage. For twenty-plus years after decimalisation (on 15 February 1971), the bar continued to show prices and charge for drinks in pre-decimalisation currency. By the 19th century many music halls and theatres were established around Islington Green . One such
3844-526: A tricycle, rear wheels driven by chain, which also featured a handbrake (designed by Singer and his associate, R. H. Lea) on the rear axle. In about 1888, Singer introduced the Rational , a diamond-framed model with wheels the same size, each about 30 in (76 cm) diameter. It also offered removable handlebars and removable rear wheel. While safer, its performance suffered. Nevertheless, it proved popular with cycle tourers. In 1895, Singer Cycle faced
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3968-567: A typical upright or "safety" bicycle , has changed little since the first chain-driven model was developed around 1885. However, many details have been improved, especially since the advent of modern materials and computer-aided design . These have allowed for a proliferation of specialized designs for many types of cycling. In the 21st century, electric bicycles have become popular. The bicycle's invention has had an enormous effect on society, both in terms of culture and of advancing modern industrial methods. Several components that played
4092-511: A wheelset, especially in the context of ready-built "off the shelf", performance-oriented wheels. Tires vary enormously depending on their intended purpose. Road bicycles use tires 18 to 25 millimeters wide, most often completely smooth, or slick , and inflated to high pressure to roll fast on smooth surfaces. Off-road tires are usually between 38 and 64 mm (1.5 and 2.5 in) wide, and have treads for gripping in muddy conditions or metal studs for ice. Groupset generally refers to all of
4216-399: A £600,000 "floatation by that egregious company promoter" Terah Hooley , but survived. It also weathered an industry slump in 1898 that wiped out many British bicycle makers. Singer Cycle Company began producing motor cars in 1901. Singer Cycle began motor vehicle production in 1901, purchasing the manufacturing rights to the Perks & Birch Motor Wheel, a one-cylinder engine contained in
4340-505: Is applied to brake levers mounted on the handlebars and transmitted via Bowden cables or hydraulic lines to the friction pads, which apply pressure to the braking surface, causing friction which slows the bicycle down. A rear hub brake may be either hand-operated or pedal-actuated, as in the back pedal coaster brakes which were popular in North America until the 1960s. Track bicycles do not have brakes, because all riders ride in
4464-604: Is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. Bicycles were introduced in the 19th century in Europe . By the early 21st century there were more than 1 billion bicycles. There are many more bicycles than cars . Bicycles are the principal means of transport in many regions. They also provide a popular form of recreation , and have been adapted for use as children's toys . Bicycles are used for fitness , military and police applications, courier services , bicycle racing , and artistic cycling . The basic shape and configuration of
4588-445: Is especially important on recumbent bicycles, since while an upright bicycle rider can stand on the pedals to achieve some of the benefits of suspension, a recumbent rider cannot. Basic mountain bicycles and hybrids usually have front suspension only, whilst more sophisticated ones also have rear suspension. Road bicycles tend to have no suspension. The wheel axle fits into fork ends in the frame and fork. A pair of wheels may be called
4712-977: Is in Holloway . The area is served by numerous bus routes, with a major bus interchange located near the Angel tube station . Red route and residents' parking restrictions apply throughout the area. According to latest figures published by the Department for Education, there are 47 primary and 10 state-funded secondary schools in Islington. Grade II* English Heritage list three Grade II* listed buildings within Central Islington (and many more in surrounding districts): Grade II (selected): The area contains numerous Georgian townhouses, shops and pubs. Many whole terraces are listed including much of Liverpool Road (one side of which
4836-408: Is now occupied by Singer Hall, a hall of residence for Coventry University . The main models produced were: e. & o.e. capacity stroke Bicycle A bicycle , also called a pedal cycle , bike , push-bike or cycle , is a human-powered or motor-assisted , pedal-driven , single-track vehicle , with two wheels attached to a frame , one behind the other. A bicycle rider
4960-471: Is the most efficient human-powered means of transportation in terms of energy a person must expend to travel a given distance. From a mechanical viewpoint, up to 99% of the energy delivered by the rider into the pedals is transmitted to the wheels, although the use of gearing mechanisms may reduce this by 10–15%. In terms of the ratio of cargo weight a bicycle can carry to total weight, it is also an efficient means of cargo transportation. A human traveling on
5084-581: The Aston Clinton hillclimb . The Ten would also be sold by William Rootes , former Singer apprentice turned dealer. On 11 July 1914, Beatrice Blore drove a Singer Ten car up the cable track (with a gradient of 1 in 3 in places) of the Great Orme , in Llandudno , North Wales , becoming the first woman to drive up the steep and challenging headland. She was six months pregnant at the time and
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5208-506: The Brooklands lap record in 1921 at 74.42 mph (119.77 km/h). Meanwhile, the 10/26 became the 1,308 cc (79.8 cu in)-engined Senior , joined by the new Six , powered by a 1,776 cc (108.4 cu in) inline six based on the 10/26's and four-wheel servo-assisted brakes from Clayton Dewandre . The same year, Singer took over Calcott Brothers . In the 1920s, Singer sales climbed steadily, By 1928, Singer
5332-652: The Giro d'Italia , the Tour de France , the Vuelta a España , the Tour de Pologne , and the Volta a Portugal . They are also used for entertainment and pleasure in other ways, such as in organised mass rides, artistic cycling and freestyle BMX . The bicycle has undergone continual adaptation and improvement since its inception. These innovations have continued with the advent of modern materials and computer-aided design, allowing for
5456-947: The Honda Super Cub motorcycle, has more than 100 million units made, while most produced car, the Toyota Corolla , has reached 44 million and counting. Bicycles are used for transportation, bicycle commuting , and utility cycling . They are also used professionally by mail carriers , paramedics , police , messengers , and general delivery services. Military uses of bicycles include communications , reconnaissance , troop movement, supply of provisions, and patrol, such as in bicycle infantries . They are also used for recreational purposes, including bicycle touring , mountain biking , physical fitness , and play . Bicycle sports include racing , BMX racing , track racing , criterium , roller racing , sportives and time trials . Major multi-stage professional events are
5580-652: The London Underground system, at 318 steps. In 2006 a Norwegian man made headlines after skiing down the escalator at the station. Upper Street is Islington's main shopping street. The parish church, St Mary's , is located on Upper Street. The Angel business improvement district (BID), is an area centred on the Angel tube station , and which includes parts of southern Islington and neighbouring Clerkenwell . Islington features extensively in modern English literature and culture: There are over 60 sports and other types of physical activity on offer to
5704-503: The World Fair and was produced in a few thousand units. In the 1870s many cycling clubs flourished. They were popular in a time when there were no cars on the market and the principal mode of transportation was horse-drawn vehicles , such the horse and buggy or the horsecar . Among the earliest clubs was The Bicycle Touring Club , which has operated since 1878. By the turn of the century, cycling clubs flourished on both sides of
5828-407: The seat further back. This, in turn, required gearing—effected in a variety of ways—to efficiently use pedal power. Having to both pedal and steer via the front wheel remained a problem. Englishman J.K. Starley (nephew of James Starley), J.H. Lawson, and Shergold solved this problem by introducing the chain drive (originated by the unsuccessful "bicyclette" of Englishman Henry Lawson), connecting
5952-522: The seat tube was added which created the modern bike's double-triangle diamond frame . Further innovations increased comfort and ushered in a second bicycle craze , the 1890s Golden Age of Bicycles . In 1888, Scotsman John Boyd Dunlop introduced the first practical pneumatic tire, which soon became universal. Willie Hume demonstrated the supremacy of Dunlop's tyres in 1889, winning the tyre's first-ever races in Ireland and then England. Soon after,
6076-421: The 17th century when the modern form arose. The manor, which was served by the ancient parish of Islington, later sub-divided, with new estates such as Neweton Berewe , Bernersbury , Hey-bury and Canonesbury – names first recorded in the 13th and 14th centuries) co-existing with the rump of the manor of Islington. The ancient parish of Islington continued to serve the rump manor of Islington and also
6200-473: The 1935 Ulster Tourist Trophy , where all three wrecked, all from the same cause (steering failure) and all, incredibly, at the same spot. All the drivers literally walked away unscathed, but Singer's reputation in racing was beyond repair. In summer 1934, the Eleven was launched and was very innovative in its class by including the clutch-less "Fluidrive" Fluid coupling and Independent front suspension , and
6324-626: The 1960s: several extensive estates were constructed, by both the Metropolitan Borough of Islington and the London County Council . Clearance of the worst terraced housing was undertaken, but Islington continued to be very densely populated, with a high level of overcrowding. The district has many council blocks, and the local authority has begun to replace some of them. From the 1960s, the remaining Georgian terraces were rediscovered by middle-class families. Many of
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#17327983204826448-443: The 1970s, curve gently back toward the rider, offering a natural grip and comfortable upright position. Drop handlebars "drop" as they curve forward and down, offering the cyclist best braking power from a more aerodynamic "crouched" position, as well as more upright positions in which the hands grip the brake lever mounts, the forward curves, or the upper flat sections for increasingly upright postures. Mountain bikes generally feature
6572-520: The Atlantic, and touring and racing became widely popular. The Raleigh Bicycle Company was founded in Nottingham, England in 1888. It became the biggest bicycle manufacturing company in the world, making over two million bikes per year. Bicycles and horse buggies were the two mainstays of private transportation just prior to the automobile, and the grading of smooth roads in the late 19th century
6696-594: The Business Design Centre. Some early development took place to accommodate the popularity of the nearby Sadler's Wells, which became a resort in the 16th century, but the 19th century saw the greatest expansion in housing, soon to cover the whole parish. In 1801, the population was 10,212, but by 1891 this had increased to 319,143. This rapid expansion was partly due to the introduction of horse-drawn omnibuses in 1830. Large well-built houses and fashionable squares drew clerks, artisans and professionals to
6820-624: The First World War. The Singer brand was absorbed into their Rootes Group which had been an enthusiastic exponent of badge engineering since the early 1930s. The next Singer car, the Gazelle , was a more up-market Hillman Minx . which retained the pre-war designed Singer OHV engine for the I and II versions until 1958, when the IIA was given the Minx pushrod engine. The Vogue, which ran alongside
6944-508: The Ford Model Y (a popular subject for copying), with two-bearing crankshafts and a 972 cc (59.3 cu in) engine; this, and its high £127 pricetag, made it uncompetitive. It had a two-bearing crankshaft and was the first Singer with a synchromesh gearbox, albeit with only three forward gears. Continuing decline in sales led to financial trouble, and Singer attempted to cut costs, such as by switching back to mechanical brakes on
7068-669: The Hackney districts of De Beauvoir and Old Street to the north east. Islington is the most densely populated borough in the UK according to the 2011 census, with a population density of 138.7 people per hectare, compared to an average of 52.0 for London. The urbanisation of Islington began with ribbon development along the Great North Road (the modern A1 ). which is known (south to north) as Islington High Street , Upper Street , Holloway Road and Archway Road as it passes through
7192-681: The Hunter in 1954; the high-priced Hunter was equally in vain. (Though specified with an optional HRG-designed DOHC engine, this was likely never sold.) In the December 2011 edition of Automobile Magazine , a 1954 SM1500 was compared to an MG TD , finding the Singer the superior roadster. By 1955, the business was in financial difficulties and the Rootes Brothers bought it the following year. They had first handled Singer sales just before
7316-553: The Minx/Gazelle from 1961, was based on the Hillman Super Minx with differing front end styling and more luxurious trim. After 1958, all Singer products were mere badge-engineered models. By 1970, Rootes were themselves struggling financially. They had been acquired by the American Chrysler corporation, and founder (by then Sir) William Rootes had died in 1964. In April 1970, as part of a rationalisation process,
7440-538: The Nine in 1939. In May 1936, W. E. Bullock, who had been managing director from 1919 together with his son, general manager from 1931, resigned following criticism from the shareholders at their annual general meeting. No longer viable, Singer & Co Limited was dissolved in December 1936 and what had been its business was transferred to a new company, Singer Motors Limited. In 1938, the three-bearing 9 hp (6.7 kW) OHC engine of 1,074 cc (65.5 cu in)
7564-529: The Ten and Twelve saloons all returned to production with little change. In 1948, Singer's first streamlined car appeared, the SM1500 (designed by Technical Director Shorter), which featured coil spring IFS. and a separate chassis, still using the SOHC 1500cc engin; It was, however, expensive, at £799, and hopes it would save the company proved in vain. The SM1500 was given a traditional radiator grille and renamed
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#17327983204827688-526: The area around the busy High Street, Upper Street , Essex Road (formerly "Lower Street"), and Southgate Road to the east. The manor of Islington was named by the Saxons Giseldone (1005), then Gislandune (1062). The name means "Gīsla's hill" from the Old English personal name Gīsla and dun ("hill", " down "). The name later mutated to Isledon , which remained in use well into
7812-577: The best known being the rod-driven velocipede by Scotsman Thomas McCall in 1869. In that same year, bicycle wheels with wire spokes were patented by Eugène Meyer of Paris. The French vélocipède , made of iron and wood, developed into the " penny-farthing " (historically known as an "ordinary bicycle", a retronym , since there was then no other kind). It featured a tubular steel frame on which were mounted wire-spoked wheels with solid rubber tires. These bicycles were difficult to ride due to their high seat and poor weight distribution . In 1868 Rowley Turner,
7936-447: The bicycle with an aerodynamic fairing . The fastest recorded unpaced speed on a flat surface is 144.18 km/h (89.59 mph). In addition, the carbon dioxide generated in the production and transportation of the food required by the bicyclist, per mile traveled, is less than 1 ⁄ 10 that generated by energy efficient motorcars. The great majority of modern bicycles have a frame with upright seating that looks much like
8060-405: The bicycle. Short-wheelbase or tall bicycles, when braking, can generate enough stopping force at the front wheel to flip longitudinally. The act of purposefully using this force to lift the rear wheel and balance on the front without tipping over is a trick known as a stoppie , endo, or front wheelie. The bicycle is extraordinarily efficient in both biological and mechanical terms. The bicycle
8184-465: The canal system. There is no tow-path in the tunnel so bargees had to walk their barges through, braced against the roof. Commercial use of the canal has declined since the 1960s. In the 17th and 18th centuries the availability of water made Islington a good place for growing vegetables to feed London. The manor became a popular excursion destination for Londoners, attracted to the area by its rural feel. Many public houses were therefore built to serve
8308-471: The components that make up a bicycle excluding the bicycle frame, fork, stem, wheels, tires, and rider contact points, such as the saddle and handlebars. Islington Islington ( / ˈ ɪ z l ɪ ŋ t ən / IZ -ling-tən ) is an inner-city area of north London , England , within the wider London Borough of Islington . It is a mainly residential district of Inner London , extending from Islington's High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing
8432-414: The conditions for developers to renovate many of the early Victorian and Georgian townhouses. They also built new developments. Islington remains a district with diverse inhabitants, with its private houses and apartments not far from social housing in immediately neighbouring wards such as Finsbury and Clerkenwell to the south, Bloomsbury and King's Cross to the west, and Highbury to the north west, and also
8556-430: The district. However, from the middle of the 19th century the poor were being displaced by clearances in inner London to build the new railway stations and goods yards. Many of the displaced settled in Islington, with the houses becoming occupied by many families. This, combined with the railways pushing into outer Middlesex, reduced Islington's attraction for the "better off" as it became "unfashionable". The area fell into
8680-426: The district. In 1716 the Great North Road came under the control of the newly formed Islington Turnpike Trust. The Trust grew rapidly, and soon had control of most major roads in the area, building a number of major road arteries through the expanding residential areas, including Caledonian Road , Euston Road , City Road and New North Road . Islington High Street runs approximately 500 metres (0.31 mi) from
8804-539: The drive was a publicity stunt developed by her partner George Wilkin Browne to help sell the cars at his Llandudno garage, North Wales Silver Motors. The cars were advertised for sale for £195. Production was suspended for the First World War , then resumed afterward. Except for detail changes, the engine remained the same until the Ten ended production in 1923; the chassis was redesigned in 1921. The two-seater
8928-413: The early 1860s, Frenchmen Pierre Michaux and Pierre Lallement took bicycle design in a new direction by adding a mechanical crank drive with pedals on an enlarged front wheel (the velocipede ). This was the first in mass production. Another French inventor named Douglas Grasso had a failed prototype of Pierre Lallement's bicycle several years earlier. Several inventions followed using rear-wheel drive,
9052-476: The east of Upper Street, and much of its course is now covered and forms a linear park through the area. The Regent's Canal passes through Islington, for much of which in an 886-metre (2,907 ft) tunnel that runs from Colebrook Row east of the Angel, to emerge at Muriel Street near Caledonian Road. The stretch is marked above with a series of pavement plaques so walkers may find their way from one entrance to
9176-406: The first chain-driven bike. These upright bicycles almost always feature the diamond frame , a truss consisting of two triangles: the front triangle and the rear triangle. The front triangle consists of the head tube, top tube, down tube, and seat tube. The head tube contains the headset , the set of bearings that allows the fork to turn smoothly for steering and balance. The top tube connects
9300-496: The frame-mounted cranks to the rear wheel. These models were known as safety bicycles , dwarf safeties, or upright bicycles for their lower seat height and better weight distribution, although without pneumatic tires the ride of the smaller-wheeled bicycle would be much rougher than that of the larger-wheeled variety. Starley's 1885 Rover , manufactured in Coventry is usually described as the first recognizably modern bicycle. Soon
9424-446: The front to select the chainring and another at the back to select the sprocket. Most bikes have two or three chainrings, and from 5 to 11 sprockets on the back, with the number of theoretical gears calculated by multiplying front by back. In reality, many gears overlap or require the chain to run diagonally, so the number of usable gears is fewer. An alternative to chaindrive is to use a synchronous belt. These are toothed and work much
9548-632: The growing population and plans were laid to construct a waterway, the New River , to bring fresh water from the source of the River Lea , in Hertfordshire to New River Head , below Islington in Finsbury . The river was opened on 29 September 1613 by Sir Hugh Myddelton , the constructor of the project. His statue still stands where Upper Street meets Essex Road. The course of the river ran to
9672-410: The head tube to the seat tube at the top, and the down tube connects the head tube to the bottom bracket . The rear triangle consists of the seat tube and paired chain stays and seat stays. The chain stays run parallel to the chain , connecting the bottom bracket to the rear dropout , where the axle for the rear wheel is held. The seat stays connect the top of the seat tube (at or near the same point as
9796-459: The houses were rehabilitated, and the area became newly fashionable. This displacement of the poor by the aspirational has become known as gentrification . Among the new residents were a number of figures who became central in the New Labour movement, including Tony Blair before his victory in the 1997 general election . According to The Guardian in 2006, "Islington is widely regarded as
9920-432: The intersection of Pentonville Road and City Road at the south end to Islington Green at the north end, where it branches into Upper Street and Essex Road (former Lower Street). The earliest reference to Islington High Street is its appearance on a 1590 map of the area. At this time, nine inns (including the famous Angel , which has subsequently given its name to the area around High Street), as well as housing and
10044-477: The last Singer rolled off the assembly line, almost 100 years after George Singer built the first cycle. The last car to carry the Singer name was an upmarket version of the rear engined Hillman Imp called the Chamois. With the take over of Rootes by Chrysler begun in 1964 and completed in 1967, many of the brands were set to vanish and use of the Singer name ended in 1970. The site of the Singer factory in Coventry
10168-402: The mechanism is contained within the wheel hub, or disc brakes, where pads act on a rotor attached to the hub. Most road bicycles use rim brakes, but some use disc brakes. Disc brakes are more common for mountain bikes, tandems and recumbent bicycles than on other types of bicycles, due to their increased power, coupled with an increased weight and complexity. With hand-operated brakes, force
10292-465: The needs of both the excursionists and travellers on the turnpike. By 1716, there were 56 ale-house keepers in Upper Street, also offering pleasure and tea gardens, and activities such as archery, skittle alleys and bowling. By the 18th century, music and dancing were offered, together with billiards, firework displays and balloon ascents. The King's Head Tavern , now a Victorian building with
10416-558: The new Sports Nine Sports , which made its debut at the London Motor Show that same year; it featured a two-bearing crankshaft engine of 972cc, which gave the car its name. Owing to manufacturing difficulties of the new bodywork, the "9" engine was fitted to a number of Junior chassis' as a stopgap until the production cars were ready, which gave rise to the incredibly rare "Junior-Nine". The production numbers are unknown, and only 8 are known to have survived. And in 1933, The Nine
10540-543: The older practice of riding horse sidesaddle . Another style is the recumbent bicycle . These are inherently more aerodynamic than upright versions, as the rider may lean back onto a support and operate pedals that are on about the same level as the seat. The world's fastest bicycle is a recumbent bicycle but this type was banned from competition in 1934 by the Union Cycliste Internationale . Historically, materials used in bicycles have followed
10664-468: The only motorcycle engine of its era with reliable ignition. These were fitted to bicycles. The design was used by Singer & Co in the rear wheel and then the front wheel of a trike. In 1904, he developed a range of more conventional motorcycles which included 346 cc two strokes and, from 1911, side-valve models of 299 cc and 535 cc. In 1913 Singer & Co offered an open-frame ladies model. Singer & Co stopped building motorcycles at
10788-510: The other. The area of the canal east of the tunnel and north of the City Road was once dominated by much warehousing and industry surrounding the large City Road Basin and Wenlock Basin. Those old buildings that survive here are now largely residential or small creative work units. This stretch has an old double-fronted pub The Narrowboat , one side accessed from the towpath. The canal was constructed in 1820 to carry cargo from Limehouse into
10912-473: The outbreak of the First World War . In 1909, Singer & Co built a series of racers and roadsters and entered several bikes in races, including the Isle of Man Senior TT in 1914. George E. Stanley broke the one-hour record at Brooklands race track on a Singer motorcycle in 1912, becoming the first ever rider of a 350 cc motorcycle to cover over 60 miles (97 km) in an hour. Singer's first tricar
11036-424: The overall weight of the bicycle. A recumbent bicycle has a reclined chair-like seat that some riders find more comfortable than a saddle, especially riders who suffer from certain types of seat, back, neck, shoulder, or wrist pain. Recumbent bicycles may have either under-seat or over-seat steering . Bicycle brakes may be rim brakes, in which friction pads are compressed against the wheel rims; hub brakes, where
11160-490: The primary frame with glued metal connections and parts, priced as exotic models. The drivetrain begins with pedals which rotate the cranks , which are held in axis by the bottom bracket. Most bicycles use a chain to transmit power to the rear wheel. A very small number of bicycles use a shaft drive to transmit power, or special belts. Hydraulic bicycle transmissions have been built, but they are currently inefficient and complex. Since cyclists' legs are most efficient over
11284-483: The public in Islington, at more than approximately one hundred clubs, leisure centres , parks, community centres , and other venues. The Islington Boxing Club, on Hazellville Road, was founded in January 1974 and was originally based in the community hall of York Way Court, close to King's Cross Station . The borough is home to top-flight professional football club Arsenal , whose sixty-thousand capacity stadium
11408-530: The rear freewheel was developed, enabling the rider to coast. This refinement led to the 1890s invention of coaster brakes . Dérailleur gears and hand-operated Bowden cable -pull brakes were also developed during these years, but were only slowly adopted by casual riders. The Svea Velocipede with vertical pedal arrangement and locking hubs was introduced in 1892 by the Swedish engineers Fredrik Ljungström and Birger Ljungström . It attracted attention at
11532-520: The rear axle. The Ten was the company's first big seller. The same year, two years after George Singer's death, the "bicycle wheel" radiator emblem was deleted. That year's primary product was a 16/20, powered by a White & Poppe engine. The use of their own power plants spread through the range until by the outbreak of the First World War all models except the low-volume 3.3-litre 20 hp were so equipped. The Ten's performance attracted interest from former racing cyclist Lionel Martin , who bought
11656-475: The rich and eminent. The local inns harboured many fugitives and sheltered recusants. The hill on which Islington stands has long supplied the City of London with water, the first projects drawing water through wooden pipes from the many springs that lay at its foot, in Finsbury . These included Sadler's Wells , London Spa and Clerkenwell . By the 17th century these traditional sources were inadequate to supply
11780-466: The rider to mount and dismount in a dignified way while wearing a skirt or dress. While some women's bicycles continue to use this frame style, there is also a variation, the mixte , which splits the top tube laterally into two thinner top tubes that bypass the seat tube on each side and connect to the rear fork ends. The ease of stepping through is also appreciated by those with limited flexibility or other joint problems. Because of its persistent image as
11904-402: The same as a chain—popular with commuters and long distance cyclists they require little maintenance. They cannot be shifted across a cassette of sprockets, and are used either as single speed or with a hub gear. Different gears and ranges of gears are appropriate for different people and styles of cycling. Multi-speed bicycles allow gear selection to suit the circumstances: a cyclist could use
12028-416: The same direction around a track which does not necessitate sharp deceleration. Track riders are still able to slow down because all track bicycles are fixed-gear, meaning that there is no freewheel. Without a freewheel, coasting is impossible, so when the rear wheel is moving, the cranks are moving. To slow down, the rider applies resistance to the pedals, acting as a braking system which can be as effective as
12152-604: The seat, their weight directed down onto the saddle, such that a wider and more cushioned saddle is preferable. For racing bikes where the rider is bent over, weight is more evenly distributed between the handlebars and saddle, the hips are flexed, and a narrower and harder saddle is more efficient. Differing saddle designs exist for male and female cyclists, accommodating the genders' differing anatomies and sit bone width measurements, although bikes typically are sold with saddles most appropriate for men. Suspension seat posts and seat springs provide comfort by absorbing shock but can add to
12276-467: The spiritual home of Britain's left-wing intelligentsia." The Granita Pact between Gordon Brown and Tony Blair is said to have been made at a now defunct restaurant on Upper Street. The African National Congress 's headquarters in exile was based on Penton Street. It was the target of a bomb attack in 1982 . The completion of the Victoria line and redevelopment of Angel tube station created
12400-456: The terms still vary across the world. In India, for example, a cycle refers only to a two-wheeler using pedal power whereas the term bike is used to describe a two-wheeler using internal combustion engine or electric motors as a source of motive power instead of motorcycle/motorbike. The " dandy horse ", also called Draisienne or Laufmaschine ("running machine"), was the first human means of transport to use only two wheels in tandem and
12524-517: The top of the price range was the £480 Charles Frederick ‘C F’ Beauvais-designed Kaye Don saloon, built on the Silent-Six platform. Hydraulic brakes were standard, except for the Kaye Don, which relied on servo-boosted Dewandre brakes. A sliding sunshine roof was also available. In 1932, Leo J. Shorter became chief engineer (by 1940, technical director). He and two other designers created
12648-446: The top tube) to the rear fork ends. Historically, women's bicycle frames had a top tube that connected in the middle of the seat tube instead of the top, resulting in a lower standover height at the expense of compromised structural integrity, since this places a strong bending load in the seat tube, and bicycle frame members are typically weak in bending. This design, referred to as a step-through frame or as an open frame , allows
12772-484: The top-priced saloon and a "waterfall" grille, which lent the car its common name. The range continued in a very complex manner using developments of the ohc Junior engine, with an 848 cc (51.7 cu in), the Ten, the sidevalve 1,476 cc (90.1 cu in) 12/6, the sidevalve 18/6 (now 2,041 cc (124.5 cu in)), and the OHV Silent-Six (now 2,180 cc (133 cu in)). At
12896-502: The track was increased. One other model was a fabric-bodied convertible saloon , the Sun . The redesign left Singer with a few hundred older chassis, which the company bodied and sold as Deliverys , at £180. Toward the end of the year, a privateer ran a two-seat Junior up Porlock Hill one hundred times in fifteen hours, which moved Singer to rename that model the Porlock. In 1929,
13020-561: The twelfth century and was replaced in the fifteenth century. Islington lay on the estates of the Bishop of London and the Dean and Chapter of St Pauls . There were substantial medieval moated manor houses in the area, principally at Canonbury and Highbury. In 1548, there were 440 communicants listed and the rural atmosphere, with access to the City and Westminster, made it a popular residence for
13144-400: The various manors that had broken away from it. Some roads on the edge of the area, including Essex Road , were known as streets by the medieval period, possibly indicating a Roman origin, but little physical evidence remains. What is known is that the Great North Road from Aldersgate came into use in the 14th century, connecting with a new turnpike (toll road) up Highgate Hill . This
13268-407: The wheels. This steering is usually provided by the rider, but under certain conditions may be provided by the bicycle itself. The combined center of mass of a bicycle and its rider must lean into a turn to successfully navigate it. This lean is induced by a method known as countersteering , which can be performed by the rider turning the handlebars directly with the hands or indirectly by leaning
13392-578: Was Collins's Music Hall , the remains of which are now partly incorporated into a bookshop. The remainder of the Hall has been redeveloped into a new theatre, with its entrance at the bottom of Essex Road . It stood on the site of the Landsdowne Tavern, where the landlord had built an entertainment room for customers who wanted to sing (and later for professional entertainers). It was founded in 1862 by Samuel Thomas Collins Vagg and by 1897 had become
13516-640: Was 75 ft high and the arched glass roof spanned 125 ft. It was built for the annual Smithfield Show in December of that year but was popular for other purposes, including recitals and the Royal Tournament . It was the primary exhibition site for London until the 20th century and the largest building of its kind, holding up to 50,000 people. It was requisitioned for use by the Mount Pleasant sorting office during World War II and never re-opened. The main hall has now been incorporated into
13640-422: Was Britain's third largest car maker after Austin and Morris . Singer, restricted by a built-in site, acquired other companies for factory space. In 1926, they made 9,000 cars. In 1929, with seven factories and 8,000 employees, they produced 28,000 cars, though having just 15% they trailed far behind Austin and Morris which shared 60% of the market. Hampered by their new acquisitions, the cost of new machinery and
13764-493: Was a replica of a large car, showing a small car was a practical proposition. It was much more sturdily built than otherwise similar cyclecars . With its four-cylinder ten horsepower engine the Singer Ten was launched at the 1912 Cycle and Motor Cycle Show at Olympia . William Rootes , a Singer apprentice at the time of its development and consummate car-salesman, contracted to buy 50, the entire first year's supply. It became
13888-402: Was along the line of modern Upper Street, with a toll gate at The Angel defining the extent of the village. The Back Road , the modern Liverpool Road , was primarily a drovers' road where cattle would be rested before the final leg of their journey to Smithfield . Pens and sheds were erected along this road to accommodate the animals. The first recorded church, St Mary's , was erected in
14012-506: Was also offered with "aerodynamic" Airstream coachwork ; the name was given independent of the Chrysler . Independent front suspension was added to the Nine in 1935, while the larger models got Fluidrive transmissions. The new two litre Sixteen debuted that year as well, also with IFS. The Nine became the Bantam in 1935, which also debuted at the London Motor Show; it was a close copy of
14136-676: Was established in 1833 and first met in Mr. Edgeworth's Academy on Upper Street. Its goal was to spread knowledge through lectures, discussions, and experiments, politics and theology being forbidden. A building, the Literary and Scientific Institution, was erected in 1837 in Wellington (later Almeida) Street, designed by Roumieu and Gough in a stuccoed Grecian style. It included a library (containing 3,300 volumes in 1839), reading room, museum, laboratory, and lecture theatre seating 500. The subscription
14260-504: Was inspired to produce a bicycle safer than the Ordinary ( penny-farthing ) type standard at the time, by cyclist George Dominy. Singer did not alter the large front and small rear wheel design of the Ordinary, but by raking the front forks (a first) did make it safer. He patented the design on 24 October 1878. He followed this with an 1879 model having a large rear wheel and small front wheels which could be folded aside. and in 1885 with
14384-469: Was introduced, the three speed gearbox only had synchro between 2nd and top. From 1938 to 1955, Singer Motors Ltd supplied new OHC engines (a few 9HP, a 10HP and numerous 12 HPs plus 4-speed gearboxes) for fitment to HRG Engineering Company 's sports cars at Tolworth, Surrey - these replaced the 1.5 litre Meadows engines fitted to earlier cars. After the Second World War , the new Roadster and
14508-695: Was invented by the German Baron Karl von Drais . It is regarded as the first bicycle and von Drais is seen as the "father of the bicycle", but it did not have pedals. Von Drais introduced it to the public in Mannheim in 1817 and in Paris in 1818. Its rider sat astride a wooden frame supported by two in-line wheels and pushed the vehicle along with his or her feet while steering the front wheel. The first mechanically propelled, two-wheeled vehicle may have been built by Kirkpatrick MacMillan ,
14632-522: Was joined by a new 14 hp (10 kW) six-cylinder, a 1.5 Horsepower six-cylinder, and a 2-Liter six-cylinder, while the Junior was dropped and the new sidevalve-engined 12 displaced the Ten. The Sports Nine was "an immediate success" among trials racers, and Singer entered a specially-prepared version at Le Mans , which led to the Nine being commonly called the Le Mans. Singer earned an "excellent reputation" in racing before three works Nines appeared at
14756-464: Was priced at £395. In 1921, Singer purchased motorcycle and cyclecar maker Coventry Premier , selling a four-wheeler of their design, powered by a 1,005 cc (61.3 cu in) water-cooled V-twin , for £250, under that name until 1924. The engine was changed to a four-cylinder Singer in 1922, but the car ceased production in 1923. In 1922, Singer's first six-cylinder was a 1,999 cc (122.0 cu in) of 15 hp (11 kW), with
14880-416: Was replaced by another tricar, which had two front wheels and a driven rear, more horsepower, and a coachbuilt body, but with the passenger now in front of the driver. Muriel Hind drove a Singer Tricar in the 1906 Land's End to John O'Groats Trial, with aviation pioneer Hilda Hewlett as her passenger and mechanic. She also drove a tricar in the twenty four hour London to Edinburgh Trial, again with
15004-535: Was replaced in 1906 by White & Poppe engines in Singer's two light car models. These were a 7 hp (5.2 kW) twin and a 12/14 four-cylinder. These were joined by a White & Poppe-engined Doctor's Brougham and two Auster -powered tourers , a 12/14 and a 20/22. For 1907, the Lea-Francis design was dropped and a range of two-, three- and four-cylinder models was launched, using White and Poppe engines. The Aster engined models were dropped in 1909 and
15128-514: Was stimulated by the widespread advertising, production, and use of these devices. More than 1 billion bicycles have been manufactured worldwide as of the early 21st century. Bicycles are the most common vehicle of any kind in the world, and the most numerous model of any kind of vehicle, whether human-powered or motor vehicle , is the Chinese Flying Pigeon , with numbers exceeding 500 million. The next most numerous vehicle,
15252-784: Was the Tri- Voiturette . It was powered by a 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 hp (1.9 kW) engine, and offered in two models, the No. 1 (passenger facing backward) and Mo. 2 (passenger facing forward); both fitted the passenger seat well behind the rear axle. At the 1902 Cordingly Show, at the Islington Agricultural Hall, Singer showed two commercial variants of the Tri-Voiturette, the Motor Carrier, one for tradesmen, one for dairymen. The Tri-Voiturette
15376-568: Was two guineas a year. After the library was sold off in 1872, the building was sold or leased in 1874 to the Wellington Club , which occupied it until 1886. In 1885 the hall was used for concerts, balls, and public meetings. The Salvation Army bought the building in 1890, renamed it the Wellington Castle barracks, and remained there until 1955. The building became a factory and showroom for Beck's British Carnival Novelties for
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