Page 59 - Redditch People

Redditch People

For 1897 there was the Eadie back pedal brake. There was a close association with the
Eadie Mfg. Co. At the 1897 Stanley Show Enfield displayed ten safeties, two tandems, a
triplet and a quad. The main features for 1898 were the bottom bracket in a separate
sleeve, the front brake fulcrum on a bar projecting from the handlebar stem and the lady’s
dress guard cords were now wound around studs on the mudguards rather than passed
through holes. From 1898 all models were known as ‘Royal Enfield’. The motto ‘Made like
a gun’ was used to describe the machines. Models for 1898 were supplied with R. W.
Smith’s Patent Disc-adjusting bracket and Enfield Lever Pattern brake. The Light Roadster
for 1898 weighed 30 lb. Albert Eadie retired that year.

For 1899 there were rubber inserts in the head tube to absorb vibration. Also introduced
was eccentric bracket chain adjustment and eccentric discs let into the rear fork ends to
allow chain adjustment. The band brake was promoted, especially on lady’s models. In
1901 the steering lock was changed from bolt-through to head clip and the lady’s models
switched from plunger to pull-up stirrup front brake.

At the 1899 Stanley Show the Rucker and Philpott flexible spring frame was shown and
adopted by Enfield. The spring frame ‘Flexible’ was heavily re-designed and offered for
1901. It was built with compression stays of flat steel, the seat stays being divided and
connected to the saddle lug by two flat steel scroll springs. Front fork blades were made
from two flat steel springs, placed with broader surfaces parallel to the wheel hub. The
longer blade is at the rear, curled near the lower end, to which the spindle is attached.

It didn’t work and was re-designed and re-introduced in 1902. Main features were fork
blades made to two flat springs curving down from the fork crown, the longer one carrying
the front spindle, and the shorter one in front, bearing down at a point about 5″ above
the spindle. There was a similar arrangement at the back, plus sprung bars and seat pillar.
It was withdrawn by 1904 following the introduction of the ‘Girder’. There were two types
of ‘Girder’ frame: the ‘Modele Riche’, offered first, with brake mechanisms hidden in the
fork head and silver badge, with the Duplex added for 1907 and continuing as top of the
range

The Hunt End Works

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