Gotte

Just watched Brideshead Revisited again, and noticed a lot of the bikes in the scenes set in Oxford in the late 20s had the back section of the rear mudguards/fenders painted white.
This set my continuity alarm bells ringing.
I always understood they painted the mudguards white during WW2 to give added visibility during the blackout. Am I right?
Should someone have painted them black?
Stupid to get hung up on something like that, I know, but I'm a purist .

SingeDebile

I always assumed it was just for all around better visibility... at night etc... even adds contrast to the little reflector

David Newton

Here's a 1920 Hazelwood.

Gotte

Thanks for that. I can watch Brideshead Revisited again without worry

Many thanks

GV27

Wew....that was close!

Gotte

Ahh, no, but my fertile mind has come up with another scenario. The mudguard was painted white during the war.

Ahhgggg. Another sleepless night ahead.

Coreyk

Check the various old bike ads from the 20s and 30s that are on line-you might find out what you are looking for by perusing the illustrations.

redneckwes

I believe, (British members please correct me if I am wrong) That the white panel and reflector were mandated by law in England.

SirMike1983 

The white tip was part of British law for many years-- to aid visibility of the bicycle.

Gotte

I can't actually find any pics of pre war bikes with the white stripe. Even looked at 1920s footage from Canterbury and London on Youtube to see if i could spot any, and couldn;t.
Does this class as OCD?

EDIT: I'm asking if it classes as OCD on a forum about collecting and restoring old bicycles...

cnnrmccloskey

Does this mean it was/is British law to ride with fenders?

Gotte

It isn't now. But then again, I don;t ever remember it being. Maybe in the dim and distant past.

Cadfael

It is just the same as the recommendation to wear white clothing when walking along a dark road... it is picked up by car headlights.

As regard WW2 cycling...

https://new.britishcycling.org.uk/rec...cling-in-WW2-0

wahoonc

There was an article float around a while back (Tony Hadland?) that had reference to applicable British codes that spelled out the size of the white patch as well as information on when it was required. It was implemented for a while, then apparently the code expired or was repealed, then reinstated a few years later.

Interestingly enough it is still used on Raleigh Bikes that are sold in the Netherlands as sort of a trademark. I have a 1984 Giant Excursion that was built for the UK market (but was marketed in the USA for one year only) that has the white fender tip.

If I find the article or a link I will post it up here.

Aaron

Gotte

Thanks for that. I did a search and found this, but couldn;t find a post dedicated to the history of Raleigh as mentioned as mentioned in that post. Here;s the bit though that mentions the mudguards, which seems to indicate I was right in what I assumed:

"A very simple answer. During the Second World War (1939-45) there was a complete "Blackout" every night - We were under bombing from the Germans - Thus all cycles had a white patch on the rear mudguard for safety reasons. (In fact cars also had white patches on the mudguards ) Thus your "new" cycle was probably manufactured in the Nineteen Thirties (or earlier ) No cycles were made during the war as there was a greater use for steel !!!!"

Posted by Coppi, btw,

edwardward

Hello,
Only 14 years late but I can inform you that the white panel on British bicycles was NOT a wartime regulation but predates it by 5 years.
Concerned by rising road deaths the Government had made rear reflectors a legal requirement in 1927 (as they are to this day). With accidents continuing to rise on 18th October 1934, the ‘Road Traffic Acts 1930 to 1934, the Pedal Cycles (White Surface) Provisional Regulations’ was made law which mandated the white panel seen on British bicycles for many years afterwards. It was not, as many people suppose, anything to do with Wartime provision but was, obviously, enforced throughout the war years.
With regard to Brideshead Revisited, the white panels are incorrect even though the bicycles in question may well date from the correct period. As it was a legal requirement that all bicycles have the white panel, any bicycle being used after 1934 would have had it painted on (although fitting a white disc or 'tail' to the mudguard was also permitted). It is possible that individual manufacturers painted a white panel on their specific mudguards but this seems unlikely, I've certainly never heard of any.

rhm

It is if course possible (and I would think likely), that some (and possibly most) bicycles had the white tail panel before it became a legal requirement.

dweenk

I am wondering about the lack of chrome plating during the WWII years. Was it because chromium was a vital war material, or because it was reflective?

The Golden Boy 

Yes, I realize you asked this 11 years ago- but, no it's not OCD- it's expected behavior. .