A humble bike for a humble rider, who was one of the greatest of all time
An eagle-eyed collector spotted Beryl Burton's world title winning pursuit bike languishing in the back of a pickup truck
This crimson Viking track bike, which was ridden to victory in the 1963 individual pursuit World Championship by British legend Beryl Burton, very nearly ended up being discarded on a northern rubbish dump.
“Viking promised Beryl £100 if she won,” explains current owner, Dave Marsh, of the Universal Cycle Centre, Rotherham. “But the Wolverhampton brand reneged on the deal, so Beryl promptly sold it to her friend Walt Hall, who owned the Bridge Tearooms in Blyth.”
Walt’s place, affectionately known as the ‘ranch house’, was a favourite haunt of amateurs and pros alike, including Burton, Tom Simpson and other famous riders.
Lovingly restored, the original bike did however have a white headtube
“Beryl’s bike then changed hands a few times,” continues Marsh. “Tony Siviter bought it first, and it found success on the northern hill climb circuit, before eventually ending up with Roger Hampshire. Then, in the late 1990s, I came across Roger at Quibell Park Stadium, about to take three old bikes to the local tip in the back of his pickup. I recognised Beryl’s bike immediately, despite it being resprayed white.
“We restored it with period-correct decals and paint. The only detail I got wrong is the headtube, which should be picked out in white.”
Owner of the Universal Cycling Centre in Rotherham, Dave Marsh has spent his life riding and racing bikes, and working in the cycling industry. He owns a vast collection of classic bikes, many of which we've featured on our site and in Cycling Weekly magazine.
A plain plastic saddle was comfortable enough for a four minute effort
The frame and track forks, fashioned from Reynolds 531 double-butted tubing, make extensive use of Nervex components – Professional lugs, a double-fluted seat stay wrap-over, dropouts, and a lightweight fork crown that’s married to those wonderfully slender 19mm diameter track blades.
Beryl used an early 151 PCD Campagnolo Record Pista chainset here, with a 49t ring and 170mm cranks. The wheels both feature large-flange, 28-spoke Airlite hubs built onto Milanese Fiamme rims by reputed builder Johnny Berry of Manchester, formerly a team mechanic at the 1948 Olympics.
The wheels are shod with incredibly light, if ruinously expensive, Clement White Strip silk tubulars. Originally bright white, they’ve since aged to a rich, creamy hue.
