Rudge - WithWorth Mod Viaggio 1910-20

Description

British company Rudge-Withworth, manufacturer of bicycles, motorcycles, radar, bicycle-tee saddles, motorcycle wheels, and sports cars. Formed from the merger of two bicycle manufacturers in 1894, Whitworth Cycle Co. of Birmingham, and Rudge Cycle Co. of Coventry It spawned an active Italian bicycle team from 1905 to 1932 . Over time the squa-dra took on other names, but never changed ownership . Although it never ot-tained major successes, the team is well known for launching all the early Italian cycling champions-Battista Danesi, Luigi Ganna, Eberardo Pavesi, Carlo Galetti, Ernesto Azzi-ni, and Giovanni Cuniolo. After a long period of crisis he opted to retire from cycling in 1932; his greatest sporting achievement was second place in the first Giro d'Italia with Carlo Galetti. The vehicle on display is a very luxurious walking model , dating back to the early 1900s.Handlebars , pedals and hubs covered with celluloid , with hermetically sealed oil-bath chaincase cover . Wonderful gearing included in the 3-speed hub controlled by a lever on the horizontal tube .