Editing Birmingham Small Arms Company (section)

===Bicycles===
According to Charles Spencer, BSA was manufacturing the "Delta" bicycle {{circa|1869}}. In 1880 the company was approached to manufacture the "Otto Dicycle". An initial contract was signed to produce 210 and a further contract followed for a further 200.  In all it is believed that a total of 953 Otto machines were made. BSA then went into bicycle production on their own account, the first machines to their own specification being exhibited at the 1881 [[Stanley Cycle Show|Stanley Show]]. BSA went on to design and manufacture a "safety" bicycle (patent:15,342 of 1884). BSA was also producing tricycles and a licence was obtained in 1885 to manufacture ball bearings. BSA ceased bicycle manufacture in 1887 because of the demand for arms. Bicycle component manufacture commenced in 1894 and BSA continued to supply the bicycle trade up to 1936. The company recommenced bicycle manufacture on their own account again in 1908 and these were exhibited at the Stanley Show in 1909.<ref>Millar, Ray (2009). ''An Encyclopaedia of Cycle Manufacturers: The Early Years up to 1918''. (2nd ed.) [Great Britain]: John Pinkerton Memorial Publishing Fund. {{ISBN|978-0-9560430-5-4}}</ref> Bicycle manufacture was what led BSA into motorcycles. BSA produced bicycles for both the police and military and notably a folding bicycle for the British Army during World War I<ref>Birmingham Small Arms, 1918, '' BSA History from the days of the Crimea '', Birmingham, no ISBN</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rifleman.org.uk/BSA_early_history.htm |title=B.S.A. History booklet 1914<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=18 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100421235250/http://www.rifleman.org.uk/BSA_early_history.htm |archive-date=21 April 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the more well known folding Paratroopers bicycle during World War II.  BSA supplied the Irish Army with bicycles after 1922.

BSA manufactured a range of bicycles from utility roadsters through to racing bicycles. The BSA range of Sports bicycles expanded in the 1930s following the granting of a patent for a new lighter design of seat lug in 1929<ref>Intellectual Property Office, (patent application date 4 July 1929), ''GB332384(A) Improvements in or relating to the construction of cycle frames'' BSA Birmingham, no ISBN</ref> and tandems were introduced into the BSA bicycle range as well. BSA had a reputation for quality and durability and their components were more expensive that either Chater-Lea or Brampton.  BSA launched a high end club cyclists machine in the early 1930s initially branded as the "Super-eeze". Never slow to avail of publicity BSA sponsored the great Australian cyclist [[Hubert Opperman]]<ref>https://www.flickr.com/photos/75395133@N00/3415216471/in/set-72157603949012058/ {{dead link|date=July 2013}}</ref> and re-branded the top of the range machine the "Opperman" model.<ref>https://www.flickr.com/photos/75395133@N00/2777313275/in/set-72157606633777810/false=no {{dead link|date=July 2013}}</ref><ref>https://www.flickr.com/photos/75395133@N00/2777318159/in/set-72157606633777810/deadlink=no {{dead link|date=July 2013}}</ref> A less expensive range of clubman lightweight machines was introduced from 1936 with the "Cyclo" 3 speed derailleur equipped "Clubman". Subtle changes were made to the range, most models being equipped with "Russ" patent forks<ref>https://www.flickr.com/photos/75395133@N00/4027019497/in/set-72157606633777810/ {{dead link|date=July 2013}}</ref> and some models were made for only two seasons. This all stopped around September 1939 with the outbreak of war. A revised catalogue with a much reduced range was issued in March 1940 which also saw the launch of the BSA "Streamlight" model.<ref>https://www.flickr.com/photos/75395133@N00/3041830262/in/set-72157606633777810/ {{dead link|date=July 2013}}</ref> A novel all white bicycle<ref>https://www.flickr.com/photos/75395133@N00/3040988703/in/set-72157606633777810/ {{dead link|date=July 2013}}</ref> was produced for the blackout but had disappeared from a severely reduced bicycle range the details of which were circulated to dealers from December 1941. BSA had ceased production of their 3 speed hub gear in 1939 and production appears to have started again by 1945 although with a black finish instead of chromium plating.  BSA bought '''Sunbeam''' in 1943 and produced Sunbeam bicycles using up existing frames and parts and using BSA components for the missing bits.  The first BSA produced Sunbeam catalogue was published in 1949<ref>Pinkerton, John; Roberts, Derek; Hadland, Tony; and Lawrence, Scotford (2002). ''Sunbeam Cycles: The Story from the Catalogues, 1887–1957 ''. Birmingham: Pinkerton Press. {{ISBN|0-9536174-3-2}}</ref>

Post war BSA expanded their bicycle range but faced problems of shortages of raw materials such as steel and was required to export a lot of their manufactured output in order to get a Government licence to purchase the necessary raw materials.  The company moved bicycle production to the new Waverley Works after World War II.  BSA continued to innovate introducing the 4 Star derailleur gear in 1949<ref name=BertoDancingChain2ndEd>{{cite book
 |pages=168
 |author=Berto, Frank J.
 |author2=Ron Shepherd
 |display-authors=etal
 |title=The Dancing Chain: History and Development of the Derailleur Bicycle
 |edition=2nd
 |year=2005
 |orig-year=2000
 |isbn=1-89249-541-4
 |url=http://www.thedancingchain.com/
 |publisher=Cycle Publishing/Van der Plas Publications
 |location=[[San Francisco, CA]], USA
 |access-date=30 May 2017
 |archive-date=6 June 2017
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606172525/http://www.thedancingchain.com/
 |url-status=dead
 }}</ref><ref name=BertoDancingChain5thEd>
{{cite book
 |author=Berto, Frank J.
 |display-authors=etal
 |title=The Dancing Chain: History and Development of the Derailleur Bicycle
 |edition=5th
 |year=2016
 |orig-year=2000
 |isbn=978-1-892495-77-8
 |url=http://www.cyclepublishing.com/cyclingbooks/
 |publisher=Cycle Publishing/Van der Plas Publications
 |location = [[San Francisco, CA]], USA
 |access-date=30 May 2017
}}</ref> along with an associated 4-speed 'unit' or cassette hub. The derailleur design was altered from 1950<ref>BSA Cycles Ltd, June 1950 Bicycle Catalogue ''It's Time You Had a BSA'' Birmingham Small Arms Company Ltd, no ISBN</ref> and was certainly available up to 1953 but was not a great success. BSA bought New Hudson in 1950<ref>BSA Cycles Ltd, April 1950 ''Letter to Dealers reference newspaper advertising campaign for New Hudson bicycles to be run in local newspapers from March to August 1950'', Birmingham, no ISBN</ref> and started to manufacture and sell New Hudson branded machines as well as Sunbeam. It appears that the top of the range BSA lightweight club cyclist machine was the "Gold Column" and this appears to have been changed into the BSA "Tour of Britain" model following the success of the BSA Professional Cycling Team in the 1952 Tour of Britain race.  The "Tour of Britain" model was heavily promoted in the BSA 1953 sales literature. The factory made "Tour of Britain" model was not the same as those ridden by the professional team.  Only eight machines were crafted for the professional team and none of the components appear to have been standard BSA parts. 1953 saw BSA separate the bicycle / motorcar and motorcycle business into different holdings.

The good times were coming to an end and demand for bicycles fell with the end of rationing in 1954.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/4/newsid_3818000/3818563.stm BBC ON THIS DAY | 4 | 1954: Housewives celebrate end of rationing<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>{{Failed verification|reason=Doesn't mention bicycles|date=March 2018}} James Leek, managing director of BSA Cycles Ltd was suffering ill health and he retired in 1956, the same year the BSA Chairman, Sir Bernard Docker,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121106123428/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,862195-1,00.html Time magazine 11 June 1956]</ref> was removed from the BSA Board. [[Jack Sangster]] who had joined the BSA Board in 1951 following the purchase of his company Triumph Motorcycles became chairman. The bicycle manufacturing business BSA Cycles Ltd was sold to [[Raleigh Industries]] in 1957.