Hercules Cycle and Motor Company

The Hercules Cycle and Motor Company Limited was a British bicycle manufacturer founded on 9 September 1910[1] in Aston in England.

The company was founded by Edmund and Harry Crane and started life in Coventry Street, Birmingham, England, initially producing 25 bicycles a week.

[3] Crane's parents bought the Petros Cycle Company which was subsequently managed by Edmund's mother, Edith.

In 1911, Harry and Ted rented a derelict house in Coventry Street, using a name they had already registered in 1910, the Hercules Cycle and Motor Company.

Ted had problems selling because of fierce competition but soon made progress, trading on low price and high quality.

Within a few months, production had doubled and the company moved to larger premises in Conybere Street, Highgate.

Production continued and by the end of the thirties, Hercules had produced more than six million bicycles, and could claim to be the biggest manufacturer of cycles in the world.

The name was allowed to die, although Hercules registered accounts until the end of 2001 and the company was not wound up until 2 December 2003.

Tube Investments combined the company with Norman, Phillips, and Sun to form the British Cycle Corporation in 1956.

[7] It was also at this time leading cyclist Derek Buttle approached Hercules about forming a racing team.

In 1953, the company agreed, and became one of the first British bicycle manufacturers to run a professional road race team.

The British cycle industry suffered a downturn from this time, and Hercules was affected due to its reliance on exports – new tariffs were instituted in the US, and the Empire started to purchase bicycles produced in Africa and Asia.

In 1956 Tube Investments made 1,250 employees of the British Cycle Corporation redundant, following deadlock with unions over changed working practices.