Sun 1952 Catalog — Tour of Britain Successes: the Sun Wasp, the Sid Patterson, the Manxman-Benelux 4, the Soleil d’Or and the C.T.C. Tandem

Sun’s folder of lightweights after the 1952 Tour of Britain and Sid Patterson’s world pursuit title: one folded sheet in seven scans. It prints no date of issue; its text says 1952 has been an outstanding success and calls Patterson’s Paris title this year’s.

— Page 1 (front cover) —
TOUR OF BRITAIN
SUCCESSES
DUNDEE
GLASGOW
EDINBURGH
CARLISLE
SCARBOROUGH
BLACKPOOL
NORWICH
ABERYSTWYTH
CARDIFF
LONDON
WESTON-SUPER MARE
PORTSMOUTH
WEYMOUTH
WORLD
SID PATTERSON
PURSUIT
CHAMPION
SUN

[The front cover: a map of Britain tracing the Tour of Britain route between 13 named towns, three racing cyclists photographed on it, the red Sun name and a roundel portrait of Sid Patterson, over red wavy stripes. A dealer’s rubber stamp in violet ink, a later mark, is boxed across the top: “THIRTEENS CYCLE DEPOT / 293B, HIGH STREET, / WATFORD.”, its third line mostly hidden under the printed word “BRITAIN” and read from fragments. The leading rider’s jersey is lettered “SUN”.]

— Page 2 —
An Outstanding Perform[cut off]
[signature: Sid, cut off at the right edge; the autograph ends on page 3]
Photo by the courtesy of ‘Le Miroir-Paris’.
WORLD (PURSUIT)
SUN
The Rolls Ro[cut off]
of [cut off]

[Sid Patterson photographed on a track bicycle with a bouquet of flowers, spectators behind him, on the left part of an inside spread headed “An Outstanding Performance by”. The heading, the red autograph and the red Sun band are cut off at the right edge and continue on page 3, and a vertical fold runs down through the “f” of “Performance”, the photo credit and the band. The frame’s down tube is lettered in script, apparently “Sun Wasp”.]

— Page 3 —
[Continues the text of page 2.]
[cut off]mance by
[signature: Patterson., the end of the autograph that begins on page 2, cut off at the left edge]
SID PATTERSON—Here is one of the most popular and amazing all-round Cyclists the World has seen in the post war period—This is the unanimous opinion of all the Sports Writers on the Continent and particularly in Paris a few days before the World Championship was run, and the British Journalists too have spoken in the very highest terms of this remarkable Gentleman Sid from Australia.
Patterson has had a most amazing run of successes and none moreso than in this year’s Worlds Professional Pursuit Championship held in Paris—He not only won the World Pursuit Championship but he also rode in the Sprint Championships, and this is almost unknown for a Sprinter to enter for the Pursuit and Sprint, but let us look at his run of successes:—
1949 — World Amateur Sprint Champion.
1950 — World Amateur Pursuit Champion.
1951 — 3rd Worlds Professional Sprint Championship.
1951 — Finalist Grand Prix of Paris.
1951 — Finalist Grand Prix of Copenhagen.
1951 — Finalist Grand Prix of Milan.
1952 — Winner Grand Prix D’Auteiul, Paris.
1952 — Winner Worlds Pursuit Championship, Paris.
Now it is a fact that World Champions cannot risk their reputation and their remuneration from racing, which runs into many thousands of pounds per year, by riding second class and badly designed Bicycles, for they need as much help as can be given by the design.
Patterson rides two models, one for training on the road, and one for Track work, and for the latter he uses the ” Sun ” Wasp Track Champion Du Monde, and for the Road the Sid Patterson Autographed model which carries the Patterson autographed signature on the front down tube.
It is interesting to note that the Cycling Press have said ” Sun ” Cycles are
THE ROLLS ROYCE OF LIGHTWEIGHTS
(Vide ‘ Cycling News ‘)
Send for autographed photographs of Sid Patterson and Tour of Britain Team.
6d. each, post free
CHAMPION
[Continues the text of page 2.]
[cut off]oyce
Lightweights

[A portrait photograph of Sid Patterson above a column of text on his racing successes and the Sun bicycles he rides, with “CHAMPION” and the end of the red band “The Rolls Royce of Lightweights” below. This is the right part of the inside spread begun on page 2: the heading, the red autograph and the red band are cut off at the left edge. A hair or fiber lies across the “E” of “PATTERSON”, a small gray spot sits between “the” and “road” without hiding any letter and a crease crosses the band at the lower right.]

— Page 4 —
SUN Tour of Britain TEAM

No Company, as far as we are aware, has supported Road and Track Racing together as we have. We believe that this is good in the interests of Cycling in general and it undoubtedly enables us to test under conditions similar to those experienced by the public, which enables us to design and test the product which finally comes into their hands.

1952 has been an outstanding success for ” Sun ” Bicycles, in fact we are the only British Company to gain a World Professional Championship and at the same time to achieve such a success on the road in the Tour of Britain.

Riding a ” Sun ” Wasp Mass Start machine Les Scales created a record for the Tour of Britain by gaining 4 Firsts and 2 Seconds as follows:—

1st Blackpool-Carlisle—
Les Scales.
1st Glasgow-Dundee—
Les Scales.
1st Edinburgh-Newcastle—
Les Scales.
1st Norwich-London—
Les Scales.
2nd Cardiff-Aberystwyth—
Les Scales.
2nd Aberystwyth-Blackpool—
Les Scales.
2nd King of the Mountains—
Ian Greenfield.
Final Classification—
2nd, L. Scales; 4th, I. Greenfield.

Apart from these successes we think you would like to know that this new ” Sun ” Wasp model, either in Road or Track design, is being ridden at the present time by New Zealand Champions and members of their Olympic Team, Australian Professional Sprint Champion. We are holding 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in the Malay Championships, we have also held in the past the South African Championships and have supplied Bicycles for their Olympic Team members. All these successes have taken place in the last few years.

Illustrated below are four models which have been highly successful as Touring models, Club models, and for racing.

Any of the models illustrated can be built to your own specification.

Photo by courtesy of West Lancashire Evening Gazette.
VICTORY SPRINT—Les Scales, first man into London and second in general classification, riding Sun Wasp.

[Photographs of four Sun team riders in “SUN CYCLES” jerseys with a racing bicycle and of Les Scales sprinting into London on a Sun Wasp, beside the team’s Tour of Britain results. Red line drawings of cheering spectators waving “SUN” flags and of a racing cyclist flank the lower photograph; a vertical fold runs down the center of the opening.]

— Page 5 —
SUN Bicycles

SUN WASP
CHAMPION DU MONDE.
As used by ” Sun ” team in the Tour of Britain.

Frame: Sizes 22″, 23″, 24″. Angles 73° × 71°,72° × 72°, built with Reynolds 531 butted tubes and stays. Forks: Oval, Reynolds 531, with central forged steel forkends. Wheels: Dunlop 27″ high pressure tyres and rims with 15 × 17 butted spokes. Hubs: Large flange alloy. C/Wheel: Triangle pattern 46T. with 3-pin detachable chain ring, fluted cranks. Brakes: G.B. Coureur. Handlebars: To choice. Mudguards: To choice. Saddle: B.17. Gear: Freewheel and fixed sprocket. Colour: Translucent Royal Blue and Cream Panels, Tour of Britain colours or Cambridge Blue and Royal Blue Panels.

This model built for Road or Track to customers specification—as Sid Patterson Track Model, ridden by him in the World’s Championships, or as Tour of Britain Frame.

SID. PATTERSON
PURSUIT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.

This model has been designed by Patterson and built to his specification—also used for road training—autographed on front down tube.

Frame: Sizes 22″,23″, 24″. Built with Reynolds 531 tubing, stays and forks. 72° × 72°. Forks: Oval taper Reynolds 531. Tyres and Wheels: Dunlop 27″ with B.H. special Patterson hubs, spokes 15 × 17. Pedals: Solid centre. Mudguards: Celluloid or alloy. Brakes: G.B. alloy hooded levers or ” Sun.” Handlebars and Extension: To choice. Gear: Fixed and free.

This model is supplied in Patterson racing colours: Translucent Green and Cream, 3-panel seat tube, or Blue with multi-panelled seat tube, and champion Du-monde colours.

[The Sun Wasp and Sid. Patterson racing bicycles with mudguards and dropped handlebars, shown in side view, with their specifications. The Wasp carries “Sun Wasp” on its down tube and the Patterson model a “Sid Patterson” autograph; a vertical fold and a horizontal crease cross the opening.]

— Page 6 —
MANXMAN-BENELUX 4
New Frame Design — New Forks — Strutted Bracket.
Special feature of this model is the ” SUN ” registered design Strutted Bracket, essential when Derailleur Gears are fitted — no whip, no chain coming off.
Frame: Sizes, 22″, 23″ 24″. Built with Reynolds 531 tubing—also forks—stays. Angles 73° × 71°. Forks: Oval, with chrome crown. Wheels: 27″ or 26″. C/Wheel: Williams 3-pin. Pedals: Solid centre. Saddle: Brooks B.15. Mudguards: To choice. Handlebars: To choice. Brakes: G.B. alloy, hooded levers. Gear: 4-speed Benelux as standard fitment. Colour: Translucent Red or White with decorative transfers and lining.

[Right-hand panel.]

SOLEIL D’OR ( Gent’s or Ladies’)
Frame: Sizes 21″, 22″, 23″, 24″. Built with Reynolds 531 tubing, ½” pencil seat stays, angles 72° × 72°. Forks: Jay taper Continental ‘D’ section. Wheels: Built with B.W. lightweight or B. hubs. Endrick 26″ or 27″ Dunlop tyres. C/Wheel: Williams flanged, 3-pin. Pedals: Brampton sports,steel Gent’s, rubber Ladies. Saddle: Special Sid Patterson—Mansfield. Brakes: Optional G.B. with hooded levers, alloy, or alloy cantilever, Resilion. Handlebars: To choice. Mudguards: Celluloid or alloy. Touring Bag: Supplied. Finish: Flame only with decorative transfers. Extras: Optional—Benelux gears, S.A. gears, hub dynamo.

[The red band across the foot of both panels:]
SUN
The Rolls Royce of Lightweights

[The Sun Manxman-Benelux 4 and Soleil d’Or bicycles, illustrated side by side, with their specifications above the red Sun band. Their down tubes carry the script transfers Manxman and Soleil d’Or, and the Soleil d’Or has a touring bag behind its saddle. A vertical fold divides the two panels, a gray smudge marks the upper left corner and a crease crosses the lower right corner of the band.]

— Page 7 —
C.T.C. TANDEM
(or SUN WASP TANDEM)
Specification:

Both models have similar specification. Wasp can be supplied with Resilion Brakes if desired. C.T.C. Model specially designed for members’ requirements.
Better steering, staggered rear seat tube, giving rear rider more room. 23½” top tube centres and better position. Your safety assured by the SUN Patent Heel-coupled brake—can be operated with foot, independently or in conjunction with Hand Brakes.—Bracket Height reduced to 10½”.
FRAME: Built with only SUN Lugs and Fittings in Reynolds 531 Butted Tubing. Sizes 21″ × 21½”, or 22″ × 22″, Lady/Back 22″ front, 21″ rear.
FORKS: Reynolds 531. Designed to take 70° Head.
WHEELS: Built with 12-gauge Spokes, 26″ × 1⅜”. Endrick Rims (Tandem), B.H. Internal Expanding Brakes. SUN Patent Heel Brakes.
TYRES: Dunlop 26″ × 1⅜” Tandem.
CHAINWHEEL: Special Tandem Set Flanged 3-pin.
PEDALS: Solid Centre Quill or Rat Trap. Lady/Back Rubber.
SADDLE: Brook B.17. Lady/Back B.66.
HANDLEBARS: Parkes Tandem front on 3″ extension. Rear—Parkes Shallow Drop.
MUDGUARDS: Celluloid.
GEAR: Cyclo 4-speed.
TOURING BAG: Special made by Cykweat.
BAG REST: J. B. Brooks.
FINISH: Colour—and Lined and Panelled, Flamboyant Red or Blue.
* Any special colour on Tandems £1 extra.

DOUBLE/GENT MODEL No. 12.
LADY/BACK MODEL No, 12A.

Printed in England.

[The Sun C.T.C. Tandem (or Sun Wasp Tandem), illustrated, with its specification inside a triple red rule; the rear saddle carries a touring bag. Brown smudges mark the front wheel and the left of the specification without hiding any print, and a few violet specks lie to the right of the rear wheel.]