Bantam Bicycle

This Crypto Bantam Cycle was built in 1893 by Crypto Cycle Company Limited in London.

The bicycle frame consists of a single sloping backbone tube which connects the front steering column and front wheel forks to the small rear wheel. The helical spring saddle is mounted high up the backbone tube close to the curved handlebars. Both the slighter larger 24-inch diameter front wheel and smaller 19-inch diameter rear wheel have pneumatic tyres. A plunger brake pad is mounted above the front wheel.

Rubber pedals are fitted directly to the front wheel hub. This example has the serial number '6004' stamped on the left-hand side of the steering column base where it meets the front forks.

The saddle was remade by Brooks in 1961.

Crypto Cycle Company Limited, founded in 1882, was a prominent late 19th century champion of front driven bicycle design.

Following the innovations and success of their 'No.22' ordinary bicycle design from 1892, the Crypto Bantam was introduced in 1894. This model had similarly sized front and rear wheels to improve stability and safety and give the bicycle an overall lower centre of gravity. To make up for the loss of power, the Bantam came with cutting edge epicyclic hub gearing which improved the efficiency of the front wheel drive. Epicyclic gearing, also known as planetary gearing, functions by having a single central 'sun' gear surrounded by a ring of three or four smaller 'planet' gears. The gearing meant that one revolution of the crank caused more than one revolution of the wheel, giving the performance of a large driving wheel without the accompanying difficulty and danger of riding. This epicyclic was known at the time as the 'Crypto' gear as it was patented by Mr. Shaw and Mr. Sydenham, owners of Crypto Cycle co.

Three versions of the Bantam were released in the 1890s, and the series is considered one of the last attempts at a truly distinct bicycle design before the safety bicycle design was cemented as the dominant form for the 20th century.