Originally Posted by
phoebeisis
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Noglider You are right! Single speed coaster brake bikes were 100x as common as English Racers in 1950's Phillidelphia(sic) and NOLA and rural small town louisiana.
We usually called them English Racers- Raleighs and Royce Unions(not sure who made Royce Unions-copy of Raleigh I guess)
They were as exotic to us as a fighter jet or a Triumph MC- little Kids would gather around them when they were "parked" on the sidewalk. Of course back then folks rode on the sidewalk whenever possible (cars had crummy brakes-and adults rarely rode bikes-older "kids" rode delivery bikes for grocery stores pharmacies etc)
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I was a kid in the fifties, too. I grew up in Boston and the surrounding area. Raleighs were not uncommon. I did not have one but friends did. There was one hill in the area that I could not ride over with out getting off and pushing my bike, but I could do it in low with my friend's Raleigh.