Arthur Adalbert Chase

Arthur Adalbert Chase (born 1874) was a British professional cyclist.^[1]

Champion cyclist

Chase was a champion cyclist from 1896 to 1902.^[2] After retiring from the professional cycling scene, he teamed up with his brother F. W. Chase to build motorcycles.^[3][4] Many years after the motorcycle enterprise, he lodged a patent for an exhaust silencer.^[5]

Cycling in 1898 was not without hazard, as Arthur found out to his detriment after a five shilling fine.^[6] Not deterred by his run-in with the law, nine months later he was suspended for road racing.^[7] He seems to have kept his nose clean for another 4 years, until getting yet another fine at Doncaster Borough Court.^[8] Even years later when Arthur had moved to Southend, he was still newsworthy for being in court.^[9]

Cycling achievements

• June 1896 – World Record for 50 miles, taking 1 hour 45 minutes 38.6 seconds.^[10]
• August 1896 - Gold Medal at the ICA Track Cycling World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark.
• August 1897 - Silver Medal at the ICA Track Cycling World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark.
• June 1899 – England 'world record' for standing half mile of 54 seconds.^[11]
• July 1899 – World Record at Crystal Palace for 2 miles, taking 3 minutes 25.2 seconds.^[12]
• August 1900 – World Record at Crystal Palace.^[13]
• September 1900 – Winner of the 100 km race at the Paris Olympics. Note at this time only amateurs were allowed an official olympic title.^[14]
• September 1901 – Fastest standing 1/2 mile, taking 1 minute 38 seconds.^[15]
• September 1901 – Fastest mile in the UK, taking 1 minute 27.8 seconds.^[16]
• February 1903 – Beat T. Hall at Alexandra Palace Velodrome, a 1-mile flying start in 2 minutes 3.4 seconds.^[17]

Pacing machine

Arthur had been using pacing tandems in the past, and even rode behind an electric pacing tandem when he went up against the famous French cyclist Bouhours in Paris in 1898. ^[18] The use of a fast pacer was not considered cheating at that time, and this must have motivated Arthur to have a special pacer custom-made to his design. Arthur commissioned a UK firm to build the special pacing machine at the start of 1899. The machine was a tandem, with a rear mounted 1.75 Hp deDion engine. Both riders pedalled, the front one being responsible for steering, the rear for control of the engine. This pacer was capable of 39 mph at top speed. ^[19]

Tandems

Although Arthur was a champion solo cyclist, he also tried his hand at tandem racing, along with Walters who would ride up front. ^[20]

Chase brothers motorcycle

Arthur's brother F. W. Chase was a notable motorcycle rider of the time. F. W. started off as a works rider for the BAT motorcycle company in 1902.^[21] By 1904, F. W. was well respected for his prowess of the Westerham hill climb, where he employed a low-compression Soncin engine, and was known as one of the experts on engine timing.^[22] The brothers built contemporary motorcycles from 1903 to 1906.

There are no known examples of the Chase Brothers motorcycles left in existence. There is however a reference to a set of photographs in the National Archives of Wales entitled 'Chase Brothers (1903) motor bike that came into the possession of J R Lloyd, Llandderfel'.

So there is a small possibility that one may be languishing in a collection somewhere. It is interesting to note that both Harley Davidson and Norton both started in 1903.

Movie

A. A. Chase appears in a movie A.A. Chase, the Champion Cyclist in 1902. IMDB entry for the Movie

External links

• de:F. W. & A. A. Chase
• nl:Chase (motorfiets)
• http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Chase
• Chase Brother 1903 motorbike
• 1896 ICA Track Cycling World Championships
• 1897 ICA Track Cycling World Championships
• http://www.bikecult.com/bikecultbook/sports_trackWorlds.html
• http://www.radsportseiten.net/coureurfiche.php?coureurid=23318

References

1. "Arthur Adalbert Chase, www.cyclingarchives.com/". Retrieved 26 May 2015.
2. Sportfolio. George Newnes Ltd. 1896. p. 31.
3. Roy Bacon and Ken Hallworth (2004). The British Motorcycle Directory – Over 1,100 Marques from 1888. The Crowood Press.
4. Henshaw (2007). The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle. The Crowood Press.
5. US2122086, "Silencer for internal combustion engines" 
6. London Standard. 19 April 1898. Missing or empty |title= (help)
7. Walsall Advertiser. 14 January 1899. Missing or empty |title= (help)
8. Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 31 March 1903. Missing or empty |title= (help)
9. Essex Newsman. 31 October 1936. Missing or empty |title= (help)
10. Lloyds Weekly Newspaper. 14 June 1896. Missing or empty |title= (help)
11. "Cyclists and Cycling.". Table Talk (Melbourne: National Library of Australia). 30 June 1899. p. 19. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
12. Pall Mall Gazette. 31 July 1899. Missing or empty |title= (help)
13. Birmingham Daily Post. 1 August 1900. Missing or empty |title= (help)
14. Cycling at the 1900 Summer Olympics
15. "Arthur Smyth.". Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney: National Library of Australia). 11 February 1903. p. 39. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
16. "SPORTING NOTES.". The Shoalhaven Telegraph (NSW: National Library of Australia). 4 September 1901. p. 12. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
17. "SYDNEY THOUSAND CARNIVAL.". The Sydney Morning Herald (National Library of Australia). 14 February 1903. p. 14. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
18. "AN ELECTRIC PACED RACE.". The Referee (Sydney: National Library of Australia). 8 June 1898. p. 6. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
19. "Notes.". Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (National Library of Australia). 11 February 1899. p. 353. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
20. "The Cycling World Illustrated a Journal deLuxe". 9 September 1896. p. 563.
21. "1902 Cycle Show (Stanley)". Grace's Guide to British Industrial History.
22. The Motorcycle: 94. Jan 1914. Missing or empty |title= (help)