News

New cycle addition is unrivalled rarity

27 September 2017

Coventry Transport Museum is excited to announce the arrival of the newest addition to its cycle collection, the 1892 Warman & Hazlewood 'Rival' No.5 cycle.

the black cycle with gold detailing in the gallery Warman & Hazlewood old advert

Warman & Hazlewood was a Coventry-based cycle manufacturer with a head office at Albion Mills in West Orchard, which is now the site of a shopping mall just a few minutes’ walk from the museum itself.

James Hazlewood started making bicycles in Foleshill, Coventry from 1876 as The Hazlewood Cycle Company. John Warman of Warman & Co manufactured 'Rival', 'Albion', and 'Triumph' bicycles and tricycles at Albion Mills. In 1888 they joined forces to form Warman & Hazlewood.

After many years of 'Rival' and 'Albion' cycle production in which they enjoyed successful export overseas, Warman emigrated to the USA and the company became Hazlewood’s and turned to motorcycle production. There are only seven known Hazlewood motorcycles left in existence and it is believed that there are even fewer bicycles. This cycle is, therefore, one of the last remaining pieces of physical evidence of the 'Rival' works in Coventry.

the cycle is installed

Coventry Transport Museum houses the most important designated collection of cycles on public display in the UK, and this is the museum’s sole example of a Warman & Hazlewood cycle. It is proudly positioned next to the museum’s loaned Hazlewood motorcycle in the Growth of an Industry exhibition on the ground floor to complete the Hazlewood story.

The cycle has been acquired with the help of Arts Council England’s PRISM grant fund who have provided partial funding to purchase the cycle.