In 1880 the Coventry Machinists' Co introduced the Special Club as their new top model.
Is was even better than the Club, 2 years earlier their most revolutionary model.
The Special Club had:
- hollow rims as standard (optional on the Club)
- Fluted front and rear forks, which added a lot to the stiffness of the frame.
- new double ball bearings at the front, single ball bearing at rear hub
- cotterless detachable cranks with a central screw, very much like modern bicycles have.
- spoon brake at the front wheel, applied by a lever.
And of course it had an oval backbone, hollow forks, Club spokes and rubber suspension saddle like the Club 1880 had.
I have an incomplete set set of pictures of an early Special Club, serial 29747, made late 1881 or early 1882.
You can see the refined style CMC had reached at the time.
The Special Club was perfect as it was, it saw only minor changes in the 10 years it was produced. Most important are the detachable handlebars with cotter pins. Look at the 1884 model for that one. I also have a page about Special Club lining.
Click here to see the pictures of this wonderful late 1881 model. Danke Jürg fuer die Bilder!