Battery Cycle Works

[Skyhawk61]

not sure if this is in the right place, wondered who remembers Battery Cycles in Plymouth? - it was my folks business and they only sold up when my dad got real poorly, the business went to the wall pretty quickly after that

When they first bought it (c1980) the shop was down the road - I always remember in the workshop were 100's boxes perfectly arranged in racking, each with hand painted ends to tell you what component was inside. Now that was retro!

I spent a fortune in there over the years (they made me pay just like everyone else!)

Hey bud, I remember the original shop just opposite Prince Rock school on Embankment rd Plymouth. I grew up, up the road in Higher Stert The in the 1960's. I've often wondered if the term 'Battery' in the shops name was to do with those dim and distance times when people used Batteries to power their radios and took them along to be 're charged. Now of course we have Battery powered cycles in the true sense of the phrase. It was a fascinating shop seemed dark to me back in the day and jam packed with stuff. I can still recall the smell of oils and grease. Cheers.

 

[KermitGKona88]

Hey bud, I remember the original shop just opposite Prince Rock school on Embankment rd Plymouth. I grew up, up the road in Higher Stert The in the 1960's. I've often wondered if the term 'Battery' in the shops name was to do with those dim and distance times when people used Batteries to power their radios and took them along to be 're charged. Now of course we have Battery powered cycles in the true sense of the phrase. It was a fascinating shop seemed dark to me back in the day and jam packed with stuff. I can still recall the smell of oils and grease. Cheers.

I always assumed there had been a gun battery near there in the long distant past.

 

[MadCamel]

The shop was indeed named for a gun battery, and the original logo was a gun. Not sure what sort, but to me it looked a bit like the one that Arsenal football club use. I believe that my great grandfather, William Parkhouse, who founded the company, had been in the Navy. The company began by hiring and mending bikes, and were manufacturing them by the time I knew the place in the 1960s.

 

[Skyhawk61]

Thanks for that info, fascinating there was a battery or defensive position at Arnold's point on the Embankment. It may interest ou to know that when this area was field's and farmland a little country lane passed through the 'Battery cycle works' now I believe a music shop, and the lane went from New Rd what we now know as Embankment Rd to a sm L shaped couple of buildings that were situated in the rear of what is now 11 Florence place. These were a sm Dairy I believe. Thanks for your information cheers.

 

[NeZzA]

It is amazing where a Google rabbit hole leads to. I'm currently fixing up my 1990 Raleigh Marauder mountain bike from my childhood. It was originally supplied by Battery Cycleworks (I grew up in Plympton) and I'm pretty sure my Strika came from there too. I was wondering if any of you with links to the shop had access to any of the dealer stickers they used to put on the frames from that period? Its a black shield shape with a cannon on top and the 665553 phone number. Mine has seen better days and I would love to get a copy or a scan to get some replacements made. Thanks.

 

[ultrazenith]

Coincidentally, I also grew up in Plympton and owned a Raleigh Marauder (long gone though) bought from Battery Cycle Works

My brother had a Dynatech from Battery Cycle Works in 1994, but I don't think it has the sticker on it.

 

[Gtpulse]

Don’t have anything to do with Plymouth but I did have a Marauder in 1990 as my first new “mountain” bike. I didn’t realise for quite some time that Dyna-Techs existed. The top bike in our local was a Raleigh Amazon I think.

I remember posting the link below in the road eBay section, it’s for a display case full of original print blocks for the Battery Cycleworks

https://www.easyliveauction.com/cat...estate-clearance-tools-interiors-art-lot-369/

 

[JamesP]

Same story here, a Raleigh Marauder from BCW's. Still drive past the store now, and remember it as a bike shop.