1903 Humber Standard Special No. 14 Gent’s Roadster
1903 Humber Standard Special No. 14 Gent’s Roadster
with FREE-WHEEL and BAND BRAKE
This Humber is a ‘Standard’ model, which means it was manufactured in Humber’s Coventry factory rather than the Beeston factory in Nottinghamshire. With a frame number of 127900 the marque specialist has confirmed it was built in 1903. Though there’s no absolute record of Standard machines, he knows of a machine with a frame number of 139257 with shop ledgers that record it being sold on 27th January 1904.
The bicycle is in functional condition, though unrestored. Delightfully unrestored, in fact 
I’ve not seen a 1903 catalogue, but the 1901 Trade List below describes this model as a No 14 Gent’s Roadster.
HUMBER Ltd
Brighton Depot
67 & 68 Preston St Brighton
Telephone Brighton 05962
The bike is fitted with narrow 15″ handlebars.
WHEEL of LIFE CHAINWHEEL
Humber’s distinctive ‘Wheel of Life’ chainwheel was introduced on the Beeston Humbers in 1902 and extended to the rest of the range for the 1904 season.
5/8th pitch roller chain was adopted throughout the Humber range from 1901.
HUMBER DOUBLE-ACTION BAND BRAKE
The band brake on this Humber is of special interest to me, and was the reason I bought the bicycle. At the turn of the century a high volume of patents were filed for bicycle improvements. Frame design having been standardized by this time, the most important innovations were now for geared hubs and brakes.
By 1910, hubs and brakes were standardized too; but, for the first decade of the 20th century, there were many interesting designs, most of which are no longer seen. This ‘double action band brake’ – a back-pedal brake – is one of the more interesting examples I’ve encountered.
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