CONDOR: PAST PRESENT FUTURE

When I worked in London I used to frequent Condor Cycles - it was common place to call in at lunchtime for a browse and more often than not a purchase. It was where I picked up expensive taste in cycling kit. Rapha anyone?


Now I no longer work, or indeed live, in London I do miss those lunchtime visits to pore over the latest Campag groupset or Rapha kit - that is all done online now and isn't quite as satisfying. Hasn't changed my spending habits too much though!


So, I was excited to read about a new book published on the history of Condor Cycles as a shop and as a brand.


Past Present Future is a collection of essays and photo stories, celebrating Condor Cycles' 65 year history.


It is a celebration of cycling, bicycle design and Condor. Condor partnered with the makers of The Ride Journal for the project, which features a mix of portraits, studio and lifestyle photography by a range of contributors. 


The book features anecdotes and interviews from riders, racers and staff, with a mix of portrait, studio and archive photography. And, of course, there are bikes, past and present, along with behind-the-scenes looks at manufacturing and design processes.


The book talks of how, in the early nineties, Condor were the first to make sturdy steel single speeds, not for the track but for London's couriers, swapping an aggressive track geometry for a more relaxed position and bullet-proof build.


John Herety discusses British racing and the inception of the Rapha Condor Sharp team, and Condor’s roots within British racing. Former Condor rider and Tour de France veteran, Colin Lewis, shares stories about racing abroad, while production director, Neil Manning, discusses why steel frames have always remained within the Condor range.



Past Present Future goes behind the scenes through interviews, essays and photo stories with close friends, riders and famous names that have ridden the bikes over Condor's sixty-five year history.


"As London riders, we always knew Condor. We have both spent way too much time hanging around the store, so we were delighted to have the opportunity to work on a project with such an iconic British cycling brand. It was a pleasure to record the fascinating, heart warming and emotional tales surrounding the shop. Whether it was a national champion, a hardcore commuter or the grease-stained workshop staff, everyone's story was linked by their passion for bikes." - Andrew and Philip Diprose, The Ride Journal.


Amongst the history are the personal experiences of the staff that have shaped the brand. Sandwiched between Monty describing when Mick Jagger asked to go to the track with him, and a workshop photo story, is a a heart-warming tale from bike fitter, Angel Vila, who had his bike stolen and months later met the thief. Greg Needham, head of sales, explains how he found his way to cycling after a running injury ended his athletics career.


There is plenty of history within the files of Condor but it is the changing faces and the growth of cycling that has apparently prompted the compilation of a book. It celebrates cycling and shares stories from cyclists, and also capturing images of jewel-like components that are essential to us all. It talks of the changing technology within cycling, from lugged frames and hand-stitched jerseys, to flocking, to using laser cutting machinery to produce bikes we see today in the Condor store.


The book is available from the following stockists for £14.99:


Condor Cycles
49-53 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8PP - 0207 269 6820


County Cycles - http://www.county-cycles.co.uk/
53 Llandeilo Road, Llanelli, Wales, SA14 6RD 01269 845656


Design Museum - http://designmuseum.org/
28 Shad Thames, London SE1 2YD - 020 7940 8754


Foyles - www.foyles.co.uk

GMBH - gmbhshop.com
11 Mitchell Lane, Glasgow, G1 3NU - 0141 276 5360


Magma Book Shops - http://www.magmabooks.com
Covent Garden, Clerkenwell, Manchester - 020 7 242 9503


Fingerprint Distribution - http://www.fingerprintdistribution.blogspot.com/


Look Mum No Hands - www.lookmumnohands.com
49 Old Street, London, EC1V 9HX - 020 7253 1025


Ronde - www.rondebike.com
66-68 Hamilton Place, Edinburgh, Scotland EH3 5AZ


Rapha - www.rapha.cc