0:00:02 > 0:00:05Every year, people in Britain cycle more than three billion miles
0:00:05 > 0:00:07and over half of us own a bicycle.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11We buy over 3.5 million of them every year.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18But what engineering skills does it take to build a bike
0:00:18 > 0:00:19and get it on the road?
0:00:19 > 0:00:24We've come to the UK's largest bicycle factory to find out.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26GREGG LAUGHS
0:00:26 > 0:00:28'I'm Gregg Wallace...' Wheels!
0:00:28 > 0:00:32'..and I'll be joining this multi-stage manual production line
0:00:32 > 0:00:34'to make my own bike...'
0:00:34 > 0:00:37There's just over 16.5 million different combinations.
0:00:37 > 0:00:38Don't be ridiculous!
0:00:38 > 0:00:42'..learning skills that take years to master...'
0:00:42 > 0:00:45- You're holding 1,000 degrees in your hand.- Er...
0:00:45 > 0:00:50'..and trying to keep up with their 24-hour production targets.'
0:00:50 > 0:00:52I was chatting, I'm sorry. Let's go, let's go!
0:00:52 > 0:00:54'I'm Cherry Healey.'
0:00:54 > 0:00:56Whoa!
0:00:56 > 0:00:58'I'll be getting some tips from Team GB
0:00:58 > 0:01:01'to help us all improve our pedal power...'
0:01:01 > 0:01:03- Wow, look at that.- So, how do I know
0:01:03 > 0:01:04if I've got the right pressure in my wheel?
0:01:04 > 0:01:07'..and learning the secrets of painting a bike
0:01:07 > 0:01:09'fit for the British weather.'
0:01:09 > 0:01:11You bake it in an oven!
0:01:11 > 0:01:13Historian Ruth Goodman investigates
0:01:13 > 0:01:16the role bikes played in the D-day landings...
0:01:16 > 0:01:18This seems an enormously heavy machine
0:01:18 > 0:01:21to be wearing whilst you jump out of a plane in a parachute.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24..and how two wheels helped women fight for equality.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26The bicycle really was, then, a part
0:01:26 > 0:01:29of the sort of tools of the trade in their political ambitions.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35A brand-new bicycle comes off this production line
0:01:35 > 0:01:37every three and a half minutes.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40- Hey!- Ta-da!
0:01:40 > 0:01:43And we're going to show you the amazing engineering
0:01:43 > 0:01:47and craftsmanship that goes into making every single one.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50Welcome to Inside The Factory.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08Welcome to the Brompton Bicycle factory in west London.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13It's the largest and one of the few remaining bike factories in Britain.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15This is their classic folding bike
0:02:15 > 0:02:19and it can be unfolded in as little as six seconds.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23Over 1,000 of these a week roll out of this factory,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26- ready to be shipped around the world.- Um...
0:02:27 > 0:02:32- I've nearly got it. Ah...- Do you need a tiny bit of help there?
0:02:32 > 0:02:34Let's have a go.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40Thank you, Cherry.
0:02:40 > 0:02:45That's a clever design but quite complicated to manufacture.
0:02:45 > 0:02:51They start off life like this - 1,200 individual parts.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55Tonight, we're going to show you how a team of hundreds can turn this
0:02:55 > 0:02:59into a working bicycle in less than 24 hours.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05This is the largest company manufacturing bikes in the UK.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10And they hand-build every frame.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15All the raw steel they use comes from Spain in six-metre lengths,
0:03:15 > 0:03:17so first, it goes to a specialist company in Leicester
0:03:17 > 0:03:21to be laser-sliced or machine-sawed.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27At the London bicycle factory, the material intake section
0:03:27 > 0:03:32receives four tons of made-to-measure parts every week.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36That's enough for more than 150 folding bikes
0:03:36 > 0:03:39every 24 hours of production.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41And I'll be responsible for one of them.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45The countdown from metal bits to my bicycle begins.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50I'm going to need a lot of help,
0:03:50 > 0:03:53starting with training manager, Barney Fox.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55- Are you going to give me my bits? - Absolutely.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57First, we should start with the main frame.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Two bits of tubing for you. Take one of those.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01That's where your bottom bracket will go.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04That's where your crank and chain set go. Main frame tubing.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07All right, couple of chain stays for you - left and right.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10So, you can take that as well. Going to need a handlebar stem.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13Are you sure this actually makes a bike?
0:04:13 > 0:04:16You're also going to need a fork to be able to...
0:04:16 > 0:04:18METAL CLANGS ON FLOOR
0:04:18 > 0:04:22- Well.- Sorry, Barney. - There you are. Keep hold of that.
0:04:22 > 0:04:23Where can I put that?
0:04:23 > 0:04:26Just to finish off the main frame, put in a seat tubing in there.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29There's a little bit more than I thought there'd be.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32- Is it starting to look like a bike yet?- Not at all!
0:04:32 > 0:04:35I feel like the Tin Man! That's not a bike, surely!
0:04:38 > 0:04:4333 separate pieces of metal will form the skeleton of my bike
0:04:43 > 0:04:45and every single part will be joined together,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48not by robots, but by artisans.
0:04:49 > 0:04:54First out of my box of bits, it's the biggest tube in the main frame.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57It needs bending into its distinctive shape
0:04:57 > 0:05:00and they do that with the original mould press,
0:05:00 > 0:05:02designed more than 30 years ago.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08That machine is set to do this at the right angle every time, is it?
0:05:08 > 0:05:13- Yes.- Where does this bit go - up? - Over here.- Like that?
0:05:13 > 0:05:16'It's shaped every folding bike that's left this factory,
0:05:16 > 0:05:20'using a pressure five times the weight of a white rhino.'
0:05:20 > 0:05:26- And now, is this...that bit? - No, it's not that bit.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30- If you turn it up, it will be this way.- So, that's...
0:05:30 > 0:05:32- Yes.- That bit.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37'Just 15 minutes after the raw steel arrived at the factory,
0:05:37 > 0:05:40'and I've now got all the parts of my frame ready.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44'Now it's time to start turning it into a bike.' Thank you.
0:05:47 > 0:05:52The 33 steel parts of the frame need joining together by brazing.
0:05:54 > 0:05:59It's like soldering but at an extreme heat of 1,000 degrees.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02It's all done by hand.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08There are 42 braziers and the most experienced is Abdul El Saidi.
0:06:08 > 0:06:13- Hello!- Hello, Gregg. - 'He's worked here for 18 years.'
0:06:13 > 0:06:15What is your role here, Abdul?
0:06:15 > 0:06:19- I train every single person in here how to become brazier.- Right.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24Training takes 18 months and, after qualifying,
0:06:24 > 0:06:28each brazier is allowed to sign their own work.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32- They stamp their own initials?- Every single brazier has his own initials.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34These bikes are going all over the world
0:06:34 > 0:06:37- and it's got one of your boys' initials on it.- Exactly.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41The wall of fame shows the pride in their work
0:06:41 > 0:06:47and I'm hoping I can live up to the legacy as Abdul's latest trainee.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49There's a sleeve for extra protection.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53- You're holding 1,000 degrees in your hand.- You're kidding me.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55'That's the melting point of bronze,
0:06:55 > 0:06:59'which forms an incredibly strong and solid bond between the joints.'
0:06:59 > 0:07:04- When was the last time you burnt yourself?- Maybe three months ago.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08- Oh, no, Abdul! - It's only a little touch.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12'I'm right out of my comfort zone.'
0:07:12 > 0:07:13- Er...- Very safe, very safe.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16Nothing to worry about. Like a pen in your hand.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Right, what we're going to do - the wire in this hand
0:07:18 > 0:07:22and I'll show you how simple and easy and you're going to love it.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26- Oh, yeah.- Don't worry. Like everyone.- I'm not at all nervous(!)
0:07:28 > 0:07:32Slowly... Excellent. Keep going with the torch.
0:07:32 > 0:07:33Excellent, that's the one.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36So, you're wishing to become a master brazier?
0:07:36 > 0:07:39Well, I tell you what, I would be tired at the end of the day,
0:07:39 > 0:07:43- because this is quite precise work. - Very good, go.
0:07:43 > 0:07:44If that's melting metal together,
0:07:44 > 0:07:47that would make a terrible mess of my fingers.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50'Now I've practised, Abdul's letting me braze
0:07:50 > 0:07:53'one of the joints on the bike I'm building -
0:07:53 > 0:07:57'under his watchful eye and, well, safe in his arms.'
0:07:57 > 0:08:03# Oh, my love... #
0:08:03 > 0:08:05Straight line, little bit.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09- # My darling... # - Close the joint together.
0:08:09 > 0:08:14# I've hungered for your touch... #
0:08:14 > 0:08:19- I'm going to leave you to continue on your own.- No! You can't leave me!
0:08:19 > 0:08:26- # I need your love... # - I'll break it.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32'Not bad, but nowhere near as good as these guys.'
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Can I take one of yours? Is that OK?
0:08:38 > 0:08:42- Abdul!- Yes.- I've finished. - Well done.- What do you think?
0:08:42 > 0:08:47- Wow, fantastic!- Not bad, huh? - Professional. Very good.- Actually...
0:08:47 > 0:08:49- Is that the one you brazed? - No, actually...
0:08:49 > 0:08:52I thought that looked OK until I saw my friend's.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55The more you practise, the more you get better and better.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59'I don't deserve to be here, but I made it to the wall of fame.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03'And luckily, Abdul's team is giving me a hand,
0:09:03 > 0:09:05'brazing the rest of my bike joints -
0:09:05 > 0:09:08'normally an intensive four-hour job.'
0:09:10 > 0:09:12There you go. With a little bit of help from Abdul,
0:09:12 > 0:09:14I've finished the parts of my bike frame
0:09:14 > 0:09:16and now they're going to go off and get painted.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23My bike frame leaves London to travel 150 miles
0:09:23 > 0:09:28to a factory in Cardiff, where they paint 1,000 folding bikes a week,
0:09:28 > 0:09:31and Cherry's in charge of my paint job.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33So, when you order your bike,
0:09:33 > 0:09:38you can choose from over 100 different colour combinations
0:09:38 > 0:09:42and every single bike comes through this one factory,
0:09:42 > 0:09:44here in Cardiff, to be painted.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46I suppose I'd better get cracking then.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51'First, we're dipping the parts into a series of 11 giant baths
0:09:51 > 0:09:54'and that's just to prepare the steel for painting.'
0:09:54 > 0:09:56Have a nice bath!
0:09:58 > 0:10:03'In the two-and-a-half-hour process, the frame gets an alkaline wash
0:10:03 > 0:10:07'to clean it, a coating of crystals to protect it from rust
0:10:07 > 0:10:12'and it's dunked in a bath of base paint with an electric charge
0:10:12 > 0:10:14'to make it stick to the metal.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18'The manager here is David Morgan.'
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Do you have to do this with normal bikes?
0:10:20 > 0:10:22It sounds extremely labour-intensive.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25The importance of this, with a folding bike,
0:10:25 > 0:10:26is that when you open the bike,
0:10:26 > 0:10:29you're opening the bike to the elements, effectively.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31So, if the inside of the bike isn't protected,
0:10:31 > 0:10:33the inside of the bike will rust
0:10:33 > 0:10:35and the bike will effectively rust from the inside out.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Is that really the only way to get that protection?
0:10:38 > 0:10:40If you want a premium finish, yes.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43If only Gregg knew how much hard work
0:10:43 > 0:10:45goes into just priming the frame.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47- You're not even painting it yet! - Nope.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53Before we can start, Gregg's bike frame is heated for 45 minutes
0:10:53 > 0:10:57at 180 degrees to harden the primer.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00At last, overalls on, I'm ready.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03CHERRY GRUNTS
0:11:03 > 0:11:05'Showing me how to do a professional paint job
0:11:05 > 0:11:08'is managing director Steve Rosher.'
0:11:08 > 0:11:10- Can I have a paintbrush?- No.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14- What you need is a powder coating gun.- A powder coating gun?
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Surely if you put powder onto metal, it will just blow off.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19Not if you use the proper equipment.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24'The paint powder is electrostatically charged,
0:11:24 > 0:11:28'so it's attracted to every little bit of the steel surface.'
0:11:31 > 0:11:34That looks painted to me. That looks like a painted piece of metal.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38OK, but at the moment it's held on just by static electricity,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41- so if you touch it...- Whoa! - ..it comes away.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44- What?- So, it's still a dry powder.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50Wow! Amazing! It just falls off.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53Obviously, you can't send this bike out for someone to ride
0:11:53 > 0:11:55cos it would come off in one rain shower.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58- So we have to bake it in a oven. - You bake it in an oven!
0:11:58 > 0:12:03'But before that happens, I need to get Gregg's frame painted.'
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Ta-da!
0:12:05 > 0:12:10- Well done. Job looks good. Shall we put them in the oven?- Yes!
0:12:10 > 0:12:17'After baking for 15 minutes at 180 degrees, the parts are ready.'
0:12:17 > 0:12:19So, it goes off down to quality control now
0:12:19 > 0:12:21and then it's up to London, back to Gregg.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27This bike has been primed, painted and baked
0:12:27 > 0:12:29and now I look like a Smurf!
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Back at the factory,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38and we're now 16 hours into building my bike.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40I've got my hands on my frame again
0:12:40 > 0:12:42and now it's looking fabulous.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46Right, Barney, I'm back here. I've had my tubes, I've bent them,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49I've brazed it, we've now painted it -
0:12:49 > 0:12:52surely we are now ready to put a bicycle together, aren't we?
0:12:52 > 0:12:55Before we pop it onto the line, we need to give it a quick visual check
0:12:55 > 0:12:57to make sure that we're happy with them.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59So, if you want to pick one of the parts up.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01Let's have a scan over with our eyes
0:13:01 > 0:13:04and just make sure there's no imperfections,
0:13:04 > 0:13:05no defects on the part whosoever.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08Are you sure that paint seems all right?
0:13:08 > 0:13:11The main parts we're going to look at are the top of the tubing
0:13:11 > 0:13:14and if you're happy, I'm happy to put it on the line.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17- Yeah, I'm happy.- Let's go for it. - I think that's good work, mate.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19- Sounds good. Let's go. - Come on then, lend a hand, Barney!
0:13:19 > 0:13:21You'll be all right, come on.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28My bike parts will pass through a 28-person production line.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35The 12 most time-critical jobs on the main assembly
0:13:35 > 0:13:39have just three and a half minutes before the bike moves on.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45And the target board keeps everyone on track.
0:13:47 > 0:13:53They build 153 bikes a day and each one can be completely different.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56There's just over 60.5 million different combinations.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00- Don't be ridiculous!- Absolutely. - How? Forgive me, but how?
0:14:00 > 0:14:02We can have lots of different colours,
0:14:02 > 0:14:05different types of handlebars, different gear rangings,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08you can have mud guards, you don't have to have mud guards.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13To help the team keep on top of each unique order,
0:14:13 > 0:14:15every bike travels through with a kind of passport.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18This is quite simply named a "pink".
0:14:18 > 0:14:20It tells the operator on our production line
0:14:20 > 0:14:22what parts need to go where
0:14:22 > 0:14:25and this is pretty much the DNA of the bicycle.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28- So, is there one here for me and Cherry's bike?- This is it.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30This is it. You do realise, don't you,
0:14:30 > 0:14:34- everyone's going to want the Gregg bike in Cherry colour?- You reckon?
0:14:36 > 0:14:38'Before I can get going with MY bike,
0:14:38 > 0:14:41'I've got to find the beginning of the assembly line.'
0:14:41 > 0:14:42Someone's got to help me.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45I've got to put a bike together - where do I start?
0:14:47 > 0:14:48Start over there?
0:14:48 > 0:14:53- I need help! Are you the first bit? I'm Gregg.- I'm Rafael.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55In the Main Frame Station 1,
0:14:55 > 0:14:5916 hours and 8 minutes after they were plain metal tubes,
0:14:59 > 0:15:02Rafael Sarkovski will start connecting them together.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05What is this bit? What is it? Where does it go?
0:15:05 > 0:15:07On the front, front of the bike.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11- Here we're going to put a handlebar and fork.- Oh, OK, OK.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13- Yeah, like that.- OK, OK, OK.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15'First, the chrome spacers go on.'
0:15:15 > 0:15:17Argh!
0:15:17 > 0:15:19'The front and main frame is attached with a hinge
0:15:19 > 0:15:23'to form one of the three key folding points of the bike.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28'Rafael attaches the quick-release clamp.'
0:15:28 > 0:15:30Done?
0:15:30 > 0:15:34'Next, in Main Frame 2, Carl O'Brien will fit the seat post,
0:15:34 > 0:15:37'which is inserted upside down.'
0:15:37 > 0:15:43- Do you want to just flip the bike over?- Oh, oh, Carl, you're a star.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47'Then we need to add its all-important safety features.'
0:15:47 > 0:15:50But first, Cherry's investigating what's being done
0:15:50 > 0:15:53to make our roads safer for cyclists.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59SIRENS WAIL
0:15:59 > 0:16:03As an enthusiastic urban cyclist, I generally feel safe,
0:16:03 > 0:16:06but it is hard not to worry when you see flowers laid out
0:16:06 > 0:16:10in tribute to cyclists who've died on the roads.
0:16:10 > 0:16:15In London alone, there have been 66 fatalities since 2011
0:16:15 > 0:16:19and more than half of them were collisions with a truck.
0:16:20 > 0:16:25'To find out why cyclists and trucks are such a deadly combination...'
0:16:25 > 0:16:27It's a pretty big lorry.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30'..I'm getting behind the wheel of an HGV...'
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Whoa, that is so high!
0:16:33 > 0:16:36'..with instructor Doug Johnson.'
0:16:36 > 0:16:38- Ready to fire it up?- Holy moly!
0:16:39 > 0:16:42- So, you bring your clutch up gently, gently, gently.- Whoa!
0:16:45 > 0:16:48Oh, my God, the weight of this thing.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53'Doug's going to show me the challenges of keeping cyclists safe
0:16:53 > 0:16:57'from a lorry driver's perspective. First, a left turn.'
0:16:57 > 0:16:59Now, looking left and looking right,
0:16:59 > 0:17:02we're going to treat this like a junction, OK?
0:17:02 > 0:17:04Bring it to a nice gentle stop.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08Have a good look in your mirrors. Is it clear?
0:17:08 > 0:17:12- I can see the lorry, I can see the cone.- If it's clear...
0:17:12 > 0:17:16- Yes, absolutely.- Let's just get out and have a look from the outside.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24- Whoa! Oh, my God! - CYCLISTS CHEER
0:17:24 > 0:17:29How is that possible that all of you and the car...?
0:17:29 > 0:17:31I can't believe it.
0:17:31 > 0:17:36- Literally, you cannot see anything. - Yeah, yeah, it's scary.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38'There are seven cyclists here
0:17:38 > 0:17:43'and the left-turn blind spot can hide a great many more.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47'I was convinced it was safe to turn but it wasn't.'
0:17:47 > 0:17:48That's just bizarre.
0:17:48 > 0:17:53'And many truck drivers have another blind spot right under their noses.'
0:17:53 > 0:17:57- Look in all your mirrors, look out the windows.- I can't see anything.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Whoa! Where did they come from?
0:18:01 > 0:18:05Oh, my gosh, you've got to be at least, what,
0:18:05 > 0:18:09three of four metres away for me to be able to see them.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11Yep, don't be close to a big truck.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15'This spot is so dangerous. Since 2015,
0:18:15 > 0:18:20'all lorries in London over 3.5 tons must have special mirrors
0:18:20 > 0:18:23'to improve vision directly in front of the cab
0:18:23 > 0:18:25'and both sides of the driver.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29'But this isn't yet law in the rest of the UK.
0:18:29 > 0:18:34'Now I want to know what I can do to protect myself on my bike.'
0:18:34 > 0:18:37So, where is it that I should be that is safe?
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Ideally, you need to be here,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41- so you've got good eye-line with the driver.- Yes.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44- He can see you, you can see him.- Right.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48- So you need to be quite assertive. - That will keep you safe.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52LORRY HORN BEEPS
0:18:52 > 0:18:54I had absolutely no idea
0:18:54 > 0:18:58that the blind spot was such a huge area next to the lorry.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01It just goes to show that when you're cycling,
0:19:01 > 0:19:04you have to be so aware.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09HGV designers can play their part too.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13A number of manufacturers have added extra visibility to their vehicles,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16like this Mercedes Econic lorry.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18CHERRY KNOCKS ON DOOR
0:19:18 > 0:19:21- May I come in? - Of course you can, Cherry.
0:19:21 > 0:19:26'Joe Riley drives one of the 5,000 that are on our roads.'
0:19:26 > 0:19:29- I can see how much more you can see.- Yes.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33You have almost a 360 view around your cab.
0:19:33 > 0:19:38Yes, I can see more so there's less chance of me having an accident.
0:19:39 > 0:19:40'We're hitting the streets
0:19:40 > 0:19:44'so Joe can show me its safety features in action.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48'First, the floor-to-ceiling folding glass door.'
0:19:48 > 0:19:49When we're turning left,
0:19:49 > 0:19:53it's the most dangerous manoeuvre any lorry driver can do.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56This is what it's all about. It's that point there.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59- So, this area here, the clear area here...- Yeah.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03..is, potentially, the difference between life or death for a cyclist.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07- Indeed it is. - Isn't that amazing,
0:20:07 > 0:20:12- that a clear door could save someone from a fatal accident?- Yes, it is.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18- What other features does this lorry have?- It's got side sensors.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21SENSORS BEEP
0:20:21 > 0:20:24The cyclist also gets a danger alert.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26Can you hear the verbal warning system?
0:20:26 > 0:20:29LORRY: 'Stand clear. This vehicle is turning left.'
0:20:29 > 0:20:33And it repeats itself every time I've got an indicator on left.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36So, cyclists know you're about to make that turn.
0:20:36 > 0:20:41This lorry also has a state-of-the-art safety camera.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44- The camera picks up down the near side.- Right.
0:20:44 > 0:20:49- So, I can see cyclists coming up. There's a cyclist.- Here he comes.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Totally clear view. That is absolutely brilliant.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57The difference is incredible.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00The huge windows and added sensors
0:21:00 > 0:21:04mean that cyclists can just feel that much safer on the roads.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17At the factory, it's 16 hours and 15 minutes
0:21:17 > 0:21:21since I collected the parts for my bike.
0:21:21 > 0:21:27We've bent the steel, brazed the frame and Cherry's painted it blue.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31We've put together its front frame, main frame and seat post.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35The target board shows that, somehow, we're still on schedule.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38'Now, Gary Franklin...' I've got another one coming in.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41'..attaches the fork for the front wheel.'
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Station by station, bit by bit, this is looking like a bike.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48You need to tighten the top nut, and then back off the bottom nut.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52Just make sure that you can feel the ball bearings working.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56Then he fits the front brake, reflector and mud guard.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59If you don't do this right, does it get rejected further down the line?
0:21:59 > 0:22:03Yeah, it'll go down on the computer system and you have a talking-to.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Whoa! It's like being a proper mechanic, isn't it?
0:22:06 > 0:22:08- Yeah.- Cheers, mate.
0:22:10 > 0:22:15'Overseeing the entire operation is the company CEO, Will Butler-Adams.'
0:22:16 > 0:22:18It's not what I expected at all.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20That's what I was going to ask - what did you expect?
0:22:20 > 0:22:24- It's far more artisan. I expected... - Machines, robots.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26..30-foot high automatons.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28What I didn't expect was two rows of people.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35Tell me about the idea of a folding bike.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38If you're going to use a bike, you need a bike that's convenient.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41If you live in a city, dragging a big bike is a bit of a pain.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43So, if you can have a bike, like a Swiss Army knife,
0:22:43 > 0:22:45suddenly appears when you want it,
0:22:45 > 0:22:48disappears when you don't want it, it's handy.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51Whilst modern folding bikes are made mostly for urban use,
0:22:51 > 0:22:53that hasn't always been the case,
0:22:53 > 0:22:55as historian Ruth Goodman is finding out.
0:23:02 > 0:23:03Imagine the scene.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06You are 8,000 feet above northern France,
0:23:06 > 0:23:09about to jump into enemy territory.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12You've got your parachute and your pack, and you've also been told
0:23:12 > 0:23:15to take the airborne military folding bicycle.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18And it's not light.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21But it was long before the Second World War
0:23:21 > 0:23:23that folding bikes went into military action.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26They appear from the 1870s onwards
0:23:26 > 0:23:29and collector Colin Kirsch has the proof.
0:23:29 > 0:23:34This is the front end of a detachable Dursley-Pedersen
0:23:34 > 0:23:36from 1900.
0:23:36 > 0:23:41The idea was to use it to carry on a soldier's back during the Boer War.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45Oh, right. You're supposed to carry both parts?
0:23:45 > 0:23:50Yes, so the two parts would strap together.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53So, did this idea get developed further then?
0:23:53 > 0:23:57Yes, there were quite a few folding bicycles at that time -
0:23:57 > 0:23:58lots of prototypes.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02But it wasn't until World War I
0:24:02 > 0:24:06that the British army really appreciated their potential.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08In 1914, the first year of the war,
0:24:08 > 0:24:1314,000 British soldiers were in cyclist battalions.
0:24:14 > 0:24:19So, here's the World War I BSA folding bike.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23- And these were used in action?- Yes, they made large quantities of these.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27The problem was, soldiers didn't really want to spend the time
0:24:27 > 0:24:30unfolding them to put them on their back.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32It was one of those things
0:24:32 > 0:24:35that was not necessarily used for its purpose.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39- Right, so it seemed like a good idea back in the office.- Exactly.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Even so, by the end of the war, in 1918,
0:24:43 > 0:24:47100,000 troops had used a bike in active service.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57They were used again by the military from 1939,
0:24:57 > 0:24:59the start of World War II -
0:24:59 > 0:25:01first, to helps save the lives of paratroopers,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04getting them away from their drop zone as quickly as possible.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10Colin, this seems an enormously big and heavy machine to be wearing
0:25:10 > 0:25:13whilst you jump out of a plane in a parachute.
0:25:13 > 0:25:18- Oh, well, this was probably the lightest!- Really?- Yes.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22It managed to get the design of this one under 20lbs in weight.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24It would give you mobility once you got on the ground,
0:25:24 > 0:25:27if you were off trying to find specific targets.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31- Yes, as long as you weren't under fire.- So, did they see much action?
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Yes, there were two major campaigns they were used.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37They were used on D-day in the landing craft
0:25:37 > 0:25:40and they were used at Market Garden,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43when 8,000 paratroopers were dropped,
0:25:43 > 0:25:45many of them with bicycles.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50- How does it go together then? It sort of...- Right...
0:25:52 > 0:25:55- You wouldn't want to do this under fire.- You wouldn't, would you?
0:25:56 > 0:25:58Fabulous design.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04Ready to jump on and...ride away.
0:26:04 > 0:26:0970,000 of the so-called parabikes were manufactured,
0:26:09 > 0:26:13but British paratroopers weren't keen to ride them,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16and at the end of the war, thousands were stockpiled
0:26:16 > 0:26:18and then sold off as army surplus.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23It wasn't until the 1960s
0:26:23 > 0:26:27that folding and packaway bikes came back into favour.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29Now they were fashionable
0:26:29 > 0:26:34and, thanks to the much smaller 16-inch wheels, also practical.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37The next big breakthrough was in 1971,
0:26:37 > 0:26:41when Harry Bickerton came up with a new light and compact design,
0:26:41 > 0:26:44which set the standard for folding bikes.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48Four years later, Andrew Ritchie came up with his own invention,
0:26:48 > 0:26:50the Brompton.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59Back at the factory, Will's filling me in
0:26:59 > 0:27:04on how that invention was turned into a commercial product.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Andrew Ritchie came up with the idea in his flat,
0:27:06 > 0:27:10overlooking the Brompton Oratory, came up with the name and decided,
0:27:10 > 0:27:13"Perfect, I'm a genius, everyone's going to want my design."
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Gave it to Raleigh, they looked at it and decided it was bonkers,
0:27:16 > 0:27:17didn't want to do it.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21So, after everyone else turned it down, he decided to do it himself.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25In the early '80s, Andrew began making bikes on a small scale
0:27:25 > 0:27:27from his home in west London.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29But making a profit was tough
0:27:29 > 0:27:31and when the banks refused him a loan,
0:27:31 > 0:27:33it was almost the end of the road.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35One of his customers,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38who was so frustrated that he couldn't buy any more of the bikes,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41came in with the 40 grand he needed in 1988,
0:27:41 > 0:27:44and after 13 years of struggle, he got started.
0:27:44 > 0:27:49- He got his bike fan-funded.- Early fan-funding.- He did, didn't he?
0:27:51 > 0:27:55Now, this factory produces 46,000 bikes a year,
0:27:55 > 0:27:58and to help them keep on target,
0:27:58 > 0:28:00I need to get mine back on the assembly line.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02It's just over 16 hours and 18 minutes
0:28:02 > 0:28:04since I started and now Hubert Stritzi
0:28:04 > 0:28:06attaches the rear section
0:28:06 > 0:28:08to the main frame
0:28:08 > 0:28:11for the second key folding point.
0:28:12 > 0:28:17- Put rear frame...- Ah. I can do this.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21- OK, and now use this spanner... - Look in your ear.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24- It's OK? Clear? - THEY LAUGH
0:28:26 > 0:28:28Next, we're going to give my bike its mud guard,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31racks and rear brakes.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34Helping me is Michelle Makelogi.
0:28:35 > 0:28:39I'm going to show you one side and then you can tighten the other one.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42- Is that all right?- All right. - So, you just go like this.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47- That's it.- And that's it, right?
0:28:49 > 0:28:52Next stop for my bike is Fork 2,
0:28:52 > 0:28:54- and Noel Peters. - Noel.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57'All the experienced workers like Noel swap over their stations
0:28:57 > 0:28:59'from day to day.'
0:29:00 > 0:29:02Noel, you seem very confident. Have you been here a while?.
0:29:02 > 0:29:06- Um, yeah, since May, 2001. - You've been here 15 years?
0:29:06 > 0:29:10- Yeah, I can't believe it myself. - Wow, wow.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14On his station today, Noel puts on the mud flaps
0:29:14 > 0:29:16and attaches the derailleur cables
0:29:16 > 0:29:19that will make the bike's gears change.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21You're part-man, part-bicycle now, aren't you?
0:29:21 > 0:29:24I think I'm robot now, complete robot!
0:29:26 > 0:29:30They use more than half a mile of cable a day.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33If I was going to work here, give me one tip.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36- Focus, that's it.- Focus. - Yeah.- Focus.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38What did he say? Focus. Focus.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42- Can I do this? - I wasn't leaving you out.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44- Get off, get off. Get off. - All right.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49When you hear that click, that's done, yeah? That's it, yeah.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52- Cable in, mud guard in. - Yes, that's the one.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54What do you think when you see someone on the train
0:29:54 > 0:29:57- with one of these?- I say, "Wow, I had a hand in that.
0:29:57 > 0:29:58"And a few others."
0:29:58 > 0:30:01That's me. Hand-made by me. I feel proud.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08A bike like this will cost you upwards of £750
0:30:08 > 0:30:10and that's not cheap.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14But that's nothing compared to the price of some of the racing bikes.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16They can cost up to £10,000.
0:30:16 > 0:30:20But you don't have to spend a lot of money to pedal faster.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23Cherry's been out to chat with some of the top cyclists in the country
0:30:23 > 0:30:24to pick up some tips.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32The success of the British cycling team and their speedy track stars
0:30:32 > 0:30:34has inspired more than two million of us
0:30:34 > 0:30:37to get on our bikes at least once a week.
0:30:39 > 0:30:44But are the secrets of track cycling transferable to the real world?
0:30:44 > 0:30:50My bike, Margot, is practical and comfortable, but sometimes,
0:30:50 > 0:30:54when I am struggling up a hill with my baby on the back
0:30:54 > 0:30:56and shopping on the front, I do wonder,
0:30:56 > 0:31:01"Is there a way to make my ride a little bit easier and speedier?"
0:31:02 > 0:31:05I've come to the National Cycling Centre in Manchester,
0:31:05 > 0:31:10where six-time gold medallist Chris Hoy trained,
0:31:10 > 0:31:15and where Britain's top cyclists are preparing for the next Olympics.
0:31:16 > 0:31:22Wow, they are so fast! Don't look, Margot, it'll just depress you.
0:31:22 > 0:31:26- Team GB coach, Kevin Stewart... - You can go a bit faster than that!
0:31:26 > 0:31:30..is going to show me how small alterations in the way I ride
0:31:30 > 0:31:35and the way my bike is set up could transform my cycling.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38She may not be the coolest thing you've ever seen...
0:31:38 > 0:31:39KEVIN LAUGHS
0:31:39 > 0:31:43I'm really unbelievably excited to ride round the velodrome.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47Cool, well, let's get a baseline mark to see if we can help you.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49'To assess how well I'm riding,
0:31:49 > 0:31:52'I have to tackle four laps, or 1,000 metres,
0:31:52 > 0:31:57'of this intimidating track, with 42.5 degree banks.'
0:31:57 > 0:32:01- Fast as you go. Three, two, one, go! - CHERRY RINGS BIKE BELL
0:32:01 > 0:32:03All right, off we go.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12The high bits are really high!
0:32:12 > 0:32:15Wheeeee.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18- BIKE BELL RINGS - Oh, my God.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21- I mean, they are unreal. - KEVIN LAUGHS
0:32:21 > 0:32:23Keep going, keep going. Big push.
0:32:24 > 0:32:26All right.
0:32:27 > 0:32:31That was amazingly fun!
0:32:31 > 0:32:35We got a time for those four laps. 3 minutes, 32.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37How quickly do the professionals do it?
0:32:37 > 0:32:42- The world record is 56 seconds. - They're four times faster.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44'Clearly I'm no Olympian,
0:32:44 > 0:32:47'and Kevin's noticed I'm not using my gears effectively.'
0:32:47 > 0:32:50- You want a smaller gear to begin the effort.- Yes.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53But once you get up to speed, you can push a much bigger gear,
0:32:53 > 0:32:56so it's about choosing the right gear at the right time.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59The other really big one we can do is go from here...
0:33:00 > 0:33:02- ..to here.- Really?- Yeah.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05So, if you want to make yourself as small as possible,
0:33:05 > 0:33:07it means it's a lot easier to get through the air.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10Come on then, let's get off the track.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14'Now I've got some efficiency tips, what about my bike?'
0:33:16 > 0:33:18Oh, wow, look at that. That's pretty flat, isn't it?
0:33:18 > 0:33:20I shouldn't really be able to do that.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24So, the more air we have, the easier the bike is going to roll.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28'I could be losing up to 20% of the energy I'm putting into pedalling
0:33:28 > 0:33:30'because my tyres are too flat.'
0:33:30 > 0:33:34There's probably around 10 psi - 10 pounds per square inch of air -
0:33:34 > 0:33:35in this tyre at the moment.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38How do I know if I've got the right pressure in my wheel?
0:33:38 > 0:33:40They actually have it written on the tyre
0:33:40 > 0:33:44the minimum and maximum pressure you should put in those tyres.
0:33:44 > 0:33:49Road tyres typically require 80 to 130 psi.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52Go over and the inner tube could explode.
0:33:52 > 0:33:57- OK, there's around about 80 in that now.- That is absolutely solid.- Yeah.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59- What's next?- We can have a look at your seat height.
0:33:59 > 0:34:03- When you were riding round, it was far too low.- Oh, really?
0:34:03 > 0:34:08Yeah, we weren't using all of those powerful leg muscles we have.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10- So, let's think about raising it up a little bit...- OK.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13..and getting it to that optimal height where you can get
0:34:13 > 0:34:15- a full extension, OK?- OK.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17I reckon around about an inch we need to put it up.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20'Kevin can adjust by eye, but for the perfect seat height,
0:34:20 > 0:34:23'you should have a slight bend in the knee
0:34:23 > 0:34:26'when your pedal is at its lowest point.'
0:34:26 > 0:34:29So, next - aerodynamics.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33'The child seat and basket need sidelining when not in use
0:34:33 > 0:34:38'but losing these 4.5kg won't make as big a difference as my clothing.'
0:34:38 > 0:34:4080% of what you push through the air
0:34:40 > 0:34:44and what makes that hole in the air is you, OK?
0:34:44 > 0:34:47- And maybe 90% with that coat on. - Coat's got to go.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50I feel like a speed demon now.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53'Some simple changes - using the right gear,
0:34:53 > 0:34:56'optimum tyre pressure, correct saddle height
0:34:56 > 0:34:59'and making my shape more aerodynamic -
0:34:59 > 0:35:02'should improve my track time.'
0:35:02 > 0:35:04- So, four laps again.- Ready.- Go!
0:35:04 > 0:35:06Remember your gears.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12It feels so weird.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16Faster already.
0:35:16 > 0:35:20- The difference is unbelievable! - Yeah, it's good!
0:35:20 > 0:35:23That's it - nice and low for me. Remember your position.
0:35:23 > 0:35:28'Just lowering my body position is making a 10% improvement
0:35:28 > 0:35:30'to my speed and efficiency.'
0:35:30 > 0:35:32- Whoo!- All right.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34SHE PANTS
0:35:34 > 0:35:39- Well, good job. - That felt completely different.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42I've never, ever experienced my bike that.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46- So, your first time round was 3 minutes, 32.- Yes.
0:35:46 > 0:35:51- You've gone two minutes, 27 for those four laps.- Whoa!
0:35:51 > 0:35:54So, you've taken over a minute off your four-lap time,
0:35:54 > 0:35:56- which is incredible. - Thank you!
0:36:02 > 0:36:05It has been incredible to get a sneak peek
0:36:05 > 0:36:08into the world of elite performance racing
0:36:08 > 0:36:14and I love that I have a few tips to make my riding easier and faster.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17But, sadly, I don't think we're going to make it to the Olympics.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19We'll take it on the chin.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39Back on the production line, and my bike is just over 16.5 hours
0:36:39 > 0:36:42into its journey from parts to packaging.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46It's now got forks, mud guards and brakes,
0:36:46 > 0:36:49but it's still missing two of the most crucial components.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52- Do you make the wheels?- I do. - I need two wheels.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55- I need a back wheel and a front wheel.- Yeah, sure.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57Behind the main assembly line,
0:36:57 > 0:37:00Rudi Yousef fits the inner tubes and tyres onto the wheel rims.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03And, like the other time-critical stations,
0:37:03 > 0:37:08he has just 3.5 minutes or he'll hold up the whole production.
0:37:08 > 0:37:13- How many wheels do you do a day? - Over 300 wheels a day, yeah.
0:37:13 > 0:37:17These wheel rims are designed here, but made off-site.
0:37:17 > 0:37:19They only have a 16-inch diameter,
0:37:19 > 0:37:2310 inches smaller than a standard bike wheel.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25Their reduced size makes them stronger
0:37:25 > 0:37:28and helps the bike accelerate faster.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31Rudi, stand aside. Let me show you how you do wheels properly, son.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33Yeah, you just lock it in.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36'First of all, I need to apply a protective tape
0:37:36 > 0:37:40'and get the inner tube and tyre to fit snugly on top.'
0:37:40 > 0:37:42This is very, very fiddly.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45'To help protect these tyres from punctures,
0:37:45 > 0:37:47'they're reinforced with Kevlar,
0:37:47 > 0:37:50'an ultra-strong material used in bulletproof vests.'
0:37:52 > 0:37:55- Can I stand back and just let you do one?- No, no.
0:37:55 > 0:37:56Cos I need two wheels for my bike.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00'Now, with help from Rudi, I can inflate the tyre.'
0:38:00 > 0:38:02It always puts the right amount of air in?
0:38:02 > 0:38:06It's automatically set at 100 psi.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10So, other tyres on other bikes, they normally have a lower psi.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13- Yeah.- You have 100, which is higher, because you have a smaller wheel.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17- Yeah.- Is that because the wheel is doing more work?- Yeah.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19- It's going round more often.- Yeah.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23'The expert in wheel engineering is design manager Paul Williams.'
0:38:23 > 0:38:27Is the wheel the trickiest bit on a folding bike?
0:38:27 > 0:38:29It's one of the parts that needs to be best built,
0:38:29 > 0:38:31that lasts longest, because it's going to see
0:38:31 > 0:38:34a lot of wear - constant braking, constant acceleration.
0:38:34 > 0:38:40Regular cycling commuters can travel more than 1,300 miles in a year,
0:38:40 > 0:38:44so it's essential their bikes are robust and lightweight.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47That might be down to this nut being 2g lighter.
0:38:47 > 0:38:48How many bits on the bike?
0:38:48 > 0:38:511,200-odd, and if we can take a little bit out of each of those,
0:38:51 > 0:38:54then we will add up to something quite considerable.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56It's a constant challenge for the design team
0:38:56 > 0:39:00to balance the bike's weight, durability and cost.
0:39:00 > 0:39:01If you make something stronger,
0:39:01 > 0:39:04it's often got more material in, so it's not as light.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07If you make it lighter, it normally means more exotic material.
0:39:07 > 0:39:08It's hard to do that cheaply.
0:39:08 > 0:39:12The company invests heavily in researching the latest technologies
0:39:12 > 0:39:16and they know a comfortable ride is also important.
0:39:17 > 0:39:19Nowadays, we take it for granted,
0:39:19 > 0:39:22but early bikes weren't designed with luxury in mind,
0:39:22 > 0:39:24as Ruth Goodman has been finding out.
0:39:27 > 0:39:32In the 19th century, cycling was almost exclusively a male pursuit.
0:39:32 > 0:39:37In 1817, the first popular two-wheeler was thought
0:39:37 > 0:39:39to have been invented in Germany.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41It was named the dandy horse
0:39:41 > 0:39:44because it was fashionable with wealthy young men.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48More than 40 years later, the boneshaker,
0:39:48 > 0:39:51with its iron-shod rims, wooden wheels
0:39:51 > 0:39:54and a very solid frame, also had pedals.
0:39:55 > 0:40:00In the 1870s, the penny farthing was still for men only.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05'Bike historian Doug Pinkerton shows me why.'
0:40:05 > 0:40:08That is what we call forward dismount.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11It looks really difficult to ride.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14How on earth did women manage with the big skirts?
0:40:14 > 0:40:18Ladies, at the time, they weren't riding these machines.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20It was the none-done thing to do.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23In public places, you didn't even show so much as an ankle,
0:40:23 > 0:40:26so riding a bicycle of this design was totally out of the question.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30- Totally impossible. - So, ladies actually rode tricycles.
0:40:33 > 0:40:39This ladies tricycle, from 1886, has an ingenious lifting handlebar
0:40:39 > 0:40:42to help ladies mount in bulky dresses.
0:40:42 > 0:40:46- Slide in, put the handlebars back. - Yep.- Marvellous.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48- IN POSH ACCENT:- Leg over in a decorous manner.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58Oh, my goodness! This is not an easy bike to ride.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00No, very cumbersome, very slow.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04'Fears that rigorous movement could ruin
0:41:04 > 0:41:08'"the feminine organs of matrimonial necessity"
0:41:08 > 0:41:12'meant Victorian women were discouraged from cycling.'
0:41:12 > 0:41:14Ooh!
0:41:14 > 0:41:16It's sort of annoying,
0:41:16 > 0:41:18in that the men have all this freedom on the bike
0:41:18 > 0:41:21and you, as a woman, are going to be trailing behind
0:41:21 > 0:41:23because you've got to do it decorously.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27Yes, you really were almost a second-class citizen.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31- You sacrifice so much with this upright posture.- Very much so.
0:41:33 > 0:41:37But things improved for women cyclists in the late 1880s,
0:41:37 > 0:41:40with the invention of the safety bike -
0:41:40 > 0:41:43the direct ancestor of today's diamond-frame bike.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Equal-sized wheels and lighter, more responsive steering
0:41:48 > 0:41:51made this a far easier ride.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55This is the sort of period when ladies were starting to use cycles.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57So, for the first time,
0:41:57 > 0:42:00- men and women are on the same style of bicycle.- Exactly, yes.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03So, this, really, would give you, particularly as a woman,
0:42:03 > 0:42:06a lot more freedom than the earlier styles would have done.
0:42:06 > 0:42:11The new improved safety bicycle era, after 1885, because of its design,
0:42:11 > 0:42:15certainly liberated women to come and enjoy the sport of cycling.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21And one group who embraced this change were the suffragettes.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25According to research fellow Sheila Hanlon,
0:42:25 > 0:42:29bicycles were vital to women gaining freedom and the vote.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33So, why are we here in Hyde Park?
0:42:33 > 0:42:35Hyde Park was the site
0:42:35 > 0:42:38of a really important suffragettes' rally in 1913.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40It wasn't just a rally,
0:42:40 > 0:42:44- it was actually a pilgrimage to get to the rally.- Land's End to London.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46If you look really closely in the front,
0:42:46 > 0:42:49you'll see there's a line of cyclists.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51They're upfront in the photograph
0:42:51 > 0:42:54and that really reflects the central role
0:42:54 > 0:42:57that they played in organising the pilgrimage.
0:42:57 > 0:43:01This postcard is a different route and, again, the row of cyclists
0:43:01 > 0:43:04- are right up at the front. - Yes, they are. A whole load of them.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07And what they're doing is they're taking pamphlets
0:43:07 > 0:43:10and handing them out, they're holding meetings in village greens
0:43:10 > 0:43:12and they're really using their bicycles
0:43:12 > 0:43:15as a way to get out there and tell more people
0:43:15 > 0:43:17about the need for the vote for women.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19And then they all converge at the end,
0:43:19 > 0:43:23in London, in the park where we are today.
0:43:23 > 0:43:25So, how many people ended up here?
0:43:25 > 0:43:29We think it was about 50,000 people, which is a formidable crowd.
0:43:29 > 0:43:31The bicycle, itself,
0:43:31 > 0:43:36was part of the sort of tools of the trade for independent-minded women
0:43:36 > 0:43:40to get out there and be part of the political process.
0:43:40 > 0:43:44The bicycle really was a small cog in a very big wheel for change
0:43:44 > 0:43:48and I think it was essential to how women achieved the vote.
0:44:06 > 0:44:07At the bike factory...
0:44:07 > 0:44:11- Wheels! Front wheel.- Yes. - Rear wheel.
0:44:11 > 0:44:16'..it's almost 16.5 hours since I collected the raw steel parts.'
0:44:16 > 0:44:19I'm guessing it goes on that way.
0:44:19 > 0:44:22'And, as Amelia Maticevska and I put on the wheels and handlebars,
0:44:22 > 0:44:25'it's really starting to look like the finished product.'
0:44:25 > 0:44:27Hey!
0:44:28 > 0:44:30'But it's still not fit to ride.
0:44:30 > 0:44:35'I need to tighten and align the brake pads...' You need strong arms!
0:44:35 > 0:44:39- '..with Omar Ahmed Omar.' Are you happy?- Not really.- What's wrong?
0:44:39 > 0:44:43- It's not straight.- All right, you do it. Sorry, Omar, you do it.
0:44:43 > 0:44:46I'm not very good at brakes.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50Now I'm ready to fit the mechanism that will make my bike move -
0:44:50 > 0:44:53the pedals, crank and chain.
0:44:53 > 0:44:55Urgh, that's tight, mate.
0:44:56 > 0:45:00For crying out loud! You've got to have shoulders like Schwarzenegger!
0:45:03 > 0:45:08It's incredible to think these guys build 22 bikes an hour
0:45:08 > 0:45:10but, according to the target board,
0:45:10 > 0:45:15we've slipped behind and I'm pretty sure I'm the one causing the holdup.
0:45:15 > 0:45:18I'm really sorry! I'm sorry, I was chatting, I'm sorry.
0:45:18 > 0:45:21- I didn't want to say anything... - That's what happens. Everyone stops.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24- Can we move it on now?- Let's go, let's go! I'm getting it.
0:45:24 > 0:45:27- Into the next station. - I've got you, I've got you.
0:45:28 > 0:45:30My next station is Rear Brake.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33First, we set up the brake cables
0:45:33 > 0:45:35and try and get my bike back on track.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38What are you doing? Come on, man, we've got to move!
0:45:38 > 0:45:41Let's go, let's go! We've got bikes to make!
0:45:42 > 0:45:43What do you think these are?
0:45:43 > 0:45:45We've got another set of wheels going here.
0:45:45 > 0:45:48- I think that's because the bike folds up...- Yeah.
0:45:48 > 0:45:50..and it's got to roll, rather than clank.
0:45:50 > 0:45:52Unless you're going to ride it upside down,
0:45:52 > 0:45:54that's to fold it, right?
0:45:54 > 0:45:56When the bike's packed down,
0:45:56 > 0:45:59these extra little wheels let the cyclist pull it along.
0:45:59 > 0:46:02Seeing how it folds up makes me realise
0:46:02 > 0:46:06why pressing the steel into a curve was so important.
0:46:06 > 0:46:09The reason that's curved is so a wheel fits under it
0:46:09 > 0:46:12- when it's folded. - One of.- That's the reason.
0:46:12 > 0:46:14But that gives it a unique look as well.
0:46:14 > 0:46:16I'm so getting the hang of this bike lark!
0:46:18 > 0:46:23There's lots of engineering that goes into making a modern bicycle,
0:46:23 > 0:46:26but that, to me, is nothing if it's not comfortable.
0:46:26 > 0:46:30Now, when you order a bike from this factory, you get a standard saddle
0:46:30 > 0:46:32but if you really want luxury for your bottom,
0:46:32 > 0:46:34you can get a hand-made one.
0:46:37 > 0:46:39Brooks, based in Birmingham,
0:46:39 > 0:46:43has been making leather saddles for almost 150 years.
0:46:46 > 0:46:50The company was started in 1866 by John Boultbee Brooks,
0:46:50 > 0:46:52who began with horse harnesses and saddles.
0:46:54 > 0:46:55But when his own horse died,
0:46:55 > 0:46:58he decided to switch to making bicycle saddles.
0:46:58 > 0:47:02- I've come to make a saddle. Is this where I start?- Yep.
0:47:02 > 0:47:05Master cutter, Ricky Ravenhill,
0:47:05 > 0:47:08needs to get as many as 11 of them out of each cow hide.
0:47:08 > 0:47:11- Do you want to try and cut one? - Crikey, really?
0:47:11 > 0:47:15You get the knife and as close to the edge as possible.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18And then swing that round so it's in the middle
0:47:18 > 0:47:20and then press those down
0:47:20 > 0:47:23and as soon as you feel it's hit the pressure, release them.
0:47:25 > 0:47:27That should be perfect.
0:47:27 > 0:47:30'Almost all their leather comes from the UK and Ireland,
0:47:30 > 0:47:34'where the cold weather means the cows have thicker skins -
0:47:34 > 0:47:39'up to nearly 6mmm which can support the weight of a body.'
0:47:39 > 0:47:41- Start of my saddle, right? - Voila, yeah.
0:47:41 > 0:47:45'Next, Gurdip Sangha softens the leather in water
0:47:45 > 0:47:47'for 20 to 40 minutes.'
0:47:47 > 0:47:49- Bit like fishing, isn't it? - It is, definitely.
0:47:50 > 0:47:52That's it.
0:47:52 > 0:47:56'After it's naturally air-dried for up to 12 hours,
0:47:56 > 0:47:59'it's moulded to create the saddle shape.'
0:47:59 > 0:48:01- We're virtually there.- Yeah.
0:48:01 > 0:48:03We're virtually there. We've got a saddle.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09'I let someone experienced slice off the excess leather
0:48:09 > 0:48:14'and then my saddle is ready for curing in the oven.'
0:48:14 > 0:48:18If I don't come out in five minutes, call my mum!
0:48:18 > 0:48:19Nearly three hours later,
0:48:19 > 0:48:23and my leather seat gets its rough edges sanded away.
0:48:27 > 0:48:31The seat will be fixed onto a frame made from high-tensile steel rails,
0:48:31 > 0:48:35with a backplate pressed from more high-quality steel.
0:48:37 > 0:48:38By the time the frame is ready,
0:48:38 > 0:48:42it's been double-coated in nickel and copper,
0:48:42 > 0:48:44it's been lacquered and baked,
0:48:44 > 0:48:46but it's not a saddle until it's been put together.
0:48:46 > 0:48:49'And that's the job of Eric Murray.'
0:48:49 > 0:48:52- How do you do, sir? - I've got to attach this to this.
0:48:52 > 0:48:55- Can you show me how to do this? - I will, sir.
0:48:55 > 0:48:58'First up, Eric makes holes in the leather.'
0:48:58 > 0:49:01- Are you pressing a button to make the holes? Can I do it?- You can.
0:49:01 > 0:49:03Stand back, son, stand back.
0:49:05 > 0:49:09- Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. - What is it about saddles?
0:49:09 > 0:49:12It's your hands, isn't it? You're working with your hands.
0:49:12 > 0:49:15You can't imagine yourself behind a desk with a tie on?
0:49:15 > 0:49:17Oh, no, no way! I'm sorry, no.
0:49:17 > 0:49:20I couldn't do that - no way!
0:49:20 > 0:49:22Them people deserve medals
0:49:22 > 0:49:25because I couldn't sit there fiddling a computer.
0:49:25 > 0:49:29Next, Eric has to chamfer or trim off the leather
0:49:29 > 0:49:32to create a smooth bevelled edge.
0:49:32 > 0:49:35- Eric the chamferer. - Eric the chamferer.
0:49:35 > 0:49:37That's highly skilled.
0:49:37 > 0:49:39If you get that wrong, at that stage,
0:49:39 > 0:49:42- you've ruined a whole saddle. How many do you spoil?- I don't.
0:49:42 > 0:49:47- You've just got to be careful.- And that gives a smoother finish.
0:49:47 > 0:49:49- That's a bet. - Saves chafing.- That's it, exactly.
0:49:49 > 0:49:53'Next, he puts a noseplate in the front of my saddle,
0:49:53 > 0:49:58'inserts the backplate and rails and finishes the rivets by hand.
0:49:58 > 0:50:00'It's then tensioned and aligned.
0:50:00 > 0:50:05'The whole saddle-making process can take up to 36 hours.'
0:50:05 > 0:50:07What has that just done, Eric?
0:50:07 > 0:50:10- Pulled it one way and pushed it back the other?- That's it, yeah.
0:50:10 > 0:50:12It's into there now.
0:50:12 > 0:50:15One inspection, yeah, to make sure it's all right,
0:50:15 > 0:50:17and I'm taking this to the bike factory.
0:50:17 > 0:50:19Good luck to you.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22And I hope it lasts you for years and years, my friend.
0:50:29 > 0:50:33More than 100 leather saddles arrive at the factory every week
0:50:33 > 0:50:37and mine is coming straight into the final assembly station.
0:50:38 > 0:50:42My bike has brakes, wheels, handlebars and a chain
0:50:42 > 0:50:45and it's almost ready for the road.
0:50:45 > 0:50:48Can you fit this one cos I actually made this one?
0:50:48 > 0:50:50I think you can have a go.
0:50:50 > 0:50:53'It's been 17 hours since I started this journey
0:50:53 > 0:50:55'and of the 1,200 parts
0:50:55 > 0:50:58'that make up this bike,
0:50:58 > 0:51:01'I am about to tighten the very last screw.'
0:51:01 > 0:51:02Ooh!
0:51:04 > 0:51:07That's a pretty thing. Thank you, my friend.
0:51:07 > 0:51:09- Are you happy with that?- Yeah, very.
0:51:09 > 0:51:11Can I have this bit painted a different colour?
0:51:12 > 0:51:14No.
0:51:14 > 0:51:17'I'm proud of that saddle, but strangely enough,
0:51:17 > 0:51:19'not all bikes have a seat.'
0:51:19 > 0:51:22Cherry's been out on the road testing the latest designs
0:51:22 > 0:51:23for the bike of the future.
0:51:30 > 0:51:34This is a Halfbike. There's no seat. You pedal standing up.
0:51:34 > 0:51:38But this is one of thousands of new bike designs.
0:51:38 > 0:51:40I wonder if it'll catch on.
0:51:42 > 0:51:45The Halfbike was designed and built in Bulgaria,
0:51:45 > 0:51:48thanks to a crowdfunding website.
0:51:48 > 0:51:50The internet has opened the way
0:51:50 > 0:51:53to all sorts of weird and wonderful new bikes.
0:51:53 > 0:51:57There are trikes, like the Outrider Horizon,
0:51:57 > 0:52:00or how about the folding YikeBike?
0:52:00 > 0:52:04Or maybe the recumbent Ratracer?
0:52:04 > 0:52:07It can reach speeds over 40mph
0:52:07 > 0:52:10and the laidback riding position is super-aerodynamic.
0:52:10 > 0:52:14It has 30% less drag than a standard bike,
0:52:14 > 0:52:20so riding at 25mph takes around 20% less effort.
0:52:21 > 0:52:23Inventor Mike Burrows thinks
0:52:23 > 0:52:26it could teach the traditional bike design a thing or two.
0:52:29 > 0:52:32- Oh, my gosh, I made it in one piece! Hi, Mike.- Hi, Cherry.
0:52:32 > 0:52:35Nice to meet you. Am I allowed to have a go?
0:52:35 > 0:52:38You can sit in it. Bit sizist here,
0:52:38 > 0:52:41but your feet won't reach the pedals and you really have to get...
0:52:41 > 0:52:45- You have to get right down.- This is it. Put your feet up on... Yeah.
0:52:45 > 0:52:47HE LAUGHS
0:52:47 > 0:52:50- So, this is significantly faster than a regular bike?- Yeah.
0:52:50 > 0:52:54- I'm an old man but I could take on Bradley any time, OK?- Really?
0:52:54 > 0:52:57When you're trying to ride a bike at high speed,
0:52:57 > 0:53:01then you need to be low and streamlined and you just go faster.
0:53:03 > 0:53:04Go!
0:53:06 > 0:53:10But not every new bike design looks revolutionary.
0:53:10 > 0:53:15The new generation of electric bikes have compact batteries...
0:53:16 > 0:53:20..and the efficient motor is disguised in the design.
0:53:22 > 0:53:25Eddie Kehoe is an e-bike convert.
0:53:28 > 0:53:31It looks like a domestic bike. What makes it electric?
0:53:31 > 0:53:36When you press on the pedals, it senses the effort you're putting in
0:53:36 > 0:53:40and then it boosts that by a certain percentage, which you can set,
0:53:40 > 0:53:43using the up and down arrows here on your thumb control.
0:53:43 > 0:53:45And then it blends the assistance
0:53:45 > 0:53:47with what you're doing naturally on the bike,
0:53:47 > 0:53:51- so it feels very natural. - OK, can I have a go?- You can.
0:53:51 > 0:53:53Oh, wow!
0:54:00 > 0:54:04Oh...my...goodness me!
0:54:04 > 0:54:06It's like you have super-powers.
0:54:06 > 0:54:09- It's brilliant. Bionic legs. - Oh, bionic legs!
0:54:11 > 0:54:14Globally, the electric bike is already a craze.
0:54:14 > 0:54:17Around 40 million were sold last year,
0:54:17 > 0:54:21although only around 50,000 were bought in the UK.
0:54:24 > 0:54:27We're taking all of our bikes out onto the street
0:54:27 > 0:54:31to see which one the cyclists of Cambridge prefer.
0:54:34 > 0:54:40What will people make of the £350 seatless Halfbike?
0:54:40 > 0:54:42Argh!
0:54:43 > 0:54:45- What did you think of it?- It's good.
0:54:45 > 0:54:49A bit difficult at first but, once you know how to do it, it's easy.
0:54:49 > 0:54:52I like the fact it doesn't take up that much space. It's quite light.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55- Would you swap a regular bike for this bike?- No.
0:54:55 > 0:54:59Mike's bespoke £5,000 recumbent Ratracer
0:54:59 > 0:55:01is also being tried out for size.
0:55:01 > 0:55:05- How do you feel?- I feel good.- Lay right back, head on the head rest.
0:55:07 > 0:55:09- Is this the bike of the future? - No way!
0:55:09 > 0:55:13But, today, it seems that Eddie's £2,000 electric bike
0:55:13 > 0:55:15is the clear favourite.
0:55:18 > 0:55:21CHEERING
0:55:21 > 0:55:25It was like you get on it and it just takes you, you just go.
0:55:25 > 0:55:28It was fun. I didn't want to come off!
0:55:28 > 0:55:30It's amazing, honestly!
0:55:30 > 0:55:33Yeah, it just felt so easy and comfortable to ride as well.
0:55:36 > 0:55:38Well, they say you can't reinvent the wheel,
0:55:38 > 0:55:40but I think today has proven
0:55:40 > 0:55:43that there are a few really fun new developments in cycling
0:55:43 > 0:55:45to keep an eye out for.
0:55:54 > 0:55:58At the factory, my folding bike is now complete.
0:55:58 > 0:56:00It's taken more than 16.5 hours
0:56:00 > 0:56:05for the parts of this giant bike jigsaw puzzle to come together.
0:56:05 > 0:56:07But before it can leave the factory,
0:56:07 > 0:56:10there's one crucial stage it's still got to get through.
0:56:10 > 0:56:13I feel a bit nervous if it's going through an inspection.
0:56:13 > 0:56:15I've had a hand in putting every bit on.
0:56:15 > 0:56:17'Barney examines every inch.'
0:56:17 > 0:56:19We've got the right handlebars, the right gearing,
0:56:19 > 0:56:21we've got the mud guards on there.
0:56:21 > 0:56:23- Back and front. - I want you to go like that...
0:56:24 > 0:56:27- Do you think it's going to fall apart any time soon?- No!
0:56:27 > 0:56:28It's looking good.
0:56:28 > 0:56:31'And finally, it's the moment of truth.
0:56:31 > 0:56:33'Will the bike I've helped braze,
0:56:33 > 0:56:37'bolt and screw together actually fold?'
0:56:37 > 0:56:41- If you pull that up and pull the bike up...- We undo this?- Yeah.
0:56:42 > 0:56:47- Yeah!- That should just fall into place.- Now this?- Yeah, saddle.
0:56:48 > 0:56:52- Happy? - I'm just a folding bike genius.- OK.
0:56:52 > 0:56:53I feel very proud of this.
0:56:53 > 0:56:56- That's it.- There.
0:56:56 > 0:56:58But I don't get to keep this bike.
0:57:00 > 0:57:04Along with the 46,000 bikes that leave this factory every year,
0:57:04 > 0:57:07it could be sent to one of seven cities in the UK,
0:57:07 > 0:57:09from Edinburgh to Cambridge,
0:57:09 > 0:57:13or exported to one of 43 countries across the globe,
0:57:13 > 0:57:17even to the world's big bike exporters, like China and Taiwan.
0:57:19 > 0:57:22Following this bike from parts through to packaging
0:57:22 > 0:57:26has been an incredible experience. It's not what I expected.
0:57:26 > 0:57:29I expected to find an enormous great factory
0:57:29 > 0:57:32with loads of robots and machines and steam coming up.
0:57:32 > 0:57:36Actually, what it is is people, craftsmen,
0:57:36 > 0:57:38putting these together by hand.
0:57:38 > 0:57:41And all in under 24 hours.
0:57:41 > 0:57:43Hey!
0:57:43 > 0:57:45I don't know where this is going.
0:57:45 > 0:57:47It could be going to Southend,
0:57:47 > 0:57:48it could be going to South Australia.
0:57:48 > 0:57:51I hope whoever receives it enjoys it
0:57:51 > 0:57:53and I hope they appreciate the hard work
0:57:53 > 0:57:55and craftsmanship that went into it.
0:57:55 > 0:57:58I put a couple of nuts and bolts on this one myself.
0:57:58 > 0:58:01Next time, I'll take you inside
0:58:01 > 0:58:05one of the oldest sweet factories in the UK...
0:58:05 > 0:58:07The smell in here is unbelievable!
0:58:07 > 0:58:13..to find out how they turn 56 tons of sugar into 100 million sweets.
0:58:13 > 0:58:15That's a river of jam!
0:58:15 > 0:58:18- Cherry makes super-sour sherbet... - Whoa!
0:58:18 > 0:58:23- ..and a giant stick of rock... - It is huge! That is hysterical.
0:58:23 > 0:58:27..as we unlock the secret art of sweet-making.