Here at Mathewsons, we love our pedal bikes and during last October’s auction the Bangers & Cash team spotted an absolute gem. They bought it, have had it carefully restored by Recycle of York, specialists in vintage and classic bikes, and now return it to auction in all its glory.

They write:

We are delighted to bring back to auction a little slice of British cycling history. This 1951 women’s Hercules Kestrel racing bike was, in its time, at the cutting edge of racing bicycle technology. With its Reynolds ‘531’ frame, 3-speed gears and unique Maes bend handlebars, the Hercules Kestrel was one of the outstanding performance bikes of its generation.

Hercules was the bike of choice of a legend of British cycling - Eileen Sheridan. Affectionately known as ‘The Mighty Atom’, in the 1950s, Eileen - a housewife from Coventry - smashed no fewer than 21 of the existing professional long distance records on board her trusty Hercules. Very unusually for a woman in that era, Eileen signed a professional contract with Hercules and became the ‘face’ of the Birmingham-based company. Remarkably, her Land’s End to John o’ Groats record stood for nearly 50 years - she is a true legend and was a trailblazer for British cycling.

Given its historical significance, the experts at Recycle of York have fully stripped and cleaned our Hercules Kestrel before undertaking a sympathetic restoration. Original components were recommissioned where possible and new ‘old’ components were sourced when required. Our Kestrel retains its original paintwork but the metal work has been rechromed.

This is a very rare, authentic and fully functioning example of one of the best bikes of its generation.