Gold wheel

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Gold-Rad is the brand under which the Cologne-based company Goldberg produced bicycles from 1892 to 1998 .

Company history

Foundation and first years

Advert for Gold Wheel
Gold wheel T 51 with Sachs built-in motor
Goldrad (sic!) 53 I from 1953/54 with built-in engine ILO FP 50 with 1.5 HP (front wheel fork possibly from the "54 S", tank still unpainted)

The company was founded in 1892 by Benjamin Goldberg in Siegburg, after he had completed his apprenticeship as an upholsterer. His interest was in the bicycle, and he tried to represent sewing machine and bicycle manufacturers, including " Allright ". He invented the name "Gold-Rad", had this name protected and in 1910 moved to Cologne near Ebertplatz . In 1912 the first catalog with own models was published.

With the beginning of the First World War , sales initially fell, but recovered in the course of the war, as the demand for bicycles increased again due to the shortage of petrol. The company survived the period of inflation and was even able to open additional branches and distribution centers in other cities. In 1930 a modern bicycle factory was opened in Cologne-Ehrenfeld . Thanks to the resourcefulness of its owners, the company also survived the global economic crisis with high unemployment. As was the case during the war, bicycles were increasingly in demand as cheap means of transport, and Goldberg set up a system whereby customers could pay for their bicycles in monthly installments.

From the 1930s to 1998

“Gold-Rad” set up its own racing team and signed contracts with well-known professional racing drivers. In cycling races, Goldberg used the so-called "glass car", a truck with a glazed "showcase" from which advertising brochures were distributed. A particular advertising success was achieved when Toni Merkens from Cologne won the gold medal in the sprint at the 1936 Olympic Games with a “gold wheel” specially built for him . Problems arose in the time of National Socialism due to the supposedly Jewish-sounding name "Goldberg"; the company owners, however, proved that their Christian roots reached back to 1640. From the beginning of the Second World War, the company supplied the Wehrmacht with bicycles, spare parts and tools. In the bombing war, production rooms and offices were destroyed and everything that could be used was brought to a depot in Bergisch Gladbach . The company founder Benjamin Goldberg died in 1944; his two sons Albert and Carl were his successors.

After the war, a new production facility was opened in Cologne-Riehl ; In 1950 the production of children's vehicles and bicycles began. In 1998 the company was closed.

Products

The Goldberg family was not only full of ideas when it came to sales strategies, but was also able to secure the continued existence of “Gold-Rad” for many decades through constant new ideas in vehicle construction.

In the 1930s, “Gold-Rad” brought a bicycle with an auxiliary motor from Fichtel & Sachs onto the market with great success. At that time, a department for the production of auto and motorcycle parts was also set up.

From 1950 "Gold-Rad" also produced children's vehicles and unusual bicycle models such as indoor sports bikes. From this time to the mid-1950s, motorcycles with 98 cc engines and motorcycles and mopeds were also offered. The Sachs two-stroke engine, the Gold-Rad T 51, installed in most of the 100 series motorcycles at the time, developed 2.75 hp at 4000 rpm. The top speed of the motorcycle was 67 km / h. In the 1960s, the "Piccolo" folding bike was produced. The program was supplemented by home sports equipment.

In the 1970s, "Gold-Rad" sold the Motograziella - a moped imported from Italy with small 8-inch wheels, which could be packed down to a small size by folding down the two halves of the handlebars and pushing in the saddle.

literature

  • Horst Nordmann, Fritz Hahn, Mika Hahn: Kölsche two-wheeled stories. Pioneers, racing drivers, destinies. Rheinischer Mobilia-Verlag, Kleinenbroich 2003, ISBN 3-00-011139-5 , p. 78ff.

Web links

Commons : Gold Wheel  - collection of images, videos and audio files