John Kemp Starley – Inventor of the Modern Rover Bicycle

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John Kemp Starley-Rover Bicycle

The early history of bicycles was characterized by a number of well-known investors who significantly improved upon the original charming horse design, which was first conceived and implemented by the German Baron Karl Drais. Within fifty years, the French bicycle craze came and went, and while continental Europe was occupied with a number of military conflicts, England became the home of the largest bicycle innovation cycle in history.

James Starley was the first visionary to evolve French Boneshaker designs. He became the father of the English bicycle industry and designed the first penny-farthing designs, which became one of the most iconic symbols of the late Victorian era. However, even his accomplishments pale in comparison to those of his nephew, John Kemp Starley.

Born on December 14, 1854, John Kemp Starley was the brother of inventor and businessman James Starley. At the age of 28, he moved to Coventry to work with his uncle, who was already well-known for his Ariel penny-farthing bicycles. He spent several years there learning his trade before he and his friend William Sutton founded Starley & Sutton Co. in 1877. Their initial goals were straightforward: build a bicycle that would be safer and easier to use than penny-farthings. For the first few years, they concentrated on tricycles, and in 1883 they renamed their goods as Rover tricycles.

The Rover Safety Bicycle was invented by John Kemp, a member of the Starley family, and the next development embraced electric bicycles with a move towards motorization, which ultimately led to the creation of the Rover Car Company with his cousin William Starley. James Starley is credited with the invention of the chain drive, differential gears, and tangent wire spokes. He also invented many different forms of tricycles, one of which being the rear-steering version.

The rear-steering tricycle is a prime example of James Starley’s inventiveness and ingenuity. It features an elegant shaped seat with a removable straw-stuffed pillow, and it is operated by a clever crank system on the right side, where a small handle can be turned left or right to control the direction of the smaller third wheel, allowing the rider to choose their desired path. Another lever on the left side provides a quick direction change if needed.

Tricycles were mostly used by women because the design was more accommodating of the voluminous skirts worn at the time. This tricycle also offers an example of an early chain drive, which is situated on the left-hand side.

This tricycle offers an example of an early chain drive.

This tricycle also offers an example of an early chain drive that is situated on the left-hand side. Tricycles were most often used by women, as the design was more accommodating of the voluminous skirts worn at the time.

The true revolution in bicycle history began in 1885 with the introduction of the Rover Safety Bicycle by John Kemp Starley, which featured two identical 26-inch wheels, a diamond-shaped frame, and a chain system that transferred power from the pedal cranks to the rear wheel. This bicycle quickly became a global sensation, and John Kemp Starley began exporting them to the rest of Europe and the Americas.

Following John Kemp Starley’s untimely death in 1901, the Rover Company continued to manufacture bicycles and expanded into motorcycles and cars, some of which gained immense popularity in England and across the globe. By the 1890s, the company was renamed Rover Cycle Company Ltd.

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