Letter from the Editor
28 April 2026



Every now and then, things turn up which are rare even for a Hetchins. Two such offerings appear below.

First up, a historic frame which raced in the 1952 Tour of Britain, for which Hyman sponsored a team and supplied bikes. The bike in question was ridden by Bill Bellamy, team nr. 58. This is the third '52 ToB bike known to have survived, and has been splendidly restored with as-raced kit. Photos courtesy of the present curator. Below, the bike as now, the bike in original livery, Hyman's ledger entry.

















Next up, another rare duck: the Cognoscenti model was introduced in 1950 as part of the Latin Series. A large quantity of castings was ordered, but the model was not popular. Only about 25 were originally built; a box of unused lugs was still in existence in the Southend shop in the 1980s. One such lug set changed hands at ebay, was sent to Hetchin's frame builder Paul Riley, and built up in 2026. See below; photos courtesy of Hetchin's workshop.








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