Harry Hall the founder of Manchester’s finest bike shop has passed away. Back in the day he opened his first shop in 1957 and worked hard to establish a name in the British Cycling scene through hand-built in Manchester own-brand frames. Harry Hall bikes went onto feature in many World Class stage races, including the Milk Race.
I never met Harry that many times, but my most vivid memory was working with him at a demo day up in Mellor where he was insistent on doing all the spanner work on the bikes – fettling brakes, swapping pedals and getting mucky. Harry of course was a famous bike mechanic, providing support services to pro races from the 1950s onwards, often from a Mini. He was mechanic to Tom Simpson during the 1967 Tour de France in which Simpson famously passed away.
Since 1989 Harry Hall Cycles has been owned by Harry’s son Graham, who took up the challenge following Harry’s retirement. Harry used this change in his life to focus on racing and became a successful veteran cyclist, winning numerous medals, including a World Championship. He was without doubt a major player in the development of cycling and the trade in the UK and was a popular figure in the North West, which was the home and training ground of the professional British rider long before the building of the now world famous velodrome.
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