(previously published in Peter Underwood’s site www.Classiclightweights.co.uk)

Great Britain has enjoyed a long history of athletes combining distance track success with road time-trialling. Leon Meredith through Norman Sheil, Beryl Burton, Chris Boardman to Sir Bradley Wiggins, the list goes on. Out of this same mold came Mike Gambrill and his younger brother Robin. Both members of Clarence Wheelers they were amongst the most respected fastmen of the mid 1950s.

1955 saw Mike coming into his prime. With Alan Killick he set a national tandem record of 1:00:48 for 30 miles, a record that stood for 18 years, and a 50 mile record of 1:45:11

1956 was probably Mike’s standout year. First he won the national 25-mile time trial championship, in 57-33, riding fixed. This was coupled with winning the national 4000m pursuit championships at Fallowfield, beating the precocious 18-year old Tom Simpson. Tom had sensationally despatched World, Empire and National champion Norman Sheil and then John Geddes en route to the final. On 4-Sep-1956 with Simpson, Geddes and Burgess he set the Fallowfield team pursuit track record at 4:48.

This was the year of the Melbourne Olympics. Mike, Tom and John were selected with Don Burgess for the team pursuit. By Tom’s own admission, in the semis against Italy he went too hard at his first turn and wasn’t able to get back on, they finished with three men and lost to the eventual gold medallists – but beat South Africa in the ride off for bronze.

L-R Mike Gambrill,  Alan Danson, Tom Simpson, Keith Harrison, John Geddes

Joanne Simpson’s memorabilia includes a Quantas serviette signed by the whole 1956 cycling team – track and road – on their flight home.

1956 was also the year younger brother Robin entered the lists, with a short 1-04 in the Kentish Wheelers early season novice 25. Not a bad start when the national record was only just under 56m. Pretty soon Clarence Wheelers had two fast Gambrills in the club, along with Alan Killick they won the team prize in the national 25-mile time trial championships in 1957.

At the  celebrated Sciacchi meeting at Herne Hill in 1958 Mike and Robin teamed up to beat the national 5-mile tandem record.

In 1958 Clarence again won the team prize in the national 25 champs, Mike and Robin with Alan Jacob . This  was also the year in which Mike rode away from a strong field in the classic London-Brighton road race, then was involved in Ray Booty’s win in the Empire Games road race (see under Ray Booty).

In 1959 both Mike and Robin raced the 40k Dresden Madison, Mike winning with Norman Sheil in 51:41. Also in this year Mike & Robin teamed up with Alan Jacobs and Alan Killick to win the national team pursuit title for Clarence wheelers.          Heady days!

Mike again represented GB in the Olympic team pursuit, this time in Rome 1960, with Barry Hoban. Charlie McCoy and Jo McClean, but without as much success, before retiring. Robin tried his hand at racing on the continent before emigrating to Canada then New Zealand. So the Gambrill era came to a close. Sadly Mike died just a year before Sir Bradley passed his front door en route to his 2012 Olympic gold. Robin still rides regularly.

Both the Gambrill brothers had track and road Carpenter-built frames for most of their careers (Robin used a Ken Ryall for the last two years in the UK), with Chater-Lea chainsets later replaced with TA/Stronglight 49D, 84-88” fixed, large-flange Airlite hubs, butchered Brooks B17 saddles, Cinelli bars and stems. The classic purists’  setup at the time.

Robin Gambrill, Galibier 2013

(Robin Gambrill)

Equipment.  “My brother and I both rode ruby red Carpenter track frames, Mike had a 26 inch and I rode a 23.5  All had chrome ends. I had a silver blue road bike, as did my brother. Eventually I  gave all of my equipment to the younger members of the Clarence Whs.

I used B17 saddles, as did my brother. We used to file down the copper rivets and cut off the front end sharp point, I used Chater Lea as did Mike, then we went on to T.A, with cotterless Stronglight cranks. We both used Cinelli bars and stems,
I cannot recall either of us using inch pitch chains, I never did,sprinters did at the time,
I think the pedals were stronglight. Brakes were G.B.”

“The Coppi Meeting was Sunday Sept 14th. The meet was a huge event at that time,the organiser was a I.R. Berigliano,and the programme was 1 shilling!!!!! The night before the Herne Hill meeting, several of us had dinner with Fausto Coppi in a London restraurant.

Mike and I warmed up for the ride with Coppi sitting behind us,  I kept looking behind me and saying to myself is that really Coppi!! When I started farming in N.Z. I bought a border collie and named him….. Coppi.

We went for the 1 mile, and 5 mile records.  The 1 mile was set on 14/7/37, by Mills and W.Paul in 1min 48.6 seconds, we did 1.58.8. The 5 mile which we were after was held by Robin Buchan and Dave Hill. set on 24/8/55  9min 53.8sec.  Mike and I set a new record of 9min 48.4sec. We had only ridden the tandem before during the morning before the meeting which started at 2.45pm. I do not know how long we held the record, but heard it was broken again, I think by Robin Buchan, not sure who else.”