A FEW days ago we received an invitation from Calcott Bros., Ltd., Coventry, to have a short trial run on one of their lightweights. The engine of this machine has been increased in bore since it was described in our Show report of November 1911. The cylinder is now 70 mm. bore x 76 mm. stroke, and the magneto firing point, which was previously fixed, is now adjustable, the lever for operating it being close up to the rider on the left side of the tank.
Reference to the illustration will show that the frame follows standard lines, but the steering head is fairly long and supported by a tubular stay from the top tube. The rear frame is dropped, affording a comfortable low riding position. The valve lifter is on the left bar and the front rim brake lever on the right. Both levers are of the inverted type. This machine has no clutch, variable gear, or free engine device, and is started by pedalling or running alongside, the idea being to produce a machine with as little complication as possible to enable it to be sold at a remarkably low figure. The machine we took over for a trial run gf about fifty or sixty miles was (juite new, and we were at once struck by its quietness when starting it up on the stand.
Up Warmington with a Hot Engine.
Accompanied by one of the members of the firm on a similar machine, we left Coventry on a fine afternoon, our destination being Warmington Hill, which is one of the ascents on the Edge Hill range, and a hill which we have always found to be a fairly good trial for any single-cylinder motor cycle of the light-weight class.
The writer's weight being nearly thirteen stones, he always considers it a good performance if a new light-weight machine will tackle Warmington Hill and reach the top with a hot engine unaided. With a view to proving the speed capabilities of the little machine it was not spared on the somewhat undulating road via Warwick and Gaydon Inn to the foot of the hill, which was reached in about one hour riding time from Coventry, the distance being about twenty-four miles. At the foot of the hill the engine was indulged in a little extra lubrication, and the grade as far as the church was taken at an excellent speed. Just opposite the church the gradient is about 1 in 7, and at this point two or three turns of the pedals were required to enable the engine speed to be maintained sufficiently to carry it over the stiffest portion of the hill. Beyond the church the grade eases slightly, and the engine immediately picked up and took the rest without a falter. In all, we made three ascents of the hill, but found that with the standard gear of 5½ to 1 exactly the same amount of assistance was required at exactly the same point.
Comfortable Touring Mount.
At the conclusion of our trial it was beginning to get late, so we made our way home, and returned the machine to the makers with the opinion that in their new lightweight model they have a comfortable, easy running, easy starting machine which is capable of taking an average-weight rider almost anywhere on main roads. As the machine is provided with an easily adjustable pulley, it is possible to reduce the gear considerably, when, of course, it would climb very much steeper hills than the one on which we tried it; in fact, we are told that with a gear in the neighbourhood of 7 to 1 a similar machine has taken about thirty stones over the well-known Coventry test hill at Stoneleigh.
Incidentally we may mention that the whole of the power unit with the exception of the carburetter and magneto is constructed by Messrs. Calcott Bros. in their own works. Certainly we have never ridden a better finished or better running machine which is sold at such a moderate figure as the 2½ h.p. light-weight Calcott, and more will be heard of it in the near future. The magneto is a Bosch and the carburetter a Brown and Barlow.
The Motor Cycle, April 11th, 1912. Page 391
