Arthur Metcalfe - After The Tour

After The Tour

Metcalfe broke his pelvis in 1971, ending his career as a professional. He and a fellow professional, Wes Mason of Sheffield, opened a business building racing-cycle frames in a former chapel in Harrogate, Yorkshire. The building, Chapel Works, was owned by a cycle importer, Ron Kitching, and their combined initials gave the project's name: MKM. The company had the British licence to build frames under the name of the Tour de France winner, Jacques Anquetil. MKM operated until the late 1970s.

Ron Kitching said:

They were both keen on bicycle manufacturing. Wes was a good frame builder and Arthur was sure that he could handle the marketing. I went so far as to buy the premises - an old chapel on Skipton Road, and agreed to the company's name, MKM. But I decided in the end not to become involved in the venture. Imagine being sandwiched between two crafty bike-riders like that! In the end it was the right decision, they fell out and the business failed. I was left with the property.

Metcalfe said of the modern Tour de France that it was too short, that it should be "a proper length" - 2,500 miles.

To ride 90 miles a day is not the legend of the Tour de France. The philosophy of the Tour is that it's an epic of courage. We had stages of 233km. Sure, they go 2mph faster now, but you'd expect that. And there are 70 more riders. I was working for Carlton Cycles. British riders are all full-time pros now and they're better than ever we were, so they can ride further. The argument is that they want a clean Tour. But you can ride 2,500 miles clean. The race may go 1mph slower but from the roadside you'd never notice it. You can't see a difference that small.