Jack Lauterwasser
John Jacob "Jack" Lauterwasser ( born June 4, 1904 in London, † February 2nd 2003 in Bath ) was a British racing cyclist and bike builders.
Youth and beginnings as a racer
The father of Jack Lauterwasser came from Bavaria and emigrated from there first to France and then to England, where he married a British woman. The parents lived in poor conditions close to Oxford Street, where she operated a business for pies. When World War II broke out, the father had to return to Germany because he did not have British citizenship. The family stayed in London, and Jack Lauterwasser had to deal with his mother about the upkeep of the family. Lauterwasser worked as a delivery person for a greengrocer on the bike, the family was living in a furnished apartment above. Opposite end of the war Lauterwasser joined the Finsbury Park Clyde Club; on his 14th birthday, he won a race over 25 miles. In 1924, he set a national record over 25 miles.
Participation at the Olympic Games
1928 Jack started Lauterwasser at the Olympic Games in Amsterdam in the road race, which was conducted on an individual time trial. In the individual competition he finished fifth in the team competition he won with Frank Southall, John Middleton and Charles Marshall the silver medal.
Lauterwasser as a bike builder
Opened in 1929 Lauterwasser a bike shop in London and built mainly light racing bikes under its own brand "Louder Weight". Especially in demand were his specially shaped handlebars, which are manufactured again today. When it came to financial problems, he took a job at Rudge and later with BSA, the folding bike built for the military. He then worked up in the 1960s for Raleigh.
Jack Lauterwasser had many innovative ideas for the bike industry. When he published an essay about how a four-speed Sturmey - Archer circuit could be converted into a five- speed gearbox, he was dismissed from Raleigh. From 1965 he worked for Alex Moulton. Jack Lauterwasser worked until he was 90 years old, and went to old age long bike rides.