“Youth continued its triumphant progress” when 18 year old Alfred Edward Golder rode his West Cycle into first place in the 1925 Northam-to-Perth bike race, W.A.’s premier event for amateur riders.

“A good field of 32 riders competed and faced from the outset a head wind. Golder, the ultimate winner, made good progress from the start, and finally took the lead alone between Lloyd's Crossing and Bailup. He rode about 50 miles on his own, and, in winning by over six minutes, certainly put up a great ride.” The West Australian 28 Sep 1925.

The Northam to Perth was second only to the Beverley to Perth in prestige for Western Australian cyclists. Riders in the Beverley-to-Perth were professionals and raced for prizes and money. The Northam to Perth was for amateurs who dreamed of representing Western Australia nationally, or at the Olympics internationally.

Starting from Northam, riders weaved westward through the hills. Lloyds Crossing near Toodyay, Bailup, Woorooloo, Red Hill and Midland Junction before racing home to the Peninsula Hotel in Maylands. In all, they completed the 75 miles (120 kilometres) mainly on notorious pea gravel roads – many riders would come to grief over the years - in a time of 3hr 53mins 10secs averaging almost 31kph. Riding from scratch, W.Lucas set fastest time in only 4 mins less.

Golder's bike was built by West Cycle Limited, located in Hay St, Perth, and may date to as early as 1920. West Cycles were a significant builder and supplier of bikes. A.Kaiser, a West sponsored rider, held the time record in the Beverley-to-Perth from 1911 to 1925.

Golder’s bike exemplifies the search for weight savings by numerous builders around Australia in this period. Contrasting with earlier, sturdier racing bikes, the frame features a smaller diameter 7/8” top-tube, pencil-thin seat stays and chain stays using narrower, lighter fork tubing. It retained the 'gallows' seat post and 'snail cam' rear axle adjusters that disappeared by the 1930’s. The rear triangle carries shards of nickel plating. (Chrome plating, which supplanted nickel, was invented in 1924).

Components used were some of the best available at the time including Chater-Lea cranks, Brooks saddle and BSA hubs, headset and pedals. In common with many riders from this period Golder campaigned this bike across multiple disciplines. Three different sized wooden wheelsets were employed for track and road races - two 'singles' style and clinchers shod with Australian made Olympic Spartans. The bike also came with a longer track focussed adjustable diamond stem and track drop-bar. It was raced as a fixed-wheel, with freewheels and 'variable gear devices' only allowed from and after the 1934 Northam to Perth.

Race pictures and newspaper articles from The Western Mail 1st October 1925. Pictured is Golder crossing the line and a post-race picture of the place getters 1st (Golder, left) and presumably 2nd, 3rd and W. Lucas (right) from scratch in 3.49.10 wearing his Fastest Time sash.