Five speeds in my Velo
It’s oft stated that necessity is the mother of invention and when Gerry Cain was creating his ‘ultimate’ Velocette, he felt it was necessary his interpretation of the best Venom available had a five-speed gearbox – and as one wasn’t available, there was only one option.
He explains: “It was 10-12 years ago and I’d built the Velocette I wanted and was happy with how it looked. But every time I rode it, I was a little disappointed. Aesthetically, it was absolutely right, but I couldn’t help thinking that it was missing something. Basically, it needed a gear between third and fourth…
“I thought I’d do something about it. I approached Nova transmissions and explained I wanted a five-speed gearbox with ratios similar to my Triumph T140. Nova said, yes, we can help, but the costing meant that I’d have to get 10 sets made. I ordered the 10 on the understanding I would be the sole supplier of such.
“I got my money back – and more. From there it’s led to a small business and I think we’ve ended up selling around 100 sets for Velocettes, while it’s even been copied.”
