Major Albert Nichols (17 September 1914 – 3 August 2005) was the last of the craftsmen cycle makers of the West Midlands of England. He was born in

West Bromwich West Bromwich ( ) is a market town in the borough of Sandwell, West Midlands, England. Historically part of Staffordshire, it is north-west of Birmingham. West Bromwich is part of the area known as the Black Country, in terms of geography, ...

in his father's cycle shop at 5 Reform Street. Major was a frequent name in Birmingham and the Black Country. He trained in the electrical industry and served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. On the death of his father in 1947, he took over the business and taught himself lightweight cycle-frame building, which he carried out in West Bromwich from the early 1950s until 1971 when the area was redeveloped. Nichols moved to a former shop at 48 Durban Road in nearby Smethwick. His last frame was built in 1995. He was a vice-president of the Hill Top Cycling Club and at its 21st anniversary dinner in 1956 he presented one of his early track frames to the first Briton to finish the

Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's Race stage, multiple-stage cycle sport, bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours (the Giro d'It ...

, Brian Robinson. His cycles were ridden to success by Anthony Taylor,''Cycling'', 15 November 1969 Paul Carbutt, Roy Cox, Ray Ward, Phil Bayton and others.

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Master Craftsman or Just the Master. Alvin Smith( Black Country Society)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nichols, Major British cycle designers Bicycle framebuilders 1914 births 2005 deaths