Jack Lauterwasser

John "Jack" Jacob Lauterwasser (June 4, 1904 – February 2, 2003) was an English racing cyclist and cycling engineer, who won a silver medal as part of the British team in the individual road race (run as an individual time trial) at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam.

Lauterwasser joined his local Finsbury Park cycling club in north London and won his first 25-mile time trial before his 14th birthday. He moved on to longer distances, including 12-hour events.

In Amsterdam, Lauterwasser finished fifth with 5h 2m 57s for 165km. With team-mates Frank Southall finishing second and John Middleton 26th, [ [http://www.norwoodparagon.co.uk/content_head/1928.pdf History of Norwood Paragon CC - 1928] ] Lauterwasser was part of a team originally placed third but upgraded to second after Italy was disqualified.

Apart from Olympic success in 1928, Lauterwasser broke the national Road Records Association (RRA) 50-mile record by almost three minutes with lhr 54m 47sec and the 100-mile by more than 18 minutes, clocking 4hr 13m 35sec.

Lauterwasser opened a cycle shop in London in 1929, building machines to order and patenting his handlebar design. He later worked for Britain’s major manufacturers. In 1965 he joined Alex Moulton at Bradford-on-Avon, whose production of a suspension design for small-wheeled bicycles is credited with saving Britain's retail cycle trade. He continued working until he was 90, when he broke a leg in a fall at home.

References

* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article867456.ece "The Times" obituary, 7 February 2003]