Classic & Vintage - Know anything about this bike?

I just got this bike from the estate sale of a 91 year old lady, I assume this is her husbands or father's bike. I have planned to restore it but some other people say it might take down the value. I want to be able to ride it, unless I find out it's some great find that I should just sell to a collector. The bike rolls, it's fixed gear, I haven't tried to actually ride it because the spokes are loose, the tires look frail, and the rims are wooden and I don't know how strong they are after sitting in a garage for so many years, also the seat is fragile now. I'm really looking to find out how old this bike actually is and the brand if possible. I assume it's late 1800's to early 1900's.

http://img272.echo.cx/img272/2663/fullshotold6es.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img272.echo.cx/img272/8361/rearhub4vx.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img272.echo.cx/img272/3353/seattop7az.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img272.echo.cx/img272/9347/seatside8bp.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img272.echo.cx/img272/4626/crankchainring3pt.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

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Thanks, I've been looking for a page like that.

Great find! I'd fix it up and ride it. Looks like it already in pretty good shape.

That's an innovative seat for its era.

Is it a true fixed-gear or just a single-speed?

Wow...that is ill, sick cool. Ride as is = serious street cred.
Not pulling you..I like. That's one nice slicked old bike.

Again...wow.

So saddles with cut-outs aren't a new innovation, huh?

Pretty interesting. It always seems like the latest & greatest new thing has always been tried in the past at some point.

I'm almost positive it's fixed gear, I don't see a free-wheel and the bike makes no attempt to coast. I also got another wheel with a coaster brake on it along with the bike. That one does coast. Since there are no brakes on the bike I figure it's fixed.

I'm almost positive it's fixed gear, I don't see a free-wheel and the bike makes no attempt to coast. I also got another wheel with a coaster brake on it along with the bike. That one does coast. Since there are no brakes on the bike I figure it's fixed.

I wonder if it's a very old track bike? That might explain the saddle.

I'd think it is an old track bike. Those handlebars would've been rotated counterclockwise about 120°.

That is so incredibly rad. I shall follow this thread with interest.

If the rims are wooden I bet dollars to donoughts it's worth something serious to a collector. Awesome find, I also bet CR will aid in your search for the answers.

PJ

Please keep us informed. I'm interested in knowing more about this bike.

I'm still searching, and posting on other sites. I've found pictures on nostalgic.net that are similar to this bike, so I think this bike is 1880s or 1890s. The 91 year old lady's father also owned a car from 1904 which is still on the property in a garage although it should be in a museum. My dad was talking to one of his antique collecting friends and his friend told him about a postcard, either showing, or talking about the man and his exibitions. He used to have people watch as he'd shoot targets with a gun while riding his bike. I don't know if this is the same bike used in the exhibitions but this guy owned it. He'd show off his car too, I'm not sure what the main attraction was though.

I would wait to ride that thing. It has a serious museum vibe... for some collector. And if the wood wheels got broke while joyriding...

The pedals look like they might not be original

I agree: track bike

Along with the bike I got 2 wooden rims and third made of metal that has a coaster brake. One of the wooden ones has a hub but the other is just a rim.

It's not a track bike.But it does appear to be built before 1900.I'm guessing the age to be pre-1900 based on the chain--it looks older than the later skip tooth type of the 30s.And the cottered cranks.It also has the standard style of hub(no freewheel)Standard or fixed gears hubs were the first style of hubs--then came coasters and freewheels.Fixed gears bikes were offered by most companied for a lone time.I'd stay off that seat but the bike looks very rideable.The seat pan is built of plywood and might brake at this age,a replace ment seat would make more sence than taking a change on braking the original.Tires are still sold but cost over $100 each.Are you sure you want to ride?Get the second set of rims you got built up and have fun---This is a wheelmans type of bicycle.---try their site---sam

I have an ad scanned from a company called 'Butler', same style bike.
Dated 1896. Looks a lot like yours:

http://www.duke.edu/~jhe3/images/C_A0051-01-150dpi.jpg cropped

These are the original adverts, 150dpi:
image 1 (http://www.duke.edu/~jhe3/images/A0051-01-150dpi.jpeg) image 2 (http://www.duke.edu/~jhe3/images/A0051-02-150dpi.jpeg)

I have an ad scanned from a company called 'Butler', same style bike.
Dated 1896. Looks a lot like yours:

Wow! It looks a whole lot like it.

How about the weight listed in the brochure? Only 23-24 pounds. That's pretty good for a bike from that era, isn't it?

Ohh, the bike is pretty light, I was surprised picking it up when I expected something like 40 or 50 lbs.

What fascinates me the most about the bike, is not how different it is from modern ones, but how simliar.

What a great bike. Have you found anything else about the bike?