Classic & Vintage - 1898 - Something to look into??

What do y'all think of this:

http://ottawa.craigslist.ca/bik/502932188.html

I know nothing about bikes this old - should I consider following this up and maybe getting into the REAL antique restoration bi-ness....or is it just an expensive curse?
; )

It could be cool to do up, but...

How much will it cost to restore vs. how much to buy a restored one?

Is it possible to source the missing parts or are you going to have make them, or get them made.

I would like a early safety but, personally, I would pefer a complete bike. I am having trouble finding parts for a bike built sometime between 1920 - 1930s.

Good luck if you decide to look at/buy it.

ps. Pics would be nice.:D

I have this 1888-1892 no-name safety sitting in my basement. It is more complete than the one decribed on CL. In my mind it would be a challenged to restore. I would not recommend such a purchase.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p71/pastorbobnlnh/AntiqueFixie.jpg

I say if you got the bread go for it, if anything it would be a great converstion piece

It sure is hard to find parts for these type bikes but its not to hard to have them made....just costly! ;) Thats why I sold (regretably) my 1910 Raycycle Roadster, theres one here in Philly in the Franklin Institute :)! believe it or not my buddy ended up having the handle bars ! He lives two city blocks up from me and had them for three years prior my getting the Racycle! what a co-incky dink!

I would think finding that missing front rim in wood to match the back one would be difficult. I would also imagine it to be very difficult for any other parts that are missing/need to be maintained. Maybe you can fix it up and go for a ride while humming "singing in the rain" to recreate a scene from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Just a thought. :)

I have what I believe is a 1890s Massey Silver Ribbon.Great piece of Canadiana but almost impossible to find parts for.The one on CL is missing some key parts(crank specifically).I'd pass if I was you.I've put mine on the back burner for now.

I have this 1888-1892 no-name safety sitting in my basement. It is more complete than the one decribed on CL. In my mind it would be a challenged to restore. I would not recommend such a purchase.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p71/pastorbobnlnh/AntiqueFixie.jpg

That's the one you restore, get some period riding kit, and you have a first-class parade ride.

I would think finding that missing front rim in wood to match the back one would be difficult. I would also imagine it to be very difficult for any other parts that are missing/need to be maintained. Maybe you can fix it up and go for a ride while humming "singing in the rain" to recreate a scene from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Just a thought. :)

The wood rims are actually some of the easiest parts to find, you can find them used most of the time on fleabay and theres a few companies out there that make fine reproductions :) you can even get a set of steel 28 inch wheels and have them painted to look like wood ;) hubs for that bike can be found on fleabay too, might not be the "correct ones" but will work just as well ;) if you want to use a modern crank you can always use the adaptor for that too :)

Sounds like somebody who has already done some of the research for you OP. Despite the lack of "ALL ORIGINAL" appeal, ilikebikes definitely has a few good points. Everything is buildable, you just have to be willing to do it.

That's the one you restore, get some period riding kit, and you have a first-class parade ride.
It's hard to tell the scale from that picture, but the frame of this safety bike is not very big. The big rock behind it is about 4 feet to >3 feet tall. The same rock is over the front wheel of this Varsity. My guess is that a woman of 5 feet or less would have been the likely owner. Of course she would have to propel roughly 60+ lbs of fixie bike. :eek:
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p71/pastorbobnlnh/Varsity/P1010001.jpg

It's hard to tell the scale from that picture, but the frame of this safety bike is not very big. The big rock behind it is about 4 feet to >3 feet tall. The same rock is over the front wheel of this Varsity. My guess is that a woman of 5 feet or less would have been the likely owner. Of course she would have to propel roughly 60+ lbs of fixie bike. :eek:


Yes, but it was also a matter of the gearing. The bike in the photo looks to have maybe a 20t chainwheel with a 10t cog? So, just wildly guessing at the actual wheel diameter, the gear might be perhaps 50 inches per pedal revolution? I have an old CTC Gazette from 1897 with letters to the editor from various women saying their bikes with much higher gearing say 65-68 inches (then considered unsuitable for a lady) was actually perfectly comfortable on their bikes ... and that was for "touring" over the unpaved, muddy, rutted, country roads in England.

Aah, them would have been the babes for me! :love:

Yes, but it was also a matter of the gearing. The bike in the photo looks to have maybe a 20t chainwheel with a 10t cog? So, just wildly guessing at the actual wheel diameter, the gear might be perhaps 50 inches per pedal revolution?

I'm not good with gearing. If anyone wants to venture a more educated guess, here are closeup pics.
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p71/pastorbobnlnh/Crankset.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p71/pastorbobnlnh/RearHubandDropout.jpg

Just out of curiosity, what's the length of the links on that chain, pin to pin?

Yes, but it was also a matter of the gearing. The bike in the photo looks to have maybe a 20t chainwheel with a 10t cog? So, just wildly guessing at the actual wheel diameter, the gear might be perhaps 50 inches per pedal revolution? I have an old CTC Gazette from 1897 with letters to the editor from various women saying their bikes with much higher gearing say 65-68 inches (then considered unsuitable for a lady) was actually perfectly comfortable on their bikes ... and that was for "touring" over the unpaved, muddy, rutted, country roads in England.

Aah, them would have been the babes for me! :love:

I can see myself doing that...although I would have been the rebel and gone 'bloomer'! Off to the Pennines!!

Mind the bogs :D !

East Hill

I dont think counting the teeth works in this case.... just look at that industrial chain! You would have to get the diameter of both front and back chainring/cog and the size of the wheels