First Multi-Speed American Bicycle Discovered
07-15-09, 03:15 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
First Multi-Speed American Bicycle Discovered
Hoo Boy! This is an archaeological find! The first three speed bike in America. Makes me wonder, when the first carbon fiber bike is discovered, can it be carbon-dated? (bad joke).
Read the story:
https://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayRe...5060286&EDATE=
Quote;
"First Multi-Speed American Bicycle Discovered
A lone surviving copy of a bicycle from another era, a chainless 3-speed relic manufactured in early 1900, has been recovered and is being restored; called "The Hill-Climber," it was the first multi-speed bicycle to be produced in America
SEATTLE, July 15 /PRNewswire/ -- A bicycle believed to be the first production model in America to employ multiple-speed gear ratios has been found and is being restored to original condition. When found, only the patented gear-changing mechanism was still attached to the rusty frame. A nationwide search for replacement parts and information about the company that produced it has been undertaken.
Before this discovery, the first-known production multi-speed bicycle was marketed under the Columbia brand in 1903. It featured a two-speed "kickback" hub, and was also a chainless bicycle. The story of "The Hill-Climber" has recently been published in a book titled "Restoration." It is available on the Amazon-affiliate website Createspace at https://www.createspace.com/3382245
The inventor of this 3-speed bicycle, Peter J. Scharbach, called it "The Hill-Climber." It was originally produced by Scharbach/Hoerth and Company in San Francisco in 1902. Research shows that the company also tried to produce an early automobile. It is not known how many of these bicycles were sold during its production years from 1902-1904. Chainless bicycles are manufactured today by a few companies, but the product form is not widely known to bicyclists.
The surviving Hill-Climber, a frame with a shaft-drive (like an automobile) instead of a chain, has three bevel gears at the rear wheel, and shift linkage to change speed ratios. It was stored in the basement of a retired dairy farmer outside of Pe Ell, WA, after spending most of its life on his farm junk pile. His father, John K. Muller, and many residents of the area invested in a manufacturing company formed with the inventor in late 1903. Assembly operations were moved from San Francisco to Chicago in early 1904. Mysteriously, all their investment was gone by the end of the year, and the company folded.
A descendant of the inventor was found living in Arizona. His great-grandfather was a blacksmith, inventor and entrepreneur whose patent for the chainless bicycle is still being referenced today. Remnants of the bicycle business are a few surviving photographs taken at a product roll-out event in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, c.1902. An advertising flyer, and other surviving documentation, was found in the possession of relatives of John K. Muller.
The bicycle is scheduled to be on display at the 32nd Annual LeMay Auto Collection show August 29, 2009, near Tacoma, WA. For details go to https://www.lemaymuseum.org
More information about the bicycle, its restoration, and its place in history can be found at https://www.fusionstudios.com/hill-climber
Photos:
https://www.ereleases.com/pr/Hill-Climber.jpg
https://www.ereleases.com/pr/Hill-Climber-2.jpg
https://www.ereleases.com/pr/Hill-Climber-3.jpg
Fusion Studios is a Seattle firm that specializes in Graphic Design and Writing Services for print and web.
Contact Al Tietjen, Director of Marketing for Fusion Studios, Inc., 206-547-1303 ext. 1, or al@fusionsudios.com
This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit https://www.ereleases.com.
SOURCE Fusion Studios, Inc.
" end quote.
Read the story:
https://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayRe...5060286&EDATE=
Quote;
"First Multi-Speed American Bicycle Discovered
A lone surviving copy of a bicycle from another era, a chainless 3-speed relic manufactured in early 1900, has been recovered and is being restored; called "The Hill-Climber," it was the first multi-speed bicycle to be produced in America
SEATTLE, July 15 /PRNewswire/ -- A bicycle believed to be the first production model in America to employ multiple-speed gear ratios has been found and is being restored to original condition. When found, only the patented gear-changing mechanism was still attached to the rusty frame. A nationwide search for replacement parts and information about the company that produced it has been undertaken.
Before this discovery, the first-known production multi-speed bicycle was marketed under the Columbia brand in 1903. It featured a two-speed "kickback" hub, and was also a chainless bicycle. The story of "The Hill-Climber" has recently been published in a book titled "Restoration." It is available on the Amazon-affiliate website Createspace at https://www.createspace.com/3382245
The inventor of this 3-speed bicycle, Peter J. Scharbach, called it "The Hill-Climber." It was originally produced by Scharbach/Hoerth and Company in San Francisco in 1902. Research shows that the company also tried to produce an early automobile. It is not known how many of these bicycles were sold during its production years from 1902-1904. Chainless bicycles are manufactured today by a few companies, but the product form is not widely known to bicyclists.
The surviving Hill-Climber, a frame with a shaft-drive (like an automobile) instead of a chain, has three bevel gears at the rear wheel, and shift linkage to change speed ratios. It was stored in the basement of a retired dairy farmer outside of Pe Ell, WA, after spending most of its life on his farm junk pile. His father, John K. Muller, and many residents of the area invested in a manufacturing company formed with the inventor in late 1903. Assembly operations were moved from San Francisco to Chicago in early 1904. Mysteriously, all their investment was gone by the end of the year, and the company folded.
A descendant of the inventor was found living in Arizona. His great-grandfather was a blacksmith, inventor and entrepreneur whose patent for the chainless bicycle is still being referenced today. Remnants of the bicycle business are a few surviving photographs taken at a product roll-out event in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, c.1902. An advertising flyer, and other surviving documentation, was found in the possession of relatives of John K. Muller.
The bicycle is scheduled to be on display at the 32nd Annual LeMay Auto Collection show August 29, 2009, near Tacoma, WA. For details go to https://www.lemaymuseum.org
More information about the bicycle, its restoration, and its place in history can be found at https://www.fusionstudios.com/hill-climber
Photos:
https://www.ereleases.com/pr/Hill-Climber.jpg
https://www.ereleases.com/pr/Hill-Climber-2.jpg
https://www.ereleases.com/pr/Hill-Climber-3.jpg
Fusion Studios is a Seattle firm that specializes in Graphic Design and Writing Services for print and web.
Contact Al Tietjen, Director of Marketing for Fusion Studios, Inc., 206-547-1303 ext. 1, or al@fusionsudios.com
This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit https://www.ereleases.com.
SOURCE Fusion Studios, Inc.
" end quote.
07-15-09, 04:50 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: New York Metro Area
Posts: 3,863
Bikes: '02 Litespeed, '99 Bianchi Alfana. '91 Fuji Saratoga, '84 Peugeot Canyon Express, '82 Moto GR, '81 Fuji America, '81 Fuji Royale; '78 Bridgestone Diamond Touring, '76 Fuji America, plus many more!
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 181 Post(s)
Liked 224 Times
in
127 Posts
H.B.
Thank you for posting this.
C.H.
Thank you for posting this.
C.H.
07-15-09, 05:48 PM
#3
PanGalacticGargleBlaster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Smugglers Notch, Vermont
Posts: 7,531
Bikes: Upright and Recumbent....too many to list, mostly Vintage.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 19 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
4 Posts
very cool
__________________
--Don't Panic.
--Don't Panic.
Last edited by Zaphod Beeblebrox; 07-15-09 at 05:51 PM.
07-15-09, 08:03 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: New York Metro Area
Posts: 3,863
Bikes: '02 Litespeed, '99 Bianchi Alfana. '91 Fuji Saratoga, '84 Peugeot Canyon Express, '82 Moto GR, '81 Fuji America, '81 Fuji Royale; '78 Bridgestone Diamond Touring, '76 Fuji America, plus many more!
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 181 Post(s)
Liked 224 Times
in
127 Posts
That thing must have weighed a ton! Viva Los Chains!
07-15-09, 08:37 PM
#5
Palmer
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 8,625
Bikes: Mike Melton custom, Alex Moulton AM, Dahon Curl
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1668 Post(s)
Liked 1,821 Times
in
1,059 Posts
Very cool. But of course there were multi-speed ordinaries almost 20 years before.
tcs
tcs
07-15-09, 09:10 PM
#6
Going on a Paramount Hunt
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Posts: 188
Bikes: 1987 Eisentraut Rainbow Trout, 1970? Coppi, 1986 TREK 500 Tri Series, 196? Legnano Super Sport, 1993 Klein Rascal
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Looks like the bike on the left has toe clips. I think a modern day carbon fiber version would be a must have to calm down the SS / Fixie craze. Gears are cool. I want one.
__________________
TIOS = The Illusion of Speed
1987 Eisentraut Rainbow Trout
1986 Trek 500 TRI SERIES
1993 Klein Rascal
"...Because I don't know what I'm talking about..."
TIOS = The Illusion of Speed
1987 Eisentraut Rainbow Trout
1986 Trek 500 TRI SERIES
1993 Klein Rascal
"...Because I don't know what I'm talking about..."
07-15-09, 09:46 PM
#7
feros ferio
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Posts: 21,798
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1393 Post(s)
Liked 1,325 Times
in
837 Posts
That is cool! It brings to mind another unusual bicycle transmission, the German Adler bottom bracket sliding gear unit from the 1930s.
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
07-16-09, 03:42 AM
#8
shaken, not stirred.
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: The Shaky Isles.
Posts: 5,250
Bikes: I've lost count.
Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1412 Post(s)
Liked 971 Times
in
390 Posts
Very cool.
It will be an expensive bike to restore, but well worth it. I'm glad that that piece of history is being preserved.
It will be an expensive bike to restore, but well worth it. I'm glad that that piece of history is being preserved.
__________________
Get a bicycle. You will not regret it if you live. ~Mark Twain, "Taming the Bicycle"
vBulletin: snafu
07-16-09, 07:51 PM
#10
Senior Member
Wow! I love these pictures. It's funny how different everything looks, except the bikes. They needed a chainless drive to ride in three piece suits, you know!
