Weird vintage tech thread.
11-29-21, 09:40 PM
#76
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11-29-21, 09:45 PM
#77
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11-29-21, 11:28 PM
#78
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I've seen these referred to as 'donkey bikes' or 'velocinos'.
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11-30-21, 08:56 AM
#79
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11-30-21, 04:32 PM
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Pederson Self-Engagement System - The calipers are on a spring loaded helical track. When the brake is applied, the resistance pulls the caliper in towards the rim, increasing the brake force.
P1010340 on Flickr
Suntour removed the front brake from the market due to lock ups potential and litigation risk.
P1010340 on FlickrSuntour removed the front brake from the market due to lock ups potential and litigation risk.
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12-01-21, 05:34 PM
#83
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[img]blob:https://www.bikeforums.net/afedda3b-79f6-44e6-af8b-f12d7bedd8da[/img]
That Trimble reminded me of these; very similar to Brent Trimble’s carbon monocoque MTB…
Oops, I must’ve done something funky (again) google Sbike in images and you’ll get there. If you want…
That Trimble reminded me of these; very similar to Brent Trimble’s carbon monocoque MTB…
Oops, I must’ve done something funky (again) google Sbike in images and you’ll get there. If you want…
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12-01-21, 06:16 PM
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12-01-21, 10:34 PM
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Don't ask me - I haven't a clue. But it sure is weird:
DD
DD
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12-02-21, 06:15 AM
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Lookes like the chain is doubled and the adjustment is the sliding of the bb on a shaft! Nice rear brake!
Did someone take this seriously?
Did someone take this seriously?
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12-02-21, 06:32 AM
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That is an very early 1890s Victor bicycle by the Overman Wheel Co. They were very popular in their day and extremely collectable to-day. Pneumatic tyres were the new technology and solid tyre proponents like Victor used used suspension forks in attempt to soften the ride and compete with pneumatic bicycles.
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12-02-21, 06:39 AM
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I've ridden a bike with solid tires once, so I completely understand the desire/need for a front suspension like that!
The bottom bracket arrangement is similar to a bike on display at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis. The whole bottom bracket is adjusted fore & aft as a way to tension the chain. It makes me wonder when horizontal dropouts were invented.
a couple of shots of the bike at the Museum of Transportation.....
I'm not sure why the manufacturer used radial spoking on the rear wheel. Tangential spoking was used on the earlier Ordinary bikes, so it existed when this bike was built.
Steve in Peoria
The bottom bracket arrangement is similar to a bike on display at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis. The whole bottom bracket is adjusted fore & aft as a way to tension the chain. It makes me wonder when horizontal dropouts were invented.
a couple of shots of the bike at the Museum of Transportation.....
I'm not sure why the manufacturer used radial spoking on the rear wheel. Tangential spoking was used on the earlier Ordinary bikes, so it existed when this bike was built.
Steve in Peoria
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12-02-21, 06:44 AM
#90
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FFS had its place in the cycling universe. Derailleur operation mystified a lot of folks who did could not grasp "You must be pedaling when you shift" and coordinate the movements. FFS solved that and was widespread at the time, found on several models of many U.S and Asian brands. Many of those bikes also featured Positron derailleurs, the granddaddy of SIS. Maybe not desirable high-end stuff, but it certainly simplified and improved the cycling experience for a whole lot of folks.
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12-02-21, 07:10 AM
#91
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Timex Velo-Trak wristwatch/cycle computer. I had one of these. First seen at the last (I think) Atlantic City Interbike show, it struck me as a terrific idea. Take that as proof of my status as a leading reverse indicator. I was later able to buy one for $20 at K-Mart when they were dumped. I think I used it once before it broke.
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12-02-21, 07:12 AM
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12-02-21, 07:33 AM
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Here's my favourite weird chain technology, the 1890s Simpson lever chain. I became aware of it in the 1970s, via the famous Toulouse-Lautrec poster. Originally, I thought that he had committed a faux pas and drawn the teeth on the chain, instead of the cogs and chainwheel. Only decades later did I discover that Toulouse-Lautrec was an avid cyclist who regularly attended competitions at the Paris velodromes and that his representation of the Simpson Chain was accurate.
Simpson claimed a mechanical advantage over traditional chains. The benefit reportedly came from driving at two different levels, at two different pitchs, as a result of the triangular links. The inner pins at the base of the triangle were driven by the chainwheel while the outer pins, at the peak of the triangle, drove the cog on the rear wheel.
Of course, these claims were the subject of much ridicule, Consequently, Simpson set up a series of match races for June 1896 in which he gave 10:1 odds for anybody using traditional chains that could beat his sponsored riders. The races, held at the Catford track in London, reportedly drew crowds of 12,000 to 20,000 spectators. All the eveents were distance races, preformed with pacing bicycles consisting of triplets, quadruples and quintuples (i.e three, four and five rider bicycles). Simpson prevailed but only because of the superiority of his team. The company would go bankrupt in 1898, when the bicycle boom went bust.
The poster depicts a similar 1896 event at the Vélodrome de la Seine in Paris. The Simpson chain would probably had been relegated to obscurity had it not been for this poster being produced by an artist of Toulous-Lautrec's stature. However, it merits attention beyond the artist and chain. In the back ground, upper left, is a depiction of what appears to be two bicycles with five riders on each (quintuplets). Of more interest is the solo cyclist in the foreground. It is Simpson sponsored rider Constant Huret, 1900 World Champion, and brother of André Huret, of wingnut and derailleur fame.
Simpson claimed a mechanical advantage over traditional chains. The benefit reportedly came from driving at two different levels, at two different pitchs, as a result of the triangular links. The inner pins at the base of the triangle were driven by the chainwheel while the outer pins, at the peak of the triangle, drove the cog on the rear wheel.
Of course, these claims were the subject of much ridicule, Consequently, Simpson set up a series of match races for June 1896 in which he gave 10:1 odds for anybody using traditional chains that could beat his sponsored riders. The races, held at the Catford track in London, reportedly drew crowds of 12,000 to 20,000 spectators. All the eveents were distance races, preformed with pacing bicycles consisting of triplets, quadruples and quintuples (i.e three, four and five rider bicycles). Simpson prevailed but only because of the superiority of his team. The company would go bankrupt in 1898, when the bicycle boom went bust.
The poster depicts a similar 1896 event at the Vélodrome de la Seine in Paris. The Simpson chain would probably had been relegated to obscurity had it not been for this poster being produced by an artist of Toulous-Lautrec's stature. However, it merits attention beyond the artist and chain. In the back ground, upper left, is a depiction of what appears to be two bicycles with five riders on each (quintuplets). Of more interest is the solo cyclist in the foreground. It is Simpson sponsored rider Constant Huret, 1900 World Champion, and brother of André Huret, of wingnut and derailleur fame.
Last edited by T-Mar; 12-02-21 at 07:43 AM.
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12-02-21, 07:37 AM
#94
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Loads of fun stuff here:
In particular:
Superfast chains. Looks like it could use some help from those little blue pills...
The Bicycle Museum of Bad Ideas
In particular:
- PMP Cranks
Superfast chains. Looks like it could use some help from those little blue pills...
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12-02-21, 08:01 AM
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Pederson Self-Engagement System - The calipers are on a spring loaded helical track. When the brake is applied, the resistance pulls the caliper in towards the rim, increasing the brake force.
P1010340 on Flickr
Suntour removed the front brake from the market due to lock ups potential and litigation risk.
P1010340 on FlickrSuntour removed the front brake from the market due to lock ups potential and litigation risk.
Also have Bullseye Cranks. Maybe not weird, but kind of ahead of their time with 2-piece construction.
Last edited by Bianchi84; 12-02-21 at 08:14 AM.
12-02-21, 01:34 PM
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Simpson claimed a mechanical advantage over traditional chains. The benefit reportedly came from driving at two different levels, at two different pitchs, as a result of the triangular links. The inner pins at the base of the triangle were driven by the chainwheel while the outer pins, at the peak of the triangle, drove the cog on the rear wheel.
It combines unnecessary mechanical complexity with a fairly ludicrous claim of improved performance. At least as good as oval chainrings, curved crank arms, etc.
For some reason, it brings to mind the amplifier with the knob that goes up to eleven.
I'd seen the part of The Dancing Chain that discusses it, but don't think I'd seen a modern photo of one. Very cool!
Steve in Peoria
12-02-21, 01:43 PM
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nice find
Taalking about silly early computers, i always loved the Ciclomaster II "Alti". As the name implies, it had an altimeter function. This was not done by measuring air pressure, as is common now, but worked in a mechanical way, where the *position* of some sort of pendulum was measured electronically,. elevation and climb rate were calculated based on measured speed and inclination.
I never had one but i'm told it did not work as precise as one would imagine
Taalking about silly early computers, i always loved the Ciclomaster II "Alti". As the name implies, it had an altimeter function. This was not done by measuring air pressure, as is common now, but worked in a mechanical way, where the *position* of some sort of pendulum was measured electronically,. elevation and climb rate were calculated based on measured speed and inclination.
I never had one but i'm told it did not work as precise as one would imagine
These have largely been replaced by solid state accelerometers that are fairly small and cheap. Surprisingly, GPS receivers seem to be cheap enough and accurate enough that most modern devices just keep track of their X, Y, and Z position, and can track the elevation gain by simple addition and subtraction.
Steve in Peoria
12-02-21, 02:02 PM
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Have I mentioned the curved crank arm yet?
It may have been the first among the various schemes to vary the mechanical advantage as the cranks go around.
The concept, as I understand it, was that the crank would bend during the power portion of the crank stroke. The bending would cause the crank to get a bit longer, increasing the rider's leverage and allowing more power to be generated.... or something like that?
Like Biopace or the original Rotor crank with the cam driven rings, or the Powercam with the cams that changed the chainrings rotational position as the crank rotated (similar to the Rotor), there wasn't much data to support the claims, but it looked high tech and there was probably some sort of placebo effect.
The tandem that featured the cranks for both the captain and stoker (although the captain is in back, and the stoker is in front.
The tandem was built by the Ide company (or sold under the Ide name?) here in Peoria a long time ago!
Steve in Peoria
It may have been the first among the various schemes to vary the mechanical advantage as the cranks go around.
The concept, as I understand it, was that the crank would bend during the power portion of the crank stroke. The bending would cause the crank to get a bit longer, increasing the rider's leverage and allowing more power to be generated.... or something like that?
Like Biopace or the original Rotor crank with the cam driven rings, or the Powercam with the cams that changed the chainrings rotational position as the crank rotated (similar to the Rotor), there wasn't much data to support the claims, but it looked high tech and there was probably some sort of placebo effect.
The tandem that featured the cranks for both the captain and stoker (although the captain is in back, and the stoker is in front.
The tandem was built by the Ide company (or sold under the Ide name?) here in Peoria a long time ago!
Steve in Peoria
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12-02-21, 03:43 PM
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That is an very early 1890s Victor bicycle by the Overman Wheel Co. They were very popular in their day and extremely collectable to-day. Pneumatic tyres were the new technology and solid tyre proponents like Victor used used suspension forks in attempt to soften the ride and compete with pneumatic bicycles.
Wish I had a close-up of some of the details; for example, I can't quite make out exactly what the linkage in front of the head tube goes and if it's gear or brake related.
Shoulda given it a test ride
DD
