Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

The Oldest, Oldest Fixed-Gear Bicycles-

Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

The Oldest, Oldest Fixed-Gear Bicycles-

Old 11-02-09, 10:01 PM
  #1  
Bicycle Adventurer
Thread Starter
 
banjo_mole's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 1,514
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
The Oldest, Oldest Fixed-Gear Bicycles-

I'm mostly curious as to their look and styling. Cottered cranks, probably, steel stem and handlebars, skip-tooth chains, etc...

Anyway, I would really like to see some pictures of old, old bikes, which were, incidentially, fixed-gear because it was at one time that or an internally geared hub.

Please, everyone, post some pictures, I'm yearning to see em.

As for a date cap?

Umm...

2000 - Too new.
1990 - Too new.
1980 - Too new.
1970 - Too new.
1960 - ... Maybe.
1950 - ... Maybe.
1940 - ... Maybe...
1930 - Yes!
1920 - Yes!
1910 - Yes!
1900 - YES!
1890 -YES!
1880 - Wow..
1870 - They had bikes?
1860 -
banjo_mole is offline  
Old 11-02-09, 10:04 PM
  #2  
Wood
 
David Newton's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Beaumont, Tx
Posts: 2,304

Bikes: Raleigh Sports: hers. Vianelli Professional & Bridgestone 300: mine

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times in 10 Posts
Edwardian bikes.
Nice site: https://oldbike.wordpress.com/
David Newton is offline  
Old 11-02-09, 10:05 PM
  #3  
soonerbills
 
soonerbills's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Okieland
Posts: 935

Bikes: 25 at last count. One day I'll make a list

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
soonerbills is offline  
Old 11-02-09, 10:07 PM
  #4  
sultan of schwinn
 
EjustE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Lehigh Valley, PA
Posts: 3,581
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 15 Times in 9 Posts
You got to get a tad older than that in your count down.... The first bike boom was in the 1810s... lots of fixies then

EjustE is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 01:19 AM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
Citoyen du Monde's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,975
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 39 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 32 Times in 22 Posts
My oldest one is from the 1880's
Attached Images
File Type: jpg
Brendola Ride.jpg (38.9 KB, 34 views)
Citoyen du Monde is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 01:26 AM
  #6  
Senior Member
 
Fletch521's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Loves Park, Illinois
Posts: 419

Bikes: 1897 Crescent Tandem, 1904 Rambler shaft drive, 1921 Schwinn Henderson, 1958 Schwinn Tiger, 1973 Raleigh International, 1982 Trek 420, 2010 Trek 720

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
1904 Rambler Chainless

Has been in the family since 1904!
Fletch521 is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 01:58 AM
  #7  
Bicycle Adventurer
Thread Starter
 
banjo_mole's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 1,514
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by soonerbills
Wooden rims? Nah, WOODEN BIKE! Wowzers.

Originally Posted by EjustE
Ahh... I see all the parts to make a bicycle but don't understand the result.


Citoyen du Monde, nice penny farthing!

Originally Posted by Fletch521
1904 Rambler Chainless

Has been in the family since 1904!
How does it work without a chain?

Keep 'em coming, everyone!

They don't have to be yours, I just want pictures!
banjo_mole is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 02:38 AM
  #8  
Rustbelt Rider
 
mkeller234's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Canton, OH
Posts: 9,126

Bikes: 1990 Trek 1420 - 1978 Raleigh Professional - 1973 Schwinn Collegiate - 1974 Schwinn Suburban

Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 258 Post(s)
Liked 370 Times in 176 Posts
Originally Posted by banjo_mole

How does it work without a chain?
It's got a drive shaft
__________________
|^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| ||
|......GO.BROWNS........| ||'|";, ___.
|_..._..._______===|=||_|__|..., ] -
"(@)'(@)"""''"**|(@)(@)*****''(@)
mkeller234 is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 04:28 AM
  #9  
Freewheel Medic
 
pastorbobnlnh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: An Island on the Coast of GA!
Posts: 12,878

Bikes: Snazzy* Schwinns, Classy Cannondales & a Super Pro Aero Lotus (* Ed.)

Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1448 Post(s)
Liked 2,177 Times in 957 Posts
The 1892 lady's safety I found at the dump a few years back.



Not really a skip-tooth, but adjustable length cranks.

__________________
Bob
Enjoying the GA coast all year long!

Thanks for visiting my website: www.freewheelspa.com





pastorbobnlnh is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 05:16 AM
  #10  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Manchester, England
Posts: 7

Bikes: 1985 peugeot UO8

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
hmm, stalybridge canal museum has something ancient and wooden hanging on a wall, pic hunting now
flashharry80 is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 06:27 AM
  #11  
.
 
bbattle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Rocket City, No'ala
Posts: 12,760

Bikes: 2014 Trek Domane 5.2, 1985 Pinarello Treviso, 1990 Gardin Shred, 2006 Bianchi San Jose

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 62 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 24 Times in 11 Posts
bbattle is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 06:53 AM
  #12  
Freewheel Medic
 
pastorbobnlnh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: An Island on the Coast of GA!
Posts: 12,878

Bikes: Snazzy* Schwinns, Classy Cannondales & a Super Pro Aero Lotus (* Ed.)

Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1448 Post(s)
Liked 2,177 Times in 957 Posts
Originally Posted by bbattle
Is the front fork bent?
__________________
Bob
Enjoying the GA coast all year long!

Thanks for visiting my website: www.freewheelspa.com





pastorbobnlnh is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 09:59 AM
  #13  
PanGalacticGargleBlaster
 
Zaphod Beeblebrox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Smugglers Notch, Vermont
Posts: 7,536

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
That picture made me literally laugh out loud for some reason

Bob, the chain/skirt guards on that ladies bike are so cool.
Zaphod Beeblebrox is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 10:56 AM
  #14  
Decrepit Member
 
Scooper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Santa Rosa, California
Posts: 10,489

Bikes: Waterford 953 RS-22, several Paramounts

Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 634 Post(s)
Liked 68 Times in 57 Posts
1899 Schwinn World Model 35 track bike (20 pounds):



Mid-1890s Wright Brothers "St. Clair":

__________________
- Stan

my bikes

Science doesn't care what you believe.
Scooper is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 11:00 AM
  #15  
aka Tom Reingold
 
noglider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,697

Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem

Mentioned: 510 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7292 Post(s)
Liked 2,368 Times in 1,384 Posts
Originally Posted by banjo_mole
Ahh... I see all the parts to make a bicycle but don't understand the result.
It's a four-wheel tandem. One rider low in front, the other high in back.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog

“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author

Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
noglider is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 11:56 AM
  #16  
rhm
multimodal commuter
 
rhm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NJ, NYC, LI
Posts: 19,852

Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...

Mentioned: 584 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1908 Post(s)
Liked 574 Times in 339 Posts
Originally Posted by noglider
It's a four-wheel tandem. One rider low in front, the other high in back.
Is there a differential, or something? Must be unsafe at any speed, well, any speed over about 8 mph anyway.
rhm is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 01:15 PM
  #17  
Senior Member
 
Fletch521's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Loves Park, Illinois
Posts: 419

Bikes: 1897 Crescent Tandem, 1904 Rambler shaft drive, 1921 Schwinn Henderson, 1958 Schwinn Tiger, 1973 Raleigh International, 1982 Trek 420, 2010 Trek 720

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
The 1892 lady's safety I found at the dump a few years back
That is cool, it deserves a restoration. Do you have the missing parts? Are those steel rims?
Fletch521 is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 01:24 PM
  #18  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 1,143

Bikes: Many. Ralieigh sports`s, Raleigh Superbe, sears Spaceliner, Firestone supercruisers, many vintage mountain bikes, random cruisers, and other unique bikes.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 1 Post
A friend has this, no clue of the year but it's called CCM Flyer

I have this. it's a 3 speed but it's rather neat! has a neat history behind it
HSean is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 01:31 PM
  #19  
Elitest Murray Owner
 
Mos6502's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,660

Bikes: 1972 Columbia Tourist Expert III, Columbia Roadster

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 2 Posts


The 1860s Boneshakers are probably as far back as you're going to get and still have pedals. Of course there is no "gear" so it's not technically a fixed gear bicycle.

Chains and gears didn't start showing up until a bit later:
Mos6502 is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 04:28 PM
  #20  
Freewheel Medic
 
pastorbobnlnh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: An Island on the Coast of GA!
Posts: 12,878

Bikes: Snazzy* Schwinns, Classy Cannondales & a Super Pro Aero Lotus (* Ed.)

Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1448 Post(s)
Liked 2,177 Times in 957 Posts
Originally Posted by Fletch521
That is cool, it deserves a restoration. Do you have the missing parts? Are those steel rims?
This is how I found it, leaning up against the scap metal pile. I looked and looked for the bars and any part of a saddle, but no luck. The rims are steel and drilled for pneumatic tires, which had just been invented four years prior. Notice there are no nipples on the ends of the spokes. They are located on the hubs. It was made by Coventry Cycle Co. in England.

How it made it to NH I will never know, and who took it to the dump is a mystery. It was sold in an auction for over $1000. I put absolutely no money into it. Best flip ever!



__________________
Bob
Enjoying the GA coast all year long!

Thanks for visiting my website: www.freewheelspa.com





pastorbobnlnh is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 04:34 PM
  #21  
.
 
bbattle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Rocket City, No'ala
Posts: 12,760

Bikes: 2014 Trek Domane 5.2, 1985 Pinarello Treviso, 1990 Gardin Shred, 2006 Bianchi San Jose

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 62 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 24 Times in 11 Posts
1910 Pierce Chainless


bbattle is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 05:54 PM
  #22  
Senior Member
 
sykerocker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Ashland, VA
Posts: 4,420

Bikes: The keepers: 1958 Raleigh Lenton Grand Prix, 1968 Ranger, 1969 Magneet Sprint, 1971 Gitane Tour de France, 1973 Raleigh Tourist, 3 - 1986 Rossins, and a '77 PX-10 frame in process.

Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 221 Post(s)
Liked 237 Times in 129 Posts
God, I love the Louise Brooks hairstyle!
__________________
Syke

“No one in this world, so far as I know — and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me — has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.”

H.L. Mencken, (1926)

sykerocker is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 05:57 PM
  #23  
Senior Member
 
sailorbenjamin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Rhode Island (an obscure suburb of Connecticut)
Posts: 5,703

Bikes: one of each

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times in 12 Posts
1928 Raleigh Golden Arrow (#2 on the list of bikes I wish I'd kept, but high on my buddie's list of bikes he's glad I let go).
sailorbenjamin is offline  
Old 11-03-09, 07:23 PM
  #24  
Bicycle Adventurer
Thread Starter
 
banjo_mole's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 1,514
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by Scooper
1899 Schwinn World Model 35 track bike (20 pounds):



Mid-1890s Wright Brothers "St. Clair":

What cost $75 in 1899 would cost $1846.03 in 2007.

I kind of want to build one of these machines. Not a Drewy hipster fixed-gear. One of these. That would be sweet. I'm sure the LBS can order handlebars and a stem like that.
banjo_mole is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.