The weather in DC today is nearly ideal! Time to take lunch time walks around the mall. I currently work in the Orville Wright building across the intersection from the Air and Space Museum. Having bike on the brain (whats new, right?), I thought it was time to look at the Wright Bros Bicycle displayed in the Wright Bro exhibit. I was impressed with the simplicity and design. Something bothered me about it. Then is struck me, the bike was presented with the non -drive side! How could the Smithsonian make such an error! The drive side has a railing and a bench seat obstructing the view.

Forgot the camera as is often the case these days, but will return tomorrow. At the information desk, a form was presented for me to fill out to describe the findings. Lets see how long or if they rectify the problem! Addtional presentation points were added as well, like crank position and valve stem location. Ok, I will confess, I didn't even pay attention to those things when I looked at it. Don't even know if it has valve stems, but they look like pneumatic tires.

BTW: Only 5 bikes are known to exist. This one was donated by the Ford Museum.

Must be trying to unload that old thing on CraigsList.

You would think they'd understand how to display a bicycle like that but, alas, I'm sure the contractor that handles the layouts for the Smithsonian doesn't really have much of an interest in properly displaying the bicycle. At least, that's my guess...

Drive side facing, white garage door... duh.

I had to take pics through that bench in order to get the drive side crank. It was cool though to sit on the bench and ogle it while my kids ran wild in the Museum.

Looks like the original hipster fixie .... the drop is as crazy as some you see..... everything old is new again

Ya know, there used to be a bicycle shop in or near Wallingford (a Seattle neighborhood), called Wright's, and I'm trying to remember if Brothers was part of the name. (?)

i got a pic of that bike also, it was nice to see it.

i hear the are quite rare, like under 6 of them known to exist

That is one funky looking seat post, I wonder how it is connected to the saddle.

With a saddle clamp like this:

that post type I have seen before, I think it died off in the 50's

I don't think it is crazy, not as much as most of the pro peleton. Look how short the reach is though! twitchy handling I bet.

Definitely needs a longer stem.


I would ride the snot out of this bike, even if there are only five left

Well, since they didn't know enough to show the dang thing from the drive side, maybe they just put the handlebars on upside-down as well.

Still there, Wright Bros. near Fremont, nice shop and folks.

What year is this Write Brothers bike?

Steve

One of my favorite aspects of the Wright exhibit is the discussion of the bike-mounted aerodynamics measuring equipment.

I'm thinking that fork looks bent....

The Wright Brothers were hipsters, didn't you know. Into all kinds of high tech stuff, rode a fixie and working on some obscure thing few people knew anything about. You want quirky, those rims are pure wood, very eco friendly.

Thanks, I wanted to say it was definitely Wright Bros., but thought that fit this scenario a little too well. But their old shop had old & pequliar stuff in the windows, very much like the bike that started this thread. I'll have to look those guys up, & check out their new place.