Artkansas 

I saw this image of a Western Union bike and had to share it. It combines beach cruiser ethic with a scraper bike. I guess these guys were the original bike messengers.

Ekdog

Cool! From the looks of that car in the background, I'd say the photo was probably taken back in the '40s.

Artkansas 

I would have guessed the '30s.

Roody

Cool pic, but it's hard to date it by the car because they had the same cars in the 40s as in the 30s, since the auto companies switched over to war production even before the US entered WWII. Almost no American cars were built between 1941 and 1946, and Detroit became "The Arsenal of Democracy."

I have read that people hated to see a Western Union messenger's bike pulling up to their house during the war, because that's how people were notified that a son or husband had been killed in the war.

Artkansas 

You might be right about the date. The car looks similar to a 1935 Dodge. That wheel decoration might be red white and blue to aid in the war effort.

Roody

You have a good eye for historical photos. I didn't think about the patriotic decorations, but something about the feel of the photo said 1940s to me.

Are you aware of the Life magazine photos, which are all available on Google Images?

Artkansas 

What happened to your sig, Roody? Have you become a "roadie"?

Roody

I don't know what the problem is. Maybe it's the links or something? I'm going to have to come up with something new the next time I'm feeling creative.