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Pope "Daily Service" Bicycle

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Wheeled Relics

Cruisin' on my Bluebird
Since i started collecting bicycles I've always thought it would be neat to find what could be considered an "authentic" messenger bicycle. Recently ran across an 80% original Pope "Daily Service" (advertised as 1918) on Long Island that is now making the long trip out west to me.

The bike has some character. The top half of the head badge has been torn off, leaving only "Daily Service" and the factory identification below. The drive train is intact, early motobike pedals (which yes multiple people have contacted me about), original crankset / chain and what looks to be original 28" wood clad wheels that were painted white, (messaging / telegram service or police?) older era handlebars/grips and is missing the saddle and post.

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1913 Pope Catalog Ref:
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Here is a reference to the Pope's daily service in the book "Bicycle: The History" :

(fourth paragraph)
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To get a general impression of non-catalog specific saddle and handlebar combinations in use at the time I've been pouring over thousands of old messenger photographs specifically looking for those taken after 1909 (library of congress) while keeping a lookout for this distinct Pope chainring. Messengers were the same back then as they are now, and this doesn't just mean customizing their machines, but in general I'm finding a lot of custom saddle and handlebar combinations. I finally found a photo dated 1912 that shows this distinct chainring, and yes, another instance of non-catalog saddle / handlebar combination:

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Those are massive bars...he'd have busted knuckles from wacking everything.....lol.
 
Wide bars

Yeah I'm surprised at how many instances of oversized bars I'm finding, even extra wide Kelley's.
 
Pants cuff clip

Great sleuthing to find this photo. Nice to see like many urban bike messangers he had a sense of style, kept the pants cuffs from getting grease and oil on them so he could hit the nightspots lafter work looking good.

Gary
 
this is why we love bicycles

Since i started collecting bicycles I've always thought it would be neat to find what could be considered an "authentic" messenger bicycle. Recently ran across an 80% original Pope "Daily Service" (advertised as 1918) on Long Island that is now making the long trip out west to me.

The bike has some character. The top half of the head badge has been torn off, leaving only "Daily Service" and the factory identification below. The drive train is intact, early motobike pedals (which yes multiple people have contacted me about), original crankset / chain and what looks to be original 28" wood clad wheels that were painted white, (messaging / telegram service or police?) older era handlebars/grips and is missing the saddle and post.

View attachment 183360

1913 Pope Catalog Ref:
View attachment 183361

Here is a reference to the Pope's daily service in the book "Bicycle: The History" :

(fourth paragraph)
View attachment 183352


To get a general impression of non-catalog specific saddle and handlebar combinations in use at the time I've been pouring over thousands of old messenger photographs specifically looking for those taken after 1909 (library of congress) while keeping a lookout for this distinct Pope chainring. Messengers were the same back then as they are now, and this doesn't just mean customizing their machines, but in general I'm finding a lot of custom saddle and handlebar combinations. I finally found a photo taken in 1914 that shows this distinct chainring, and yes, another instance of non-catalog saddle / handlebar combination:

View attachment 183368
It is really cool to have an antique bicycle but it truly puts it into perspective when you have a photo like this along side it. It depicts a totally different world. To think, its a hundred years later...so cool
Great find. looks like you should be able to gently clean her and have good results. Please posts pics if that is your intent (to clean). Hell, post more pics when you get her, regardless :)
Kris
 
The cuff strap is to keep his pants outa the chain, nothing to do with stylin'! Getting your pants leg caught in the chain of a fixed gear bike with toe clips means you go down fast, with possible broken collarbone among other bad ass injurys! I went down hard once road riding my Uncles 1920s, "Pop' Brennan track bike. The Indian factory racer Im building now will have John Bull type strapless toe clips, beacuse of that experience!! Walter in NJ
 
1912 April

Can't quite make out the head-badge profile.
Forks look like a bi plane.
Nice spot for a horn...
No fenders.

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1912 Catalog ref

Pope Manufacturing Company’s 1912* Columbia Bicycles catalog which can be found in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

(*different chainring in 1912)
image.jpg
 
daily service bike

Pope Manufacturing Company’s 1912* Columbia Bicycles catalog which can be found in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library.

(*different chainring in 1912)
View attachment 183936

i was bidding on ebay for that bike and was in chat with owner the badge is half there so i declined on bidding anymore glad it went to a good home .
 
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