# 1881 Columbia Standard Patent Plates



## TR6SC (Dec 21, 2016)

Looking forward to stripping the nickel off the plate on the right and polishing the brass to a golden hue.  The plate on the left has a lot of pitting and wear. I'm trying to finish the bike with accents of brass that compliment the nickel. Little bits of brass here and there. No fotos yet, but the rear hub will have cone adjusters with knurled brass sleeves.


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## pelletman (Dec 22, 2016)

What's the serial number on that bike?  What size is it?  Can you post a picture of the whole thing?  On the early Standards pre 85ish I's guess, there was only the namebadge on the side.of the backbone, the nameplate on the heads came out later.  On 50" and larger bikes, the nutted spokes were only used til 83, on 48 and 46 they were used until the end of the model, which I believe was 88. Looks nice!


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## TR6SC (Dec 22, 2016)

pelletman said:


> What's the serial number on that bike?  What size is it?  Can you post a picture of the whole thing?  On the early Standards pre 85ish I's guess, there was only the namebadge on the side.of the backbone, the nameplate on the heads came out later.  On 50" and larger bikes, the nutted spokes were only used til 83, on 48 and 46 they were used until the end of the model, which I believe was 88. Looks nice!



Hey Pelletman, No access to the bike right now. I'll get a photo and serial # later. It's an 1881 56" Standard, or so I've believed for 25 years or so. The rear wheel is 20". This is a heavy bike. I think the only thing on it that's hollow is the backbone, and it's not very hollow! 
The Patent Plate only on the later heads is one I've never heard. That pitted one on the left came with the bike. The rest of the metal looked exactly the same. Lots of high build catalyzed primer are under the paint. The same goes for the nickel, plenty of guide coats of copper were needed to smooth out the pits. I was thinking of naming the bike Zasu (Pitts). 
Those lovely adjusters were fabricated out of stainless. The originals were WAY gone!


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## pelletman (Dec 22, 2016)

Thanks!  I could be wrong, but I have never seen one on one of the earlier ones.  The bike is definitely 1883 or before with the hex nipples and 56".  I'm not as adept at dating Standards as I am the other models.  I'm trying to learn.  I hope you don't plan on centuries with it, it would be a long ride!  The 20" rear wheel makes me think early, but only because I have seen larger rear wheels on earier experts.  I have also seen an 18" rear wheel on a 60" 1883 Expert , so I guess it could go either way.  Normal 58 and 60" Experts had 20" rear wheels, at least in the later years.


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## bikebozo (Dec 22, 2016)

also is a non-bearing example -I would like to hear of  the weight of the whole bike ,thanks for all the good photos


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## TR6SC (Dec 22, 2016)

That's correct BBozo, not a bbearing on the bbike, anywhere. The pedals are steel cones into cones and the axles are bbronze bbushes!
I'll pedal this monster down to the waterfront, and hook it up to a swordfish scale!
And if you're out there listening Pelletman, it's #6219


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## pelletman (Dec 23, 2016)

Well, technically, no ball bearings.  They called what is there "plain bearings"  Thanks for the serial number!


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## pelletman (Dec 23, 2016)

The serial number confuses me.  From the characteristics of the bike, it can't be later than 83.  84 they went to double butted spokes in the larger standards.  The latest serial number I know of on Standards is 8563 and I know 6647 is double butted as is 7044 and 7701.  Maybe they made VERY few Standards after 84, which is possible


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## pelletman (Dec 23, 2016)

It would be helpful to see more pictures when you can get them.  The head and rear wheel areas might shed some light on things


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## TR6SC (Dec 23, 2016)

Here is my favorite detail on this bike. A rectangular tapered cotter pin.  Clever Trevor  

 

 I will take a couple more pics later. The mushroom mounting peg makes it early. 

 




pelletman said:


> It would be helpful to see more pictures when you can get them.  The head and rear wheel areas might shed some light on things


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## Ed Minas (Dec 24, 2016)

What sweet ride!


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## locomotion (Dec 24, 2016)

there is some expensive nickel plating on there, can't wait to one day see the whole machine
looks like a beautiful bike


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## bikebozo (Dec 25, 2016)

1st bicycle across America in 1884, plain bearing , Columbia Standard 50 inch front wheel ,   103  1/2 days Thomas Stevens--San Francisco to Boston ,,  april 22 -august 4th-then continued around the world on a Columbia expert


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## bikebozo (Dec 25, 2016)




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## bikebozo (Dec 25, 2016)

tom ,with his full nickle columbia 50 inch 

 expert getting ready for his around the world journey


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## pelletman (Dec 27, 2016)

The mushroom shaped step was used almost, maybe all the way, to the end.  You can't narrow it down too much by that.  7700 has it too and 8000 is close to the end of production.  The Standard was a slow seller in the later years


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## TR6SC (Dec 27, 2016)

pelletman said:


> The mushroom shaped step was used almost, maybe all the way, to the end.  You can't narrow it down too much by that.  7700 has it too and 8000 is close to the end of production.  The Standard was a slow seller in the later years



Hey Pelletman. These are all good points you are bringing up. 6000 out of 8000 doesn't suggest early.  Unless 6000 were made in the first couple of years. Here's an argument; Who would buy an out of date, heavy, non ball bearinged bike in the late '80s?
I did!


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## pelletman (Dec 27, 2016)

I think your bike is 1883.  It can't be later with nutted spokes.  I am saying the first 6000 were made in the first 3 years.  Production fell drastically as people started buying the Expert in 82 and the Light Roadster in 85, the remaining 2500 or so were made over the next 5 years until they were phased out at the end of the 88 model year.  They made other models til 92 although the production or ordinaries immediately and drastically declined once the safety was introduced in 87.   Sales went through the floor and there were almost no changes from 88 to 92 on most of the models. I'm working on being able to date them by serial number, and I am pretty much there on the Experts


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## TR6SC (Dec 27, 2016)

pelletman said:


> I think your bike is 1883.  It can't be later with nutted spokes.  I am saying the first 6000 were made in the first 3 years.  Production fell drastically as people started buying the Expert in 82 and the Light Roadster in 85, the remaining 2500 or so were made over the next 5 years until they were phased out at the end of the 88 model year.  They made other models til 92 although the production or ordinaries immediately and drastically declined once the safety was introduced in 87.   Sales went through the floor and there were almost no changes from 88 to 92 on most of the models. I'm working on being able to date them by serial number, and I am pretty much there on the Experts



Please keep up the great work. I'm nuts about the enthusiasm. You're obviously in the same asylum a myself. Thanks for your passion!


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## pelletman (Dec 27, 2016)

The only way I can be sure of 83 is for you to tell me if the handle grip screws off and has no special flush nut holding the grip on.  That is a sign of 1883, 82 and 81 were different.  

Are you absolutely sure you are reading the first digit in the serial number correctly?  I know of 6647 and it has much later features.  I am pretty sure it is 86 or later


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## TR6SC (Dec 27, 2016)

pelletman said:


> The only way I can be sure of 83 is for you to tell me if the handle grip screws off and has no special flush nut holding the grip on.  That is a sign of 1883, 82 and 81 were different.
> 
> Are you absolutely sure you are reading the first digit in the serial number correctly?  I know of 6647 and it has much later features.  I am pretty sure it is 86 or later



I'll check it out in the morning.


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## pelletman (Dec 27, 2016)

OK, thanks.  There is the one on the backbone neck and one under the rear of the front fork


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