# 1898-1903 Pierce Special



## Hollyfeld (Jul 6, 2017)

Hello all,

Yesterday I was given a Pierce Special from my half-brother.  He said it belonged to his Grandfather and it originally had wood wheels.  He gave me the bike to hold onto because I am the cyclist in the family and will treat it with respect.  I have always wanted a skip tooth bike since I first heard of their existence so I'm all smiles right now.

Below are some photos I just took.  From what I found so far on this wonderful site is a possible age based on the badge.  It appears to have been painted red at some point.  The serial number might be XX566? Looks like aftermarket handlebars, seat, wheels and kickstand.  I don't know if those black spring like things on the fork belong there, somewhere else or nowhere at all, but they were there when i picked it up.  

I'd like to clean it up (tips on how without damaging it would be appreciated), put some new tires on it and take it for a spin.  Thoughts on value?  Is refinishing it a bad idea or acceptable?

I thought my 1971 Schwinn Suburban was going to be oldest bike I ever owned, but this one takes the cake.

Thanks so much!


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## Iverider (Jul 6, 2017)

Cool bike! The spring things on the fork are pant clips to keep your cuffs out of the chain.
Incorrect parts are the wheelset (as you stated) Kickstand, handlebars and seat. I'd value the rest at $500-700 but I'm not a Pierce expert. It could be more, but it wouldn't be less. It's nice that you have decent era correct pedals on it. Those are worthy of a good cleaning and regreasing. 

If it were my bike, I'd clean all of the bearings and lube them up and spray the bike down with some gun oil and wipe it clean with cotton rags making sure not to abrade anything too much. I can't really tell the condition of the paint. Is it repainted red over original black? A lot of people have carefully stripped repaints off to reveal original paint which is a painstaking procedure. I'm going to attempt this on one of my bikes soon, but I don't look forward to it. You can build a nice wheelset up using some Velocity p35 rims to have a bit of a better looking rim profile that is near spot on to the wood rims of the day.


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## catfish (Jul 6, 2017)

Nice!


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## dfa242 (Jul 6, 2017)

You may have already found this informative thread (http://thecabe.com/forum/threads/pierce-bicycle-serial-numbers.71746/) but if not, post #2 indicates that badge to have been used from about 1895-98.  You might also find useful information within it regarding correct parts, paint schemes, etc.  Good luck and have fun with it.


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## Hollyfeld (Jul 6, 2017)

dfa242 said:


> You may have already found this informative thread (http://thecabe.com/forum/threads/pierce-bicycle-serial-numbers.71746/) but if not, post #2 indicates that badge to have been used from about 1895-98.  You might also find useful information within it regarding correct parts, paint schemes, etc.  Good luck and have fun with it.




Thank you!  That was the thread that popped up on Google when I was searching for information about the bike.  Unless I'm mistaken, the badge is Type 3 which dates from 1989-1907.


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## Freqman1 (Jul 6, 2017)

dfa242 said:


> You may have already found this informative thread (http://thecabe.com/forum/threads/pierce-bicycle-serial-numbers.71746/) but if not, post #2 indicates that badge to have been used from about 1895-98.  You might also find useful information within it regarding correct parts, paint schemes, etc.  Good luck and have fun with it.



Actually I believe that is a Type 3 badge and would have been used from about 1898-1907 according to the post cited. V/r Shawn


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## dfa242 (Jul 6, 2017)

Freqman1 said:


> Actually I believe that is a Type 3 badge and would have been used from about 1898-1907 according to the post cited. V/r Shawn



You are absolutely right Shawn - my bad.  That'll teach me not to try and do two things at once.


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## dfa242 (Jul 6, 2017)

Hollyfeld said:


> Thank you!  That was the thread that popped up on Google when I was searching for information about the bike.  Unless I'm mistaken, the badge is Type 3 which dates from 1989-1907.



Absolutely right - my apologies!


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## Hollyfeld (Jul 6, 2017)

Krautwaggen said:


> Cool bike! The spring things on the fork are pant clips to keep your cuffs out of the chain.
> Incorrect parts are the wheelset (as you stated) Kickstand, handlebars and seat. I'd value the rest at $500-700 but I'm not a Pierce expert. It could be more, but it wouldn't be less. It's nice that you have decent era correct pedals on it. Those are worthy of a good cleaning and regreasing.
> 
> If it were my bike, I'd clean all of the bearings and lube them up and spray the bike down with some gun oil and wipe it clean with cotton rags making sure not to abrade anything too much. I can't really tell the condition of the paint. Is it repainted red over original black? A lot of people have carefully stripped repaints off to reveal original paint which is a painstaking procedure. I'm going to attempt this on one of my bikes soon, but I don't look forward to it. You can build a nice wheelset up using some Velocity p35 rims to have a bit of a better looking rim profile that is near spot on to the wood rims of the day.





It sure does look like it was painted red over black.  It's really dirty, grimy and sticky in places.  I have no problem spraying my modern bikes with various degreasers and soap to remove the dirt, but this bike is special; I wouldn't want to mess it up.  You see it on antiques roadshow when the appraiser informs them that someone used a cleaner they shouldn't have.  What is gun oil?  I'm not satisfied with the results that google gives (I'm assuming you're not talking about the personal lubricant) and I would like to know more about it.  Good luck on your paint stripping!


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## corbettclassics (Jul 6, 2017)

From the 1899 catalogue:  I probably have more info but need time to look..

The "SPECIAL" on the right.


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## corbettclassics (Jul 6, 2017)

I'm not sure if Pierce did this but, some manufacturers painted all their bikes black and if another color was to be done then it was painted right over the the black.  Liberty did this for instance. This could be an original carmine color but need to see more of course etc ..


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## Freqman1 (Jul 6, 2017)

corbettclassics said:


> I'm not sure if Pierce did this but, some manufacturers painted all their bikes black and if another color was to be done then it was painted right over the the black.  Liberty did this for instance. This could be an original carmine color but need to see more of course etc ..




Is there something to the racer frame that sets it apart from the standard models? I know in 1902 the "Special"  was offered on the standard models and was comprised of upgraded equipment e.g. tires, chain, etc... V/r Shawn


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## fordmike65 (Jul 6, 2017)

Congrats on an exceptional acquisition! I'm no Pierce expert, but that red paint looks to have been on there a _very_ long time. I wouldn't doubt it's been on there since new, like Dean mentioned above. This Pierce posted in the thread linked to above looks like the same carmine over black. Interesting...


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## Freqman1 (Jul 6, 2017)

I agree with Dean as well that this may very well be original paint. Brings up an interesting point though racer vs. standard. From the 1899 lit shown it appears the Special Racer was only offered in carmine. It would seem to me that all of these would have started as carmine. The '02 cat shows both the Racer and Pacer models as carmine only as well with all other models being back (standard) with carmine and light blue as options. The '99 cat also says the bikes are "striped". The OPs bike does not appear to have any stripes. Nickel forks as well as full nickel frames were optional on any model--at least for '02. So my thoughts are that this is a gents Special model that was ordered with the carmine paint option which was applied over the factory standard black paint. The early bikes from my experience were devoid of decals or stripes. Obviously the '99 Racer had stripes but in the '02 cat no mention of stripes or other garnish on any model. V/r Shawn


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## Iverider (Jul 6, 2017)

Hollyfeld said:


> It sure does look like it was painted red over black.  It's really dirty, grimy and sticky in places.  I have no problem spraying my modern bikes with various degreasers and soap to remove the dirt, but this bike is special; I wouldn't want to mess it up.  You see it on antiques roadshow when the appraiser informs them that someone used a cleaner they shouldn't have.  What is gun oil?  I'm not satisfied with the results that google gives (I'm assuming you're not talking about the personal lubricant) and I would like to know more about it.  Good luck on your paint stripping!





Ha. Sorry, living in the Midwest, "Gun Oil" is oil for firearms. I've used Rem Oil (Remington product) in aerosol form on a few bikes. You can spray a liberal amount on the frame and then let it sit for a bit. Then gently wipe the parts off. The plated parts will probably be a little easier to clean as they're generally more durable, although sometimes nickel will get a little flaky and want to come off. You could also wash it with a mild dish soap/water solution, but you're going to want to dry it and probably hit it with some paste wax when you're done to prevent rust from forming on bare metal areas.


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## delectans (Jul 6, 2017)

Congrats on your beautiful Pierce 'Special'!  I believe, as Shawn suggested above, your bike to be a non-Racer Pierce Special, based upon frame size.  From the photos it appears the frame is 24" or even 25", a taller frame than Pierce would have used on Racers, which were only available in 21", 22", and 23" sizes.  The non-Racer 'Special' was available in five different frame sizes, from 21" through 25".  The tubing diameter on the 24" and 25" 'Special' would have been 1-1/4" in the main tubes, versus the 1-1/8" Shelby seamless tubing used on the smaller frames.


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## delectans (Jul 6, 2017)

Regarding paint, I am inclined to think that there are several coats of red/carmine over black.  May have an original factory applied carmine coat, with later additional touch up coat added in areas of wear.  This is evident in the particularly thick paint with craquelure at top of seat tube; the paint-overrun at the base of the left seat stay; and the paint splatter on the 'Special' plaque.  Regardless, I would suggest preserving the paint in its current state as it is a part of the history of the bike...and it looks beautiful!


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## gkeep (Jul 6, 2017)

Great bike! NIce to see another carmine Pierce turn up. I read everything I could find here on the CABE about gently cleaning the original paint. Here's a shot of the original paint cleaned up with WD40 and 0000 steel wool. Then I did three coats of carnuba car wax. Cleaning the grime and rust off the spokes and rims was the most time consuming.





 Best of luck with your preservation efforts and enjoy the ride!
Gary


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## New Mexico Brant (Jul 6, 2017)

Beautiful bicycle!  Thank you for sharing!


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## gkeep (Jul 6, 2017)

Looking at your pictures a second time it looks like there is fine gold pin-striping showing on the black in the bottom bracket shots where the carmine is off. The carmine is clearly very old paint with the alligatoring in the finish. And it does not look like it was a quick and dirty house paint job with a brush.

Gary


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## fordmike65 (Jul 7, 2017)

gkeep said:


> Looking at your pictures a second time it looks like there is fine gold pin-striping showing on the black in the bottom bracket shots where the carmine is off. The carmine is clearly very old paint with the alligatoring in the finish. And it does not look like it was a quick and dirty house paint job with a brush.
> 
> Gary



I think you're right. Looks like red paint on headset and badges.


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## dfa242 (Jul 7, 2017)

Freqman1 said:


> I agree with Dean as well that this may very well be original paint."




If only I was so insightful - that was actually corbettclassics.


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## Hollyfeld (Jul 7, 2017)

delectans said:


> Congrats on your beautiful Pierce 'Special'!  I believe, as Shawn suggested above, your bike to be a non-Racer Pierce Special, based upon frame size.  From the photos it appears the frame is 24" or even 25", a taller frame than Pierce would have used on Racers, which were only available in 21", 22", and 23" sizes.  The non-Racer 'Special' was available in five different frame sizes, from 21" through 25".  The tubing diameter on the 24" and 25" 'Special' would have been 1-1/4" in the main tubes, versus the 1-1/8" Shelby seamless tubing used on the smaller frames.




Thanks!  If they size the bike from the center of the bottom bracket to the top of the seat tube, then this frame is 24"



gkeep said:


> Looking at your pictures a second time it looks like there is fine gold pin-striping showing on the black in the bottom bracket shots where the carmine is off. The carmine is clearly very old paint with the alligatoring in the finish. And it does not look like it was a quick and dirty house paint job with a brush.
> 
> Gary




I've looked closely for these stripes and I cannot see them.  Would they be in the same area as the stripes on your Pierce?  Is yours carmine also?  It appears to be a different red than mine.


Looks like the somewhere along the line the crank broke and was welded back on.  A little detective work showed me that this weld rubs on the chain.  There isn't much wear on the chain where the weld rubs, so I wonder how much it was ridden after the fix.


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## bricycle (Jul 7, 2017)

corbettclassics said:


> From the 1899 catalogue:  I probably have more info but need time to look..
> 
> The "SPECIAL" on the right.
> 
> View attachment 568269



I see no difference between the 131 & 141... maybe bars dip 1.5" lower....


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## delectans (Jul 7, 2017)

bricycle said:


> I see no difference between the 131 & 141... maybe bars dip 1.5" lower....




Catalog illustration does seem to be very similar, but the description indicates the regular 131/132/133 'Racer' to have arched fork crown versus the plate fork crown on the 'Special Racer'.  For that extra 10 bucks you also got upgraded "special tubular hubs" instead of the "flanged barrel hubs", likely resulting in some weight savings.

From the illustration, it appears that frame geometry also seem to be different, with the 'Special Racer' having a shorter wheelbase and steeper head and seat tube angle.  I imagine this also differentiates the 'Special Racer-For Track Use' from the 'Special Racer-For Road Use'.  The steeper geometry and shorter wheelbase would definitely be an advantage on the track.  The fork rake may also be different...


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## dnc1 (Jul 7, 2017)

The "spring things" on the fork look more like a tyre saver device, for pulling grit and stones etc. out of the tyres before they have a chance to puncture them. 
Popular as an aftermarket accessory in the early 20th. century, I don't think I've seen one as an integral part of a fork before.
Very cool bicycle!


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## Freqman1 (Jul 7, 2017)

dnc1 said:


> The "spring things" on the fork look more like a tyre saver device, for pulling grit and stones etc. out of the tyres before they have a chance to puncture them.
> Popular as an aftermarket accessory in the early 20th. century, I don't think I've seen one as an integral part of a fork before.
> Very cool bicycle!




As Krautwaggen said these are pant cuffs to keep your trousers out of the chain. They are not an integral part of the fork. V/r Shawn


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## dnc1 (Jul 7, 2017)

Freqman1 said:


> As Krautwaggen said these are pant cuffs to keep your trousers out of the chain. They are not an integral part of the fork. V/r Shawn



Doh!
I really should look at the photos more intently before commenting.
I didn't even notice the upper one attached to the crown!
Thanks @Freqman1.


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## gkeep (Jul 8, 2017)

This is the shot where I thought fine pinstripes were showing on the black paint. Maybe they are just parallel scratches??

Gary


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## gtdohn (Jul 8, 2017)

They look like double box pins to me too. Too perfect for scratches.


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## fordmike65 (Jul 8, 2017)

If that red paint is as old as it looks, I'm afraid the original paint & definitely the pinstriping will be lost if you attempt to strip it.


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## Hollyfeld (Jul 9, 2017)

The paint looks strange in some places.  Similar to when you use a non-permanent marker on a surface where the ink beads up and never sticks.  I thought I posted the photo below along with the other photos, but I didn't.  This shot in on the down tube.  Those are lines you see are actually little bits of paint, but I don't think they are pin stripes.


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## Hollyfeld (Jul 9, 2017)

fordmike65 said:


> If that red paint is as old as it looks, I'm afraid the original paint & definitely the pinstriping will be lost if you attempt to strip it.




I have no plans of striping it, just cleaning the grime off and getting it rolling again.  I like your post about the 'crusty' bikes!


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## filmonger (Nov 3, 2017)

Can you make out those first few numbers on the serial number?


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