# Pre-1933 Front Hub Thread - Feel free to post yours



## Gary Mc (Aug 24, 2012)

I don't know if this thread will take off or not but I have 2 really clean Pre-1933 hubs not yet laced to a rim so I thought I'd start with those to show the differences in them.  There seem to be a number of threads on rear hubs but not much out there on front hubs.  These two hubs are late 20's / early 30's.  

*New Departure Model SM versus Columbia Front Hub:*

(1) New Departure Model SM which I think general thought is these were produced roughly same years as Model C rear hub from 1927-1933.  This one appears to be nickel plated.

(2) Columbia hub produced in late 20's / early 30's.  This one appears chrome so would be 1929 or later as 29' is the year Columbia started chroming instead of nickel plating parts.
*
Columbia top, New Departure Model SM below:*






*Columbia right, New Departure Model SM left:*





*From a comparison perspective*, the ND SM spoke flange is inside of bearings whereas the Columbia spoke flanges are outside of the bearing areas.  The thought with the wider placed flanges on the Columbia was "so the wheel would remain true under severe usage".  This idea must have caught on as the idea spread with "ballooner" front hubs produced after 1933.  The Columbia hub and flange is also larger in diameter and appears "beefier".  The outside spacing on the Columbia is 1/8" narrower (3-5/8") than the ND SM (3-3/4").
*
Here is a 1930 Columbia Bicycles catalog pic & description of the Columbia front hub:*





Please feel free to post your pre-1933 front hubs, diagrams, catalogs, etc. here and add information, correct anything I got wrong, or if you just wish to comment. Thanks.


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## dubsey55 (Aug 24, 2012)

Nice pair of early hubs you have there.   It was  my belief that the Columbia  front hubs, (at least of the balloon tyre era),  were  fully machined  from  one  piece  of  bar  stock.  That  would  make  for  super  strong, (and true running)  Hub.   Personally,  looking  for  36  hole    early BSA  front hub  for  early track  bike project . Pictures  of early  BSA,  and/or other  early front  hubs  (road or track) would  be good   here  too,,,,


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## Larmo63 (Aug 24, 2012)

There is a simple elegance to the New Departure hub that the

more common-style Columbia hub lacks. My 2 cents.


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## Waterland (Aug 24, 2012)

You are correct on the date of the Model SM.  I have a 1927 Schwinn that has a Model SM front hub and a Model C rear hub, so this is either one of the first bikes to feature the SM, or the SM was manufactured earlier than the C.


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## Gary Mc (Aug 25, 2012)

Larmo63 said:


> There is a simple elegance to the New Departure hub that the
> 
> more common-style Columbia hub lacks. My 2 cents.




Larmo, I do agree & that elegance extends to the nickel plating over the chrome in my opinion.


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## 10~18kustoms (Aug 25, 2012)

Here is my ND SM front hub shell, it has had the nickel removed to reveal the brass underneath.  I may use this for my 1910ish Iver Johnson build, but, I am hoping to find a ND model M hub?  Any out there let me know??


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## Larmo63 (Aug 25, 2012)

My Mead Ranger has the og SM up front and a Model C in the rear.

Only lubed and overhauled, with original patina nickel, ....I'm good to go.


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## AshleyBing (Aug 30, 2012)

(2) Columbia hub produced in late 20's / early 30's. This one appears chrome so would be 1929 or later as 29' is the year Columbia started chroming instead of nickel plating parts.






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## Larmo63 (Oct 22, 2012)

*Here's a few....*

Top hub is a re-nickeled and very elegant no-name. Exactly the same one on Blue's all 
original Pierce. 




Top - Pierce?        Middle - Musselman early ca. 1907         Bottom - teens New Departure with oiler slide


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## Balloontyre (Oct 24, 2012)

*Mod M*

Teens Mod M front.


A good fit when paired up with the Mod A


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