# Columbia Model 50 help wanted



## Columbia Down Under (Apr 6, 2013)

A few years ago I picked up the remains of a Model 50 Columbia shaft drive bike from a museum here in Australia. As you can see there are plenty of significant pieces missing from the puzzle, but as I have finished most of the other projects that I have been working on I thought it was about time to try & do something with this bike. I would really like to find a crank assembly & a front wheel. Most other bits I could make or substitute parts from elsewher to get it going, but these two are show stoppers. I do have the shaft & the rear drive gears, but the crank and front drive gear (the one that attaches to the shaft) have been donated to another bike before I got it.
There are only a couple of other Columbia shaft drive bikes here in Australia (that I know of) and virtually no spares. I'm happy to remanufacture some of the parts that I need (even the drive gears if I have to), but I really need some good information or parts to measure if I can't get spares. Any help will be greatly appreciated. I am also coming to America for a holiday for a few weeks starting in the beginning of June, so if people have parts, information or even events that they think I should visit, I'd love to hear about them so I can include them in the itinerary.


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## MrColumbia (Apr 7, 2013)

I think there was a post here not long ago were someone was missing some of the parts you have.


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## highwheel431 (Apr 7, 2013)

*1898 Columbia Model 50*

Your Columbia Model 50 is from 1898.  This is the first production year for the Columbia chainless.  It is a one year only frame design along with the crank so those parts will be very hard to find.  Most of the other parts will be interchangeable with other 1898 and some 1899 Columbia's.


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## 1898Columbia (Apr 15, 2013)

*1898 Columbia Model 50*

Hi Down Under - I have an 1898 Columbia Model 50 in very good condition.  I could take some close-up photos, if that would help - maybe post them in an album on this website?  Let me know if this would help.


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## Andrew Gorman (Apr 15, 2013)

The 1898 Columbia shaft drives are very different than any of the other chainless columbias- you are going to need a bunch of 1898 only parts.  On the plus side, you do have a men's frame.  Your best bet would be to try and find another parts bike for the mechanical pieces.


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## rideahiggins (Apr 15, 2013)

I've been looking for a left side crank arm and padal for a while now with no luck.


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## Columbia Down Under (May 9, 2013)

*All help gratefully recieved*

Thanks to those of you who replied. Information & photo's would be great. If 1898 Columbia could take a few photo's of his bike, that would be great. Shots of the two sides of the centre bracket and crank assemblies will help a lot. If you could put a ruler in the shot, to give some scale, that would be a big help. Shots of the pedals & also front hub would be appreciated.


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## MrColumbia (May 9, 2013)

Here is some images from the 1898 Chainless catalog.


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## 1898Columbia (May 26, 2013)

I'm sorry it has taken so long to get these photos, and I will take some more for you soon.


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## Columbia Down Under (May 27, 2013)

*Thanks for the photo's*

Thanks for the photo's, they are a great help. Don't worry about the time to take photo's, the help is gratefully received. I will be in the USA within a fortnight. If anyone has any last minute suggestions on where to go for parts (e.g. swap meets) or other information, I'd love to hear from you.


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## fat tire trader (May 27, 2013)

Which of the 50 states are you going to?


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## pelletman (May 27, 2013)

I thought there were 57 states?!


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## fat tire trader (May 28, 2013)

Which are the additional 7? Puerto Rico, South Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel and ?


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## pelletman (May 28, 2013)

fat tire trader said:


> Which are the additional 7? Puerto Rico, South Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel and ?




Don't know, MY PRESIDENT says there are though, so I don't question it.  It wouldn't be patriotic.


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## MrColumbia (May 28, 2013)

fat tire trader said:


> Which are the additional 7? Puerto Rico, South Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel and ?






and Guam rounds out the 7. Think Massachusetts needs to be taken out of the list as it is a Commonwealth, not a State so that still leaves one more to go. Can't we just buy Nova Scotia from Canada and make it a state? Are they even using it?


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## chitown (May 28, 2013)

MrColumbia said:


> Can't we just buy Nova Scotia from Canada and make it a state? Are they even using it?




I think a pack of sea lions are running a tourist camp up there but other than that I think it's ripe for the taking!


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## scrubbinrims (May 28, 2013)

MrColumbia said:


> and Guam rounds out the 7. Think Massachusetts needs to be taken out of the list as it is a Commonwealth, not a State so that still leaves one more to go. Can't we just buy Nova Scotia from Canada and make it a state? Are they even using it?




I guess that means we have to also take out VA, PA, and KY as well being the other Commonwealths.
We have some independent cities here in Virginia and I live in the City of Richmond that is not within a County...sometimes in registering my address, people don't believe I do not reside in a County.
Can't help you on your bike and I am not current on foreign policy either.
Chris


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## babyjesus (May 29, 2013)

scrubbinrims said:


> I guess that means we have to also take out VA, PA, and KY as well being the other Commonwealths.
> We have some independent cities here in Virginia and I live in the City of Richmond that is not within a County...sometimes in registering my address, people don't believe I do not reside in a County.
> Can't help you on your bike and I am not current on foreign policy either.
> Chris




Most Americans don't know much about the foreign policy - I think that's why it continues to exist because otherwise it surely wouldn't. 

That's an incredibly touchy subject for the rest of the world


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## Columbia Down Under (Jun 5, 2013)

*Tourist Itinerary*

Hi All

Probably easiest if I just list the cities we will be staying in:
Las Vegas, Albuquerque, Orlando, New York, Washington, San Francisco & Los Angeles.

A member of the Cabe (vw00794) last year was talking about "the secret stash" which he had purchased. It included a lot of shaft drive stuff and was selling off some parts that he didn't need. I noticed he lived in Los Angeles, but I haven't been able to make contact with him. Can anyone help with this?


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## babyjesus (Jun 6, 2013)

Columbia Down Under said:


> Hi All
> 
> Probably easiest if I just list the cities we will be staying in:
> Las Vegas, Albuquerque, Orlando, New York, Washington, San Francisco & Los Angeles.
> ...




You really should leave a wanted ad on cabe and scour ebay whilst you are in the US but apart form that you really need to ask around here on cabe and try to get people to ask other people. For what you are looking for it's most likely going to come from the internet. Another thing - while you are in the US see if you can find a friend who will let you use their adress to send something incase you should find what you need from a seller who wont ship abroad. Then your friend can forward it.  
Specifically I don't know where you can find the parts you are after other than ebay/cabe.  You could try asking Mr Columbia?


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