# What year is this toc Westfield(?) Viking?



## Brian R. (Nov 5, 2016)

I bought this Viking in Michigan a while back. It was the seller's grandfather's bike and was parked in the basement in the 1960s when they couldn't get a tire for it. I am certain it is all original except for the pedals which I bought on Ebay. The green stripe on the rims matches the green on the head tube. The original saddle is the Redwing Olympia in the photo with the tire missing. The other saddle is one I put on while I'm repairing the original one. I believe the bike to be Westfield made, but please correct me if I'm wrong.

I would really like to know the year it was made if possible. The Morrow hub brake has a 1909 patent date on it, and the rims were made in Lobdell's Onaway factory which burned down in 1926, so unless the hub was laced in later, it was made sometime between 1910 and 1925. The chain is 1 inch pitch. The front fork does not have slots in the ends for the axle to drop out. The frame has a "starburst" paint pattern near the head tube - it would be interesting to know when that became in fashion, as CCM offered that too in the late teens. The handlebar is very wide and has an unusual bend in it. ...So if there are enough clues here and in the photos to narrow the date it was made down to 2-3 years, that would be great. Thanks in advance.


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## catfish (Nov 6, 2016)

1914 / 1915.


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## tripple3 (Nov 6, 2016)

Wow. That bike is awesome.
How does it ride now?


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## bikewhorder (Nov 6, 2016)

I was going to guess late teens but that's just a guess and Catfish is probably correct, That's a great find, The original saddle  looks pretty sweet, what kind of repairs are you doing to it?


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## locomotion (Nov 6, 2016)

that bike is very nice Brian, great find


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## Brian R. (Nov 6, 2016)

Thanks guys. I bought this bike when I was new to collecting and didn't really know what I was doing. I drove to Michigan thinking I was buying a parts bike to restore another bike. When I saw it I realized I could not possibly part it out as it was in such good original condition. I cleaned and greased the hubs and bb, picking chunks of dried up 100 year old grease out of the bearing races with a safety pin. After that, it rode beautifully, and I was surprised at how tall the gearing is. In those days I imagine kids and adults were more athletic than we are now, and instead of whining about hills they would tease each other about being manly enough to pedal a bike. Anyway, unlike all my Canadian bikes the rims do not have sides to them to take regular tires, so I put on these Universal solid repros which cost an arm and a leg. They look good but man are they heavy. It takes the fun out of riding it long distances and I want to find proper tubular tires for it.

Bikewhorder (great Cabe name by the way! I regret not choosing a better handle than Brian R.) The leather in the saddle started to split while I was riding it. The leather is really dried out. I took it apart and my plan is to glue a piece of leather to the underside of the saddle to hold it together and prevent it from falling apart more.

Catfish, what clues tell you it's 1914-15? I'm really curious!


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## Junkhunter (Nov 6, 2016)

If it was my bike, I would keep those wheels, but build a set of the 700c riders. i have the original wood rims for a few bikes, but change them out if I'm going to ride it a while. You will enjoy the bike a lot more I think. Same situation for the saddle. Set that one to the side and keep it safe and ride a Brooks. Beautiful bike.  Enjoy it. I agree early to mid teens.


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## catfish (Nov 6, 2016)

Brian R. said:


> Catfish, what clues tell you it's 1914-15? I'm really curious!




Let's just say I know a thing or two about Pope / Westfield / Columbia bikes.


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## locomotion (Nov 8, 2016)

catfish said:


> Let's just say I know a thing or two about Pope / Westfield / Columbia bikes.
> 
> Brian, Catfish has a Columbia room in his house!!!


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## catfish (Nov 8, 2016)

It's more like the whole house.


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## Brian R. (Nov 8, 2016)

I wish my wife would let me place bicycles throughout the whole house   Catfish, I didn't ask about which clues led to the 1914-15 conclusion because I don't believe you. I have confidence in your knowledge and trust that you wouldn't answer unless you were certain. I only asked because I'm always trying to build on my own personal knowledge of this time period. In the case of the majority of bikes in my garage - CCM - there are many catalogues available online for reference, but the earliest so far is 1918 and so the 1899-1918 period is a bit of a black hole when it comes to putting a year to a bike. For example, one of my long-time unanswered questions is about the changes in front fender style. First there were no fenders, then bikes had thin front fenders stopping at the fork crown, then thin front fenders projecting forward of the fork crown, and finally a change from thin fenders to drop-side fenders. Knowing more about the years these trends changed would help me not only determine the years of bikes I have, but when restoring certain bikes, knowing which parts to put on which bikes. So, now thanks to you and my Viking I know that by 1914, most manufacturers were probably offering bikes with a full length, thin front fender.


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## Underground Bicycle Shop (Nov 8, 2016)

catfish said:


> It's more like the whole house.



You and me both man


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## locomotion (Nov 8, 2016)

Underground Bicycle Shop said:


> You and me both man



Same here, unfortunately for miss!!!


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## Brian R. (Dec 12, 2016)

If I were to offer this 1914/15 Viking for sale here on the CABE site with its original saddle, what should my asking price (in USD) be, including the red Universal display tires (non inflating), but not including the lamp?


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