# What's Your OLDEST bicycle ?....



## HARPO (Apr 1, 2011)

Here's my 1934 girls Rollfast. Original except for tires and hand grips. 

The bike came from the home of the original owner that I bought from a friend of mine, Bicycle Bill Waltzer. He had changed the tires on it, he told me, by having to use a hacksaw to get them off! He said they were petrified and it was almost like cutting through wood they were so hard!

fred


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## HARPO (Apr 1, 2011)

A few more shots. And I forgot to say, it's also missing the lacing on the rear fenders...


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## eazywind (Apr 1, 2011)

1916 Indian. Pedals not original, Have seat now- 2nd pic. Missing knob at back of light.


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## ohdeebee (Apr 1, 2011)

Ivanhoe Special. Ivanhoe built bikes between 1892 and 1898. This bike is older than chrome plating, coaster brakes and the courthouse in the town I live in. I've since added the correct seat and working carbide lamp.


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## HARPO (Apr 1, 2011)

Cool bikes, guys!! And I can't believe the paint on the Indian!


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## blasterracing (Apr 1, 2011)

That Indian is Awesome!!


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## tony d. (Apr 2, 2011)

80's colombia lite roadster


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## ridingtoy (Apr 4, 2011)

My oldest is a 1933 14" "Little Prince" bicycle:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/toys-prams/4662445740/

Next oldest is a ~1939 Schwinn:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/toys-prams/4783645381/

Dave


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## Yardsaleman (Apr 5, 2011)

*1920's Elgin*

I have been told it is from the no later then the late 20's and the crank is from the early teens The bike i guess is called a Elgin Motorbike when ever is it from I love it 








I love this chain ring 








And this is what it looked like when I got it








Yea my elbow still hurts...


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## Andrew Gorman (Apr 5, 2011)

Yardsaleman, what are the yellow tires on the bike?  Enquiring minds want to know!


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## vincev (Apr 5, 2011)

this is a 1910 wood wheel Elgin.It has a Colson Bar and slat rear carrier


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## HARPO (Apr 6, 2011)

Isn't it wild that all these have survived for this length of time? Usually these would have been considered "trash" and tossed. Yet, due to sentimentality, laziness or whatever, they have once again been reborn and have come out of hiding.


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## ftwelder (Apr 9, 2011)

1898 Nashua by EH corson cycles. This is how I received it.  




IMG_3630 by barnstormerbikes, on Flickr



IMG_3632 by barnstormerbikes, on Flickr



IMG_3633 by barnstormerbikes, on Flickr

and this is how it looks as of a couple of days ago. 




17 049 by barnstormerbikes, on Flickr

I found 80 NOS Torrington spokes of the correct size for $5.00. I will likely never again be that lucky. I have all the parts to complete this bike. Including a pair of chain-link treaded tires that hold air. I had to make a few spoke nipples and head-set components but no trouble so far. 

The bearings are ball type but ride in three-angle configurations rather than radius grooves. The cones are literally "cones" with no ball grooves. The frames tubes are rolled from sheet and brazed. I suspect they are butted. The complete bike weighed 26 lbs before cleaning. The cups press in but it has cotttered cranks with Whitworth threaded cotters.  The rear hub is a Nelson patent 1900.


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## HARPO (Apr 10, 2011)

WOW! Can't wait to see the final photos when the restoration is done. You've done a lot of work. Thanks for the photos!


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## elginkid (Apr 10, 2011)

FTwelder, how did you clean the brightwork?  They look stunning!  Especially given where they started.


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## Hiawathatc (Apr 10, 2011)

Mine is a 1935 Packard (Schwinn) Motobike. Not sure if the rack and dropstand are correct but I like 'em.


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## OldRider (Apr 10, 2011)

Beautiful bike! Your rack is a Wald aftermarket rack introduced in catalogs in the early 30s, so period correct it is


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## ftwelder (Apr 10, 2011)

elginkid said:


> FTwelder, how did you clean the brightwork?  They look stunning!  Especially given where they started.




I have a very well equipped machine shop with large industrial polishers, vibratory finishers and related stuff. I mostly use a variety of wire wheels then non-woven abrasive products like Scotchbrite, EXL and clean and strip. All 3M stuff.  I like to remove anything that is loose and polish everything else. 

The bike has a large brass bell that is polished to perfection. Perhaps another couple of months and it will be done and out for a spin. 

Thanks for the kind words. I dream about riding this bike.


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## Andrew Gorman (Apr 10, 2011)

I'm finally working on my ca. 1870 blacksmith made boneshaker-pix are up at:
http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g72/gormanao/problem child/
Not very well organized yet, but I am motivated to get this beast back on the road.  It's definitely not a factory product, but rideable and well made by someone without all the niceties a Pickering or a Michaud  would have.  Several areas are pretty much worn out so I'm grappling with what needs to be shimmed. re-bushed or ever babbited to tighten the mechanical parts up a bit.  There is no comparison to a gorgeous machine like this one:
http://thewheelmen.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1820&SearchTerms=museum,boneshaker
But I'm having fun with it.


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## scrubbinrims (Apr 11, 2011)

Last week, I picked up almost the exact same bicycle in same color as Harpo's original post, only different in the chainguard.
If only the aluminum rear fenders did not have skirtholes...
The interesting thing about it is that the rear fender stays are integrated the dropstand tangs and I hadn't seen that before, I thought Synder bikes had the tangs in the frame as a distinguishing feature.
Anyway, nice bikes everyone.


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## HARPO (Apr 11, 2011)

Hey Scrubbinrims! Any chance on seeing some pics?

Fred


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## ftwelder (Apr 12, 2011)

Andrew Gorman said:


> I'm finally working on my ca. 1870 blacksmith made boneshaker-pix are up at:
> http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g72/gormanao/problem child/
> Not very well organized yet, but I am motivated to get this beast back on the road.  It's definitely not a factory product, but rideable and well made by someone without all the niceties a Pickering or a Michaud  would have.  Several areas are pretty much worn out so I'm grappling with what needs to be shimmed. re-bushed or ever babbited to tighten the mechanical parts up a bit.  There is no comparison to a gorgeous machine like this one:
> http://thewheelmen.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1820&SearchTerms=museum,boneshaker
> But I'm having fun with it.





That is a pretty interesting machine. I am sure I remember when it was found about a year ago or so?  There is a broken high-wheeler in a barn around here. The guy still wants $1200 for it.. It's buried in furniture right now.


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