# Picked up an ol' Columbia this week.



## bikewhorder (Aug 9, 2013)

I picked up this Columbia Century this week.  I had taken the week off from work to work on my house but closing this deal took precedence. Its kind of a funny story, this bike came up for sale on the Maine Cl last spring and it was gone before I found the ad, which I was really bummed about because I've been wanting an early bike like this for about a decade now.  Then I found it for sale on the Boston Cl and managed to negotiate a very good price/trade for the bike and both parties walked away happy with their new rides.  I traded some cash plus my Norman Popular 28" English 3spd roadster which was a cool bike but too big for me and I had very little invested in it. Its mostly there and I took it for a ride around the block and its quite fun to ride! Anyway here's the pics and if anyone has any of the parts I need to finish it please LMK!


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## MrColumbia (Aug 9, 2013)

All can say it "JACKPOT!". Not the original or correct wheels but so what. The holy grail of early Columbia safeties.


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## bikewhorder (Aug 9, 2013)

More pics, I wasted half an hour of my life trying to make them the correct orientation but they just wont stay put.


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## bikewhorder (Aug 9, 2013)

A few more...


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## Freqman1 (Aug 9, 2013)

I know very little about early safeties but that is cool. Did they lace the original hubs into modern wheels? V/r Shawn


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## scrubbinrims (Aug 9, 2013)

I don't know what I am looking at here, but I should wait a little bit before standing up and moving around.
Chris


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## dfa242 (Aug 9, 2013)

Now that's what I'm talkin' about - woo hoo!!


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## bikewhorder (Aug 9, 2013)

Yes the rear is a 24" and the front wheel is missing the original hub,  I'm not sure exactly how the wheel adjusters should work being tightened against the nut you need to turn to lock the wheel in place.  Here's a pic of what the bike could be all restored from "Wing your heel's" web site.





and this is the bike I traded.


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## bikewhorder (Aug 9, 2013)

scrubbinrims said:


> I don't know what I am looking at here, but I should wait a little bit before standing up and moving around.
> Chris



Sorry I issued an apology for the crooked pics above.  I used every ounce of my brain power to orient them correctly but even though they appear correct on my photobucket page they still get exported like this. I am completely outsmarted by technology and live in fear of it.   I think that's why I like these old low tech things.


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## bikewhorder (Aug 9, 2013)

Hmm the pics of the restored bike are actually easier to see on the original link http://www.oldbike.eu/centurycolumbia/?p=1 and for a less nauseating experience you can go to my photo bucket page directly http://s1286.photobucket.com/user/BIkewhorder/library/columbia century?sort=3&page=1


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## sbusiello (Aug 9, 2013)

that seat is really unique. What type is it.

super cool bike. im jealous.


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## dfa242 (Aug 9, 2013)

Actually I think that bike from Colin's site is a Light Roadster, Chris.  Yours is a Century, which if I'm not mistaken, might be a little less common than the Roadster.  

By the way...*good trade!!!*


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## bikewhorder (Aug 9, 2013)

dfa242 said:


> Actually I think that bike from Colin's site is a Light Roadster, Chris.  Yours is a Century, which if I'm not mistaken, might be a little less common than the Roadster.
> 
> By the way...*good trade!!!*
> 
> View attachment 108282




Thanks, I was under the impression that they were the same except for the name?  BTW thanks again for passing on this one!


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## dfa242 (Aug 9, 2013)

There were a number of differences between them - I'm on my way out at the moment but will get back to you on this...


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## decotriumph (Aug 9, 2013)

What a great find! Congratulations


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## dfa242 (Aug 10, 2013)

Okay, I sit corrected.  Now that I look at the later, circa 1891 Light Roadster more closely, I see you're right that it's very similar to your Century.  I was thinking of this older Roadster from Copake, http://copakeauction.auctionflex.co...word=columbia&lso=lotnumasc&pagenum=1&lang=En
which has the incorporated rear fender like the earlier ones.  

I've only seen one other Century in person and have trouble finding good reference pics of the model - here's another Copake project - http://copakeauction.auctionflex.co...yword=century&lso=lotnumasc&pagenum=1&lang=En

It might be even more rare than I was thinking.  It would be interesting to get input from some of the Wheelmen on this very cool find.


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## Rustafari (Aug 10, 2013)

Wow! Congrats on acquiring such a rare and cool bike!


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Aug 10, 2013)

Good score!


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## carlitos60 (Aug 10, 2013)

*Bad to the Bone!*

That is a Bad A.. Bike!!!!!

Congratulations!!

Love to have Something Like That to Ride!!!!!


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## olderthandirt (Aug 23, 2013)

*who whao whaooo*

great find you must eat lucky dog three times a day ???? you lucky dog !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Wing Your Heel (Aug 24, 2013)

*!*

Very complete, great find. 

These bikes are still out there, and at cheap enough prices to buy. This is an inspiration to all of us to keep plugging away at those craiglist ads and swapmeet vendors, asking what other bikes they have at home 

Yours is correct Kirkpatrick saddle, worth over $1000 even with broken top. Easy to rig up a later saddle top onto the saddle frame. Most of them are now like that, as you couldn't use an original saddle top for riding as it's too delicate and valuable.







As dfa242 says, two different Columbia frame styles at this time, open frame or with a seat post. Yours is this style





Try a wanted ad on the wheelmen site for 30" Columbia wheels or just hubs. 

But old British 28" diam metal wheels are a cheap option if you want to remove your chrome wheels and build into later wheels so you can use normal 28" x 1 1/2 tyres.

Columbia hubs are 28 hole. 
My 1893 Columbia (above) didn't have wheels, so we built the rear 28 hole hub into a British 28" diam metal front wheel with 32 spoke holes. Filled in eight holes and redrilled four. Fitted a later front wheel without changing the hub. It's obviously best to be period correct, but also good to save $1000 in extra expense on wheels and solid tyres, and have it rideable until the correct wheels come along. 

You also have the correct front lamp holder. I'm missing this on both of my Columbias (though i hopefully now have one on its way from USA). It's a piece I can't reproduce because I've not yet found out how to bend springs. We did reproduced one Kirkpatrick saddle clamp, but it took a lot of work to do it. 

I was missing lots of parts on my Columbias when I started on them. Yours is easy to complete. I hope you do it

PS Maybe it's time to ask Scott if we can start a pre-1900 section?  This pre-1933 section alone is more active (and fun) than the wheelmen


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## bikewhorder (Aug 24, 2013)

Thanks for the info, although I would tend to disagree with when you say "yours would be easy to complete"   I guess everything is relative.  I had you figured for one of those guys that had supernatural powers when it came to locating parts, so if your struggling I can't see myself pulling it off. I was planning to try to find some 28" westwood style rims for it and lace them up to get as close as possible to the correct diameter rims.  At the very least I will try my hand at the leather work and fabricating the front seat bracket that is missing. Also, my rear hub is 36 hole and looks correct and unmodified to my eye.  Do you have a picture of the front hub so I know what I am looking for?  -Chris


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## Gary Mc (Aug 24, 2013)

bikewhorder,  Great find, I love it. Very cool bike!!!!!!!!

Here's the 1892 Columbia brochure page:











And the pertinent 1893 Columbia brochure pages, both the Model 29 & Model 32 were considered Century Columbia's in 1893:


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## Wing Your Heel (Aug 24, 2013)

*witchcraft*

I had you figured for one of those guys that had supernatural powers when it came to locating parts, so if your struggling I can't see myself pulling it off.

Yes i use witchcraft to find parts 

(no, actually i just spend all my time doing it)

You have one major advantage over me when it comes to American bikes though - you're in America!



For the seat, here's an easy way to do it







Here's the original 1893 28 hole Columbia front hub






For 28" x 1 1/2 non-chrome metal rims, keep an eye on UK ebay. I never have enough of them myself. Many pre-1930 British bikes I buy and fix up have later chrome rims, so i'm always hunting them to replace the wrong rims. 
Your cheapest option would be to buy later chrome wheels with the chrome wearing off the rims and finish rubbing off the chrome. Or painting over chrome rims.

If English wheels, they will be 40 hole rear and 32 hole front. French and German wheels are 36 hole.

If you find them on UK ebay, and they won't ship internationally, you can get them sent to me and i'll post them on to you

good luck

Colin


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