# circa 1915 Mead Ranger & Catalog scan



## morgan (Jan 19, 2008)

Hey, I picked up a tall (24") Mead Ranger on ebay recently, it's either a Special or a Roadster. You can see it here:





http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/v/morgan/morganbikes/1915_mead_ranger/

I plan on turning it into a rider. I live 1100' above and 7 miles from my work. I doubt I'd ride it up and down the hill often - more likely drive close to work and ride from there - but I would sometimes. I'm a full-grown man.  I wonder, they must have ridden down hills with just the rear coaster brake back then? 

It has what I guess are New Departure Model A hubs. I doubt I'd find parts to rebuild them, and the wood rims are shot, and I can't afford the single-tube tires anyway. My plan is to get some later-model hubs and build some 27", 700c or 28" wheels for it. What's the best rear hub, not necessarily period-correct? Is it a Morrow? Do any of you have a 32-hole or 36-hole set (F & R) in good shape you can sell me? I know I could drill the fork for a brake like Sheldon Brown did, but I want to keep it looking mostly like it does now, or did originally, and I like the simplicity of a coaster brake. I'll probably just hang the original wheels on a hook.

I see that Schwalbe has a Delta Cruiser "creme" (white) tire in 700c x 35mm and 28" x 1.5" sizes, available mostly from German and British vendors. I might try getting some, I like the idea of big fat white tires. Finding decent 28" rims might be hard. Can 28" clinchers be run with 700c rims? I could also do the "29er" route for rims and some skinny 29er mtn bike tires. 

Here's something you might like. I also bought a 1919 Mead Ranger catalog on ebay. It came with a bunch of extra pieces of literature, order forms, etc. I scanned it all and put it on the web. Click the medium-sized images for full-sized images straight off the scanner. I hope you find it useful.

http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/v/morgan/print/mead_1919/

Also, need a seat for it. Would like to find another saddle like the "Sager Star" that (I think) came with it. (see pages 48 and 13 of the catalog) My saddle appears to be the Sager Star without the big coils under the rear. Have a saddle like that for sale in rideable shape? I got a repro saddle on ebay, but it doesn't look like it has the same post clamp diameter or rail spacing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270197837324

The repro saddle is also monstrously heavy. Is it possible to get mine restored by someone without spending a mint? It has most of the metal hardware (missing the clamp that connects the front loop spring and the rails) and the plywood pan and a little bit of the horse hair, but nothing else.

My bike is skip-tooth, but the 1919 catalog shows the Ranger Roadster with no skipped teeth on the sprocket and cog. Does that help date mine? I have another older piece of undated Mead literature - also from ebay - that shows the Ranger Roadster (I think it's called) with skip-tooth.

The chain has a slot-head screw in it. I see something like it on page 46 of the catalog. It says it's for "BRAMPTON, PEUGEOT and PERRY CHAINS, (Stock limited.)" My chain seems monstrously wide. Is there any way to tell what kind of chain it is?

The chainring runs out of true. I imagine something's bent. How to fix / true? It's a flanged chainring, super thick.

I'm tempted to turn it into a pseudo-track bike or "scorcher" with some period-ish drop bars.  I've always wanted a pre-war American made racer.

Thanks, look forward to your opinions. 

Morgan


----------



## JOEL (Jan 22, 2008)

Thanks for posting that great catalog!  PM sent.


----------



## phenolic (May 12, 2008)

what were you able to do with this project?  and what did you find out about morrow v. new departure?  if you have other pics we would love to see them...


----------



## JOEL (May 13, 2008)

Here's mine:
http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/v/JOEL/Mead15.JPG.html


----------

