# early teens?  arch bar find



## redline1968 (Sep 23, 2012)

just picked this up today.  its kinda cool. its a arch bar with all original has dark blue/black paint.  has flat fenders and a seat saying scout . not sure of the brand anybody? i think it might be a sears brand but im not sure. anybody have a idea?


----------



## bud poe (Sep 23, 2012)

*Great score Mark, I'm going to pretend not to hate you for finding these recent early bikes in my own back yard!
Better not have been at the flea market... 
Awesome saddle!*


----------



## redline1968 (Sep 23, 2012)

thanks bud. hate to say it, but you did  nobody?  im sure its early teens but that sprocket looks like a sears brand but who know's. btw that paint is a really dark blue.


----------



## Waterland (Sep 24, 2012)

I had that same "Scout" saddle on my 1927 Schwinn ladies bike, but my saddle was in much worse shape.  I traded it to Bricycle for a better condition ladies' saddle of similar vintage.  Great bike, I love it.


----------



## bud poe (Sep 24, 2012)

*Did I see that bike at the Iron Ranch in a mutual friends booth?  It looks familiar....
As we know many makes produced an arch frame, Columbia, Mead, Davis, Iver, Schwinn and others?  Not sure how to ID yours but I'm sure someone will chime in...Cool bike!*


----------



## redline1968 (Sep 24, 2012)

yep thats the one.  couldnt pass on it.


----------



## Gary Mc (Sep 24, 2012)

I can't figure it out and I thought I had seen most arch bars but this is a new one.  I have been through all my picture archives and nothing.  It more closely resembles an Iver than other makes but the chainring is wrong.  Thought maybe Miami but there arch bars were more like Columbia's as are Davis and teens Mead arch bars.  Bike looks to be teens.  I have seen Western Union messenger bikes with a similar chainring but on close inspection, this one is different.  Sorry but so far I can only tell you what it's not. - Gary


----------



## redline1968 (Sep 25, 2012)

your right, i thought it was a iver too but it has vertical badge holes.  i thought it might be a sears master but not sure. i thought the saddle was too small for that bike.


----------



## Gary Mc (Sep 25, 2012)

redline1968 said:


> your right, i thought it was a iver too but it has vertical badge holes.  i thought it might be a sears master but not sure. i thought the saddle was too small for that bike.




The only Sears Masters' I've seen were diamond frames or camelbacks (but I do not know everything on these for sure).  Sears King was an arch bar but more like the Columbia with a different chain ring:


----------



## redline1968 (Sep 25, 2012)

well! what the heck is it.. possibly a cobbled together frame set with wrong chain ring and seat?


----------



## bud poe (Sep 25, 2012)

Yeah, pretty much a  piece of junk, good for decoration only and not worth much either.....what you gonna do with it?


----------



## dfa242 (Sep 26, 2012)

Really cool bike - sorry I can't help with the ID but maybe posting a pic of the serial number will provide some clues.


----------



## redline1968 (Sep 26, 2012)

bud poe said:


> Yeah, pretty much a  piece of junk, good for decoration only and not worth much either.....what you gonna do with it?




ha ha bud.......its not the high wheeler. you know.... im a bike hoarder :0  ill clean it up as usual and then let you look at it....   good question. i did not look at the numbers so i will today and post some different pics.


----------



## redline1968 (Sep 27, 2012)

here are a few new pics.  whats up with these weird numbered bikes this has a X606 on the hangar.


----------



## Gary Mc (Oct 9, 2012)

redline1968 said:


> here are a few new pics.  whats up with these weird numbered bikes this has a X606 on the hangar.




At least it's not X666!!!!!!!  

I may have a potential answer for you on this bicycle but will require a little more research on someone's part.  You may have a circa 1910 Miami Cycle & Manufacturing Co Hudson Bicycle.  Look closely at the attached Hudson Pathfinder ad.  It only shows half the arch but I'm thinking could be a printers mistake maybe????  The 1916 Miami Cycles arch bar in my catalog is named the Pathfinder.  Check out the chainring.  Now you just need to find someone with a catalog.  That chainring looks really close & I know Miami Cycles made arch bar / truss style frames during this era from the 1916 Catalog.  Also check out handlebars & stem, and the fork style/angles.


----------



## redline1968 (Oct 9, 2012)

dude... your dead on on this!  i reasearched it and that exactly what i came up with everything came up as a miami bicycle as in style and chain ring and  blue color with that seat listed in a catalog accessorie..  that would be funny as a 666 number on it... mabey they omitted it as a superstition. who knows. thanks you for your input.


----------



## Gary Mc (Oct 12, 2012)

redline1968 said:


> dude... your dead on on this!  i reasearched it and that exactly what i came up with everything came up as a miami bicycle as in style and chain ring and  blue color with that seat listed in a catalog accessorie..  that would be funny as a 666 number on it... mabey they omitted it as a superstition. who knows. thanks you for your input.




Redline, Guess what, this chainring was also used on Flying Merkel's so you have a Miami Cycles bike, the question is Hudson or Flying Merkel, either way super cool!!!!!  Howie Cohen has a catalog with the Flying Merkel version of the bike with a different chainring but I believe Miami changed chainrings often based on some other Miami's I've looked at.  Here's the Howie Cohen catalog pages from 1917 & 1921 which looks more like your bike:

1917; http://www.proteanpaper.com//scart_...ic=000000000000007775&part=000000000000008509

1921; http://www.proteanpaper.com//scart_...ic=000000000000007761&part=000000000000008508

Here's your chainring on a 1913 Flying Merkel motorbike: http://thecabe.com/arc/Prewar28/1913 Flying Merkel/1913-Flying-Merkel-PC-1.jpg

So, I'd say more research is still necessary on this bike but you are starting to narrow it down.  You may want to see if you can get Patric Cafaro (hoofhearted) to look at it.  He redid the 1913 Flying Merkel I think.


----------



## redline1968 (Oct 12, 2012)

thanks,  im sure it is also. the 21 is a closest to the frame design.  the holes are like the merkel badge holes. vertical spacing. such a rare bike not much for pics on the badge hole and spacing. iam sure its a miami built bike. the date has to be earlier than 16. check out the seat section in the 17 cat. there is the same scout seat pictured there! at least its a good clue to the bike identity! way cool to say the least!


----------

