# Cresent No 25 tandem bicycle purchased Chicago 1893



## jgrote

I have a Crescent No 25 tandem bicycle  -Western Wheel Works Chicago USA.
It was purchased by newly weds in Chicago in 1893 for use while attending the Columbia Exposition.  And given to me by their daughter about 20 years ago.
It is too interesting to reside in my shed.  Complete except for 1 wooden wheel.
I have more photos.


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## Larmo63

I love it, is it for sale?


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## jgrote

I do not plan to keep the bike.  But am interested in "good home" (as in not just up in rafters of a bar).

I also have no clue of value or sales venues.


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## walter branche

*courting tandem*

a good price for seller and buyer is 1,000.00 , it will cost around 500.00 to replace the seats ,.. please send some photos to wbranche@cfl.rr.com , please show the cranks ,pedals sprocket ,etc ,. thanks walter branche


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## redline1968

.............................99900000000.....................


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## elginkid

Are you sure it's an 1893?  I thought they started using that badge around 1896 or '97.  I don't know the badge history extraordinarily well, but the 1895 I've sen has the badge with the moon on it, and a more vertical format.  It was also on a no. 5 which is a "misses" frame.


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## Dobie

A # 25 tandem is shown in the 1898 Crescent catalog..  I have a pre 1895 Crescent Scorcher which does not have a metal headbadge, rather, the remnants of a beat up decal and no HB holes,  As well, the male portion of the bike has a straight top tube, whereas, it is my understanding that pre 1895 had an upswept top tube.  If this is so, the tandem would be post 1895.  Cheers


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## pelletman

*Wheels*

The wheels shown are wrong for the bike,  missing seats, grips, can't see if the pedals are correct.  Nowhere near 1K


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## jgrote

pelletman said:


> The wheels shown are wrong for the bike,  missing seats, grips, can't see if the pedals are correct.  Nowhere near 1K




The couple attended the Chicago Columbia Exposition and rode the bike there (as per daughter's history); this would be 1893 - 94.

I have original seats, one in poor shape and 1 wooden wheel.  Will attach more photos.  I doubt pedals original.  ? repaint, but doubt.  Grips gone but wooden handle bars (and chains) in good shape.  I did not clean the bike prior to photos.


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## redline1968

........................((((()))))))>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.............


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## Gary Mc

100+ year old stories handed down over time often tend to change over time, sometimes embellished others not, but bikes changed A LOT in the 1890's so a catalog/ad is in order to nail down true year of bike.  If it's late 1890's it means the story was changed or embellished or just not true clearly.  Not calling anyone out but things are not always "as told or handed down".  It is a great "story" in any event.


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## jgrote

Gary Mc said:


> 100+ year old stories handed down over time often tend to change over time, sometimes embellished others not, but bikes changed A LOT in the 1890's so a catalog/ad is in order to nail down true year of bike.  If it's late 1890's it means the story was changed or embellished or just not true clearly.  Not calling anyone out but things are not always "as told or handed down".  It is a great "story" in any event.




I agree such diligence is necessary and do not dispute your and others skepticism.  The Chicago Colombian Expo ran from May thru October of 1893.  The daughter related the story of the bike to me.  Her mother, original owner, gave me a walking stick (she lived into her late 90's, was a friend of my grandmother) she had purchased at the Expo.  Still, stories do change, and the family would likely have visited Chicago occasionally in the late 1890's.

The bike is what it is and needs to be integrated with reliable documentation.


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## pelletman

That bike did not exist in 93, I have the catalog that year.  No tandems and they were still early pneumatics, not the wood rimmed variety.  That tandem is post 95 at least.  You pretty much can't believe anything that comes down in an oral history unless there is independent proof of what they are claiming, like a picture of the couple on the bike at the fair


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## pelletman

Model 25 appears in 97 and 98 Crescent catalog


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## walter branche

*60 years old*

I am 60 years old , I have an 1889 overman wheel co. victor highwheel bicycle ,, I got it for free 37 years ago, I rode it across america in 1984 , I have ridden my victor over 20,000 miles ,in canada, holland, switzerland,france ,germany ,united kingdom ,this is a true documented cycle story , .. walter branche -cycle seeker,selector,have cash will travel anywhere in the world for stuff


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## jgrote

*trying to find a home- Crescent No 25 tandem bicycle -Western Wheel Works*



Larmo63 said:


> I love it, is it for sale?




I have a Crescent No 25 tandem bicycle -Western Wheel Works Chicago USA.  As the tread additions indicate this is probably from the late 1890's.

I have not interest in restoring the bike, but do not want to junk it.  

I will accept any reasonable offer for the bike and try to minimize transportation costs for the buyer.

The thread contains pictures and a description of the bike.


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## decath6431

*Location*

Hi.  Where are you located?  Thanks.


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## jgrote

decath6431 said:


> Hi.  Where are you located?  Thanks.




I am in Western Illinois north of St Louis.  Worth noting is that after holiday season would be flexible in traveling in US.


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## decath6431

*By any chance...*

Any plans to be in the Cleveland, OH area


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## jgrote

not soon, St Louis and west Jan '13;  but mid Indiana February or March and could swing further east.

email is grotejames@hotmail.com


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## OHcaptain

*The Crescent tandem found a new home!*

The Crescent tandem found a new home! 
Like a Phoenix, it will rise from the ashes (well, it wasn't THAT bad!) and be a wonderful bicycle again and will be riding the roads and streets of Ohio. 
Thank you, jgrote! The tandem was in amazing shape, much better than your photos showed. 




jgrote said:


> I have a Crescent No 25 tandem bicycle -Western Wheel Works Chicago USA.  As the tread additions indicate this is probably from the late 1890's.
> 
> I have not interest in restoring the bike, but do not want to junk it.
> 
> I will accept any reasonable offer for the bike and try to minimize transportation costs for the buyer.
> 
> The thread contains pictures and a description of the bike.


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## OHcaptain

*Nearly complete!*

Still waiting for the original saddles to be recovered in leather. When the saddles are installed, then the newly nickeled headbadge will also be installed. 

So far, rust is gone, splits in the wood bars have been re-glued, bars are re-varnished, fork weld repair cleaned up and painted, new tires and tubes, new pedal rubbers, and new cork & nickel grips. 











OHcaptain said:


> The Crescent tandem found a new home!
> Like a Phoenix, it will rise from the ashes (well, it wasn't THAT bad!) and be a wonderful bicycle again and will be riding the roads and streets of Ohio.
> Thank you, jgrote! The tandem was in amazing shape, much better than your photos showed.


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## wspeid

Looks like a fun ride.  Great job with the rescue!


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## OHcaptain

*Done! Saddles arrived and installed. Head badge mounted.*

The saddles were recovered by a leather craftsman in Michigan.  The head badge was cleaned and re-nickeled by a jeweler in Kansas. 

The slight crease in the downtube may be fixed in a more complete restoration in the future.  I've assumed that resulted from the same episode that caused the one fork blade to be welded. 

My goal was a clean bicycle that is safe to ride in parades and and will show well for exhibits.


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## Hb Twinn

*Wow!!*

Great looking bike. It will be fantastic for parades! You should be proud of your work, wonderful job!


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## JChapoton

OHcaptain said:


> The saddles were recovered by a leather craftsman in Michigan.  The head badge was cleaned and re-nickeled by a jeweler in Kansas.
> 
> The slight crease in the downtube may be fixed in a more complete restoration in the future.  I've assumed that resulted from the same episode that caused the one fork blade to be welded.
> 
> My goal was a clean bicycle that is safe to ride in parades and and will show well for exhibits.
> 
> View attachment 153584
> 
> View attachment 153583




how much to recover a saddle and where in Michigan?


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## fat tire trader

Was this tandem made in 1893??? To me it looks more like it was made in 1898 or later...


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## oldbike1891

*Earlier than 1896*

I have an 1896 Model 25.  All the Cresent Tandems are Model 25's.  My bike has a chain conecting the two crank sets on the left side (very modern stlye) and then a drive chain ring on the right side of the rear crank set to connect to the rear sprocket. 

The earlier style used the chain set up like this one with a chain running all the way back from each chainring.  Later style had an ecentrinc to tighten the chain between the two crank sets vs. the idler pulleys.

Could definitly be 1894.   Get out those Cresent catalouges!

The are several of this style around.  Marty Potts in Illinois has one like this that is ridden.

Nice job Dick!   -- Lee


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## highwheel431

*Crescent Catalogs*

The Crescent tandems were only available for 3 years by the catalogs.  1896 through 1898.  That doesn't mean some weren't available in 1895 or leftovers after 1898.  And all bets are off with what the American Bicycle Company did with excess inventory.

By the books:

This tandem would be an 1896 with the big idler wheels.

Also there where multiple tandem models. The model numbers did not change with year.  Model 20 mens/mens.  Model 25 ladies/mens.  Model 30 ladies/mens with and elevated position for the man (giraffe).  

1896 & 1897 had dual drive rear hubs... front rider drove left side, chain ran all the way to the rear wheel as seen on this bike, rear rider drove the right side.  1898 had a single drive on the right side with the front and rear connected on the left side of the bike.


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## willswares1220

Beautiful job and what a fun ride!! Enjoy!!


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## OHcaptain

JChapoton said:


> how much to recover a saddle and where in Michigan?




The saddles were recovered by a leather worker in Michigan but such work is not his primary work so I am unable to state his name or company. I am sorry, but he is gainfully employed in his primary work. 

Approximate cost was $160 each. He tried to faithfully recreate the look of the two saddles obtained with the tandem. The reddish saddle's original leather was stamped with a Crescent logo, but the other saddle was apparently a replacement and is a different design.


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## filmonger

This was fom the Referee 1897....I see a No 25 there for 100.00 dollars


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## GiovanniLiCalsi

1896 Crescent No.1

 1897 Crescent  
The window lugs are typical of 1896-1897 models. The 1896 fork crown lugs didn’t have window lugs, like this one has. Also unique to 1897 are the rear chain tensioners, having the worm drive design.
The original Crescent rims have eyelets for the spoke nipples. Looks like the rear wheel was upgraded, with coaster brake. The crankset and bottom bracket are manufactured in 1897.
Someone got a very good bargain!
The window block chains are worth $500, alone.
This is a fairly lightweight tandem.


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## GiovanniLiCalsi

Hope the new owner chimes in...


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## OHcaptain

GiovanniLiCalsi said:


> View attachment 7738191896 Crescent No.1View attachment 773820 1897 Crescent
> The window lugs are typical of 1896-1897 models. The 1896 fork crown lugs didn’t have window lugs, like this one has. Also unique to 1897 are the rear chain tensioners, having the worm drive design.
> The original Crescent rims have eyelets for the spoke nipples. Looks like the rear wheel was upgraded, with coaster brake. The crankset and bottom bracket are manufactured in 1897.
> Someone got a very good bargain!
> The window block chains are worth $500, alone.
> This is a fairly lightweight tandem.




The tandem, as received, came with the original wood-rim front wheel separately since the rim was cracked.  Replacement, steel rim front wheel, is very appropriate (well, if you ignore the shiny, ridable rim). The rear wheel has the original double-sprocket hub and spokes, but with a shiny new ridable rim.  Maybe new wood rims will be installed in the future. 

It rides smooth, but I've not ridden with another person up front (yet).


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## GiovanniLiCalsi

Original Crescent rims are not hard to locate.
They came with brass spoke eyelets.
Crescent bicycles were built very well and at great production numbers, so parts can be found....


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