# Restored 1902 Tribune, Model 70



## Bikes&Beer (May 20, 2011)

Behold a 1902 Tribune, Model 70, that I restored from rusted hell in 2006–07. I had seen it for years buried in an apartment storeroom behind my house, but ignored it as just too ugly. I cringed at touching it's decades of dirt and corrosion, but in 2005 I took it out on a whim to see if it was my size. Fortunately, it wasn't, and I put it back. The following year I got to fantasizing as to whether it had a head tube badge . . . and it did . . . with a manufacturer, model and year! I soon began to get the itch to restore this neglected and abused steed. The decision was made more imperative when I discovered the top tube was my length. I could raise the handlebars and saddle and then ride it myself! My first restoration of a really old bicycle was about to commence. 

Many decades ago someone "revived" this ode to rust with a paint brush: dark blue over the original light blue, and silver over the nickel-plated parts. Any hint of "original" appearance was long gone. The original leather saddle, 28" (wood?) wheels, hubs and pedals had evaporated. In their place were some '30s-era goodies such as a Troxel Saddle #50 (identified by Leon Dixon of NBHAA who says they were used on Schwinn Aerocycles), an H.R. Patterson front hub, a New Departure Model D rear hub, Torrington 9 pedals, and a pair of rust-ravaged, mismatched, 26" steel rims. 

I decided to restore the bike to the condition I found it in and preserve it's history—with the newer saddle and hubs. I re-plated the nickel and painted the frame to it's original color. No brush marks this time. The handlebar stem was broken; I'm guessing the result of a painful collision with the ass-end of a stopped car. Both the top and down tubes show bends that may have resulted from this sudden union that probably left the rider crumpled on the back of the car. In honor of that rider and his or her really bad day, I left the frame bends and repaired the stem.

Intoxicated with the idea of wood rims from those early days, I was eventually pointed to Cerchi Ghisallo in Italy who provided the (unbelievably affordable) gorgeous, hand-built, clincher wood rims. I chose their Type R, from Slavonian beech wood. A friend and long-time wheel builder laced them—his first wood.

The Tribune handles surprisingly well. And I love touching it now.


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## bricycle (May 20, 2011)

Quite nice!!


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## twowheelfan (May 20, 2011)

bee-yoo tee ful!


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## robertc (May 20, 2011)

Amazing looking, do have any before photos?


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## Bikes&Beer (May 21, 2011)

robertc said:


> Amazing looking, do have any before photos?




No, it never occurred to me! Thanks.

Dave


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## ftwelder (May 21, 2011)

I usually end up tipping a few tables over when I see a "modified" antique but you did a really nice job with much sympathy for the original materials and techniques. Given the care you took, the colors are, dare I say, pleasing?


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## DonChristie (May 23, 2011)

Now thats a road bike! Sweet ride! Is the rear hub fixed?


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## Bikes&Beer (May 24, 2011)

Thanks. No, it's a coaster brake. Don't know if Tribunes came fixed or coaster. I believe the coaster brake was first marketed around 1898?


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## fordsnake (May 24, 2011)

Nice Restoration...I too have a (Pope) Tribune with the original head badge & wooden wheels. I bought it back in 1976. It also has several colors of house paint still covering its exterior. What I really like is the sprocket (much like yours). Mine has the word “Pope” written on it. It’s not stamped, it’s hand scribed as if it was done by a worker on the assembly line...I like that touch. It gives it a certain warmth of handmade, handcrafted character.

Sadly I've never got around to restoring the darn thing...I ran into a problem with pulling the crank off...how the heck did you do it? Mine has a small key hole underneath the bottom bracket, I assume you insert a metal wedge in the crank arm and turn the crank arms? I’m guessing the crank comes apart in two pieces? Unfortunately the darn thing doesn't move for me...I'm stumped, any suggestions?


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## twowheelfan (May 24, 2011)

fordsnake, why don't you post pics in a new thread? i wouldlove to see pics! the engraving sounds delightful.


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## fordsnake (May 24, 2011)

it's going to rain tomorrow...I'll post pics on Friday


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## Bikes&Beer (May 26, 2011)

I, too, would love to see some photos of your Tribune. If my memory is correct, my researches indicated that Pope bought Tribune in 1903 (moving the factory from Erie, PA to Westfield, MA), making yours a bit later. Would love to see shots of your saddle, hubs and wheels.

The "keyhole" on my left crank arm fooled me. Both I and a mechanic friend assumed it had to come out. We even tried drilling it. (Very hard steel!) Totally unnecessary; ignore it. Remove the  crank bolt (reverse thread). It may need assistance from Liquid Wrench (mine did) or the legendary Kroil (which said to free up anything in time). The crank pulls off the crank arm with some leverage. Good luck.


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## fordsnake (May 26, 2011)

Geeze, I forgot I had promise to take photos of the Tribune today. Unfortunately the camera battery is low, but the sun is still out...so while the battery charges, here a little-known fact about that help put the Tribune bicycle on the map.

In 1899 Charles Minthorn Murphy, also known as Mile-a-Minute Murphy, was the first man ever to ride a bicycle for one mile in less than a minute by slipstreaming behind a train. His amazing feat was made successfully on a Tribune bicycle. Read the astonishing story http://www.phys.uri.edu/~tony/bicycle/murphyli/lirrsky.htm in Charlie’s own words.


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## fordsnake (May 26, 2011)

Ok, here are the photos of the Tribune. I've had this bike for approximately 35 years, and for 10 of those years it hung in my office from the ceiling. I decided to do a restoration on it one day, and that's when I ran into the problem with the bottom bracket. Frustrated with the dilemma, I put it aside in storage and there it remained neglected until recently. I was smart enough back then to remove the head badge and the hubs and apply a coat of varnish on all the bright work. The handlebar and stems were already gone. I'm surprised at how great the head badge and the hubs look after all these years. I added a set of 26" wheels because I had removed the spokes from the 28 inch wooden rims. Besides the 26 rims and the saddle, everything else is original. What's really interesting about the bike were the fenders (not shown) they're neither rain gutters nor large crescents... they're similar to an English type fender, very narrow. if I have time tomorrow I'll try to piece it together as to how it once looked.


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