# chainless bicycle



## bikiba (Apr 19, 2014)

Original 1897 Stearns chainless Bicycle. I had not seen a chainless bike with a crankshaft. Very cool.

Anyone have something similar?

btw - i cant upload my own pics? anyone else having that problem?


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## Boris (Apr 19, 2014)

I'm still having a problem with some photos loading. Something is definitely askew, but with mine, I think it's a browser problem. Here's a thread I recently posted. You may find something here that works for you.
http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?56769-Can-t-post-pictures


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## MrColumbia (Apr 19, 2014)

There were lots of companies making chainless bikes in the late 1800's to early 1900's. I have a 1904 Mens two speed Columbia Chainless, 1914 Columbia Ladies Single speed chainless and a 1921 Men's Columbia Chainless. Pope/Westfield Mfg made Columbia and other brand chainless shaft drive bikes from 1898 to 1922. I believe the first production shaft drives came out in about 1896 or 1897, a year or two before Pope started making them. Many similar designs, some more unique (and better) but too expensive to continue to produce. The high cost of production put them out of favor by the early 1920's. There are now Chinese made multi speed chainless shaft drive bikes available for reasonable money.


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## wasp3245 (Apr 22, 2014)

*Chainless..shaft drive*

Hello all 

It is always troublesome to pin first or last on anything .... but that said   the League " chain-less" introduced in 1893  is normally given credit for the first on the market .  Sales struggled through 1894  with a few improvements and the addition of a ladies model late in the season .... only to close shop early in 1895 .... 

It took the power of the big manufactures to push the chain-less to the fore front of desire for those who needed the latest and greatest  ( not to mention the most expensive with the highest profit margins...once the machining was paid for) .  1898 was the banner year for the chain-less with any maker worth it's weight in chains added one to their line . 
Major Taylor was placed atop a chain-less just to prove how fast you'd be able to ride if you bought one ....

The chain- less gave the wing-less cycling industry a branch to hold on to as it fell into the abyss  98-99

Once the chain-less machining was paid for it was high margins for the manufactures to  the few customers  who had an aversion to chains  

Ok this were a photo would be ...but  it does not want to upload ...sorry ..
Cheers Carey


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## bricycle (Apr 22, 2014)

bikiba said:


> Original 1897 Stearns chainless Bicycle. I had not seen a chainless bike with a crankshaft. Very cool.
> 
> Anyone have something similar?
> 
> ...




Great bike...I have the chain version...


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## bikiba (Apr 22, 2014)

maybe we should start a thread on showing members "chainless" bikes?

I would love to see them


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## olderthandirt (Apr 22, 2014)

*chainless bike owners*

that sounds great ,hope we get some women in bikini's to pose with them ,we could have a monthly drawing for the sexiest chainless duo of the month and a gift certificate for a wendy,s smoothie for the lucky winner!


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## bikiba (Apr 22, 2014)

olderthandirt said:


> that sounds great ,hope we get some women in bikini's to pose with them ,we could have a monthly drawing for the sexiest chainless duo of the month and a gift certificate for a wendy,s smoothie for the lucky winner!




i would also love tht!


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