# 1901 Monarch cushion frame roadster



## rusty_apache (Feb 11, 2019)

Took it for a short ride this afternoon and found it amazingly comfortable to ride. The suspension was bottoming out even with most of my 135 pounds shifted to the front tire so I added a 1/2 socket to the spring chamber and now it’s like floating on a CLOUD!
I was concerned that it might start slamming the upper range of motion with the spacer added but it doesn’t. 
This is now my favorite rider!


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## dnc1 (Feb 11, 2019)

Fantastic machine!


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## dnc1 (Feb 11, 2019)

Interesting technique for altering the spring rate, good to hear it worked well.
Does the rear-end bounce when pedalling hard, or does it just smooth out the bumps?


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## David Brown (Feb 11, 2019)

Very nice bike you have there .. I also love Cushion frame bikes as I have a 1908 or so CCM Massey Silver Ribbon cushion frame.I have had this bike about 25 years or so and have put about 6000 miles on it. I also had a lot of other cushion frame bikes over the years and found that most of the springs are broken.  I had 25 springs made along time ago and have used and sold them all.  My  Massey bike is geared great and have done 7 or 8 century rides on it. You do get a bit of  bounce if you are pedaling hard.


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## rusty_apache (Feb 12, 2019)

dnc1 said:


> Interesting technique for altering the spring rate, good to hear it worked well.
> Does the rear-end bounce when pedalling hard, or does it just smooth out the bumps?




It was a terrible day to take out a vintage bicycle, cold and drizzling, so I didn’t pedal hard. What I know so far is that it just smooths out the road wonderfully!
The cylinders that house the spring are well fitted and greased so they do create a slight dampening effect.


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## rusty_apache (Feb 12, 2019)

David Brown said:


> Very nice bike you have there .. I also love Cushion frame bikes as I have a 1908 or so CCM Massey Silver Ribbon cushion frame.I have had this bike about 25 years or so and have put about 6000 miles on it. I also had a lot of other cushion frame bikes over the years and found that most of the springs are broken.  I had 25 springs made along time ago and have used and sold them all.  My  Massey bike is geared great and have done 7 or 8 century rides on it. You do get a bit of  bounce if you are pedaling hard.




This spring looks to be a replacement so I would like to find a closer replacement eventually. 
Until then I am going to replace the little socket with a slightly shorter rubber plug of some kind.


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## hoofhearted (Feb 12, 2019)

*Perhaps a rubber plug between a top washer and a bottom washer (?).*


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## rusty_apache (Feb 12, 2019)

hoofhearted said:


> *Perhaps a rubber plug between a top washer and a bottom washer (?).*




There’s supposed to be washers?


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## hoofhearted (Feb 12, 2019)

*Doood ... I don't care who's peepin' that machine ... 
or actually puttin' it thru her paces on the road ...
that .is one bitchin' ride  !!*

*..... *patric


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## hoofhearted (Feb 12, 2019)

rusty_apache said:


> There’s supposed to be washers?




*Not being sure what surfaces the ''rubber plug'' may encounter ...
a top washer and a bottom washer may provide a bit o' mercy
to the plug while it is being asked to do a job of dampening.*

*We are asking that a rubber plug accept  it's new job of  ''dampening''.  
And if it does ... it's girth is under force of constant change (ouch) ... 
the very least we could do is to provide somewhat of a protective 
ceiling and floor for the little plug ...*

*Without top and bottom washers ... that little plug may run into 
surfaces that are uneven ... that may influence the function / life  
of the plug itself.*

*Consider a technology that does not always consider all .that it could ......*

*There MAY have been cushion-frame machines built without benefit
of a ''hinge-feature'' of sorts.  That is ...  a cushion frame fitted without 
a way for the rear triangle to ''flex''.  *

*Oh --- those poor chainstays.*

*But not on your machine !!  It has been fitted not only with a rear shock-
absorbing device .. but also a built-in technology to keep that rear triangle 
in unstressed geometry ... as it is being used.*


















*These last three illustrations were originally provided by CABE member... @fordsnake.  Thank you, Carlton.*


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## dnc1 (Feb 12, 2019)

Perhaps a small nylon or rubber bush, similar to a motorcycle shock absorber would use?


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## rusty_apache (Feb 12, 2019)

hoofhearted said:


> *Not being sure what surfaces the ''rubber plug'' may encounter ...
> a top washer and a bottom washer may provide a bit o' mercy
> to the plug while it is being asked to do a job of dampening.*
> 
> ...





Yes that makes a great deal of sense. I thought that maybe they were original equipment but they would certainly stabilize a rubber or neoprene plug.
In addition to the leaf spring the lower stays also pivot. It works beautifully and smoothly without a squeak!
Thanks for posting the original literature!


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## rusty_apache (Feb 12, 2019)

hoofhearted said:


> *Doood ... I don't care who's peepin' that machine ...
> or actually puttin' it thru her paces on the road ...
> that .is one bitchin' ride  !!*
> 
> *..... *patric



Thanks Patric!

There’s only one bike that I won’t ride and it’s the National Racer. If I ever find a replacement set of those very delicate racing spokes for it, it would be ridden at least one time!


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## dnc1 (Feb 12, 2019)

rusty_apache said:


> Thanks Patric!
> 
> There’s only one bike that I won’t ride and it’s the National Racer. If I ever find a replacement set of those very delicate racing spokes for it, it would be ridden at least one time!



What size are those spokes? If I could find some I'd gladly donate them just to see that National taken on the track!
That's another beauty too.


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## rusty_apache (Feb 13, 2019)

Thanks. 
They are like 19 gauge, just on the front wheel.
Often mistaken for piano wire.


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## dnc1 (Feb 13, 2019)

Wow, that is thin.
I know people custom make spokes for veteran machines over here. I'm guessing there may be 'Wheelmen' members over your side of the pond who do similar stuff.
Nipples would have to be custom-made too.
You could always build up a racing wheelset with spokes of a different size. A fun, sometimes frustrating, but ultimately rewarding and satisfying experience.
I'll be building a set for my National soon, admittedly not as rare a beast as yours (it's a 1911 Model 132) but I'm so looking forward to riding it, hopefully this year too!


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## Motoguzzipaul (Feb 13, 2019)

I had to extend  and make room for the belt drive for my  Hygenic  Cushion  Frame
   for my 1903 Model 35,   E R Thomas motorcyle
   Had a guy make me new springs   for the extra length and my weight. all he needed to know was out side dynamiter  length and travel.
    and only charged me $35.00.


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## locomotion (Feb 13, 2019)

Motoguzzipaul said:


> I had to extend  and make room for the belt drive for my  Hygenic  Cushion  Frame
> for my 1903 Model 35,   E R Thomas motorcyle
> Had a guy make me new springs   for the extra length and my weight. all he needed to know was out side dynamiter  length and travel.
> and only charged me $35.00.View attachment 948518
> ...




nice
I am sure a lot of folks here would like to make some orders!
Max


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Feb 13, 2019)

I’m in for a pair of springs....


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## David Brown (Feb 13, 2019)

Paul It is that rear cushion fork the piece you got from me?Spring look just like the ones I had made. Only I would think your is longer. You can use that spring on Pierce bikes also just work the threaded bung out of top and bottom of the Pierce spring and with a little work put the bung in the new spring


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Feb 13, 2019)

It’s not how long you make it!
It’s how you make it longer!


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## A.S.BOLTNUT (Feb 13, 2019)




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## rusty_apache (Feb 14, 2019)

dnc1 said:


> Wow, that is thin.
> I know people custom make spokes for veteran machines over here. I'm guessing there may be 'Wheelmen' members over your side of the pond who do similar stuff.
> Nipples would have to be custom-made too.
> You could always build up a racing wheelset with spokes of a different size. A fun, sometimes frustrating, but ultimately rewarding and satisfying experience.
> I'll be building a set for my National soon, admittedly not as rare a beast as yours (it's a 1911 Model 132) but I'm so looking forward to riding it, hopefully this year too!




That’s a slippery slope for hoarders like myself!
I did build an extra wheelset for the National. Then I bought the Monarch to put it under!


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## Motoguzzipaul (Feb 14, 2019)

Dave   Yes I think so.
 If you are the one that sold me the almost complete rear section minus the spring
  or the just bottom section.
   I do not know what the bung looks like it was not in the parts that I got??


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## David Brown (Feb 14, 2019)

I sold you the bottom frame part. You do not need the bung in the spring only Pierce bikes need that as there is a screw  at the bottom and the top part screws into the spring ..


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## Motoguzzipaul (Feb 15, 2019)

Dave  I went back to our talk on   Oct. 20 2017 and you said your spring was  6 1/4" long and  5/8" dia.
  When I had my spring made  the shop needed to know  how long  what was the travel and for how much weight?
         Do you still have the specs on the springs you had made?


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## David Brown (Feb 15, 2019)

Hi Paul 
 No I don't have any Specs on the springs . had them made about 25 years ago . I weigh about 150 most of the time and they have never bottoms out.  If you have a tall frame the spring would need to be longer than 6 1/4.


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## rusty_apache (Mar 10, 2019)

Here’s the almost final version of the Monarch. It just needed the white tubulars 
to make it more Monarchy. 


I laced up a TOC fixed hub to replace the temporary blackout Morrow on this wheelset when I had it on the Century Marathon.








The Marathon now has it’s original flaky rims and correct hubs in place. The red paint remnants on those wooden rims are probably throwing lead particulates all over the place when I ride it but I just couldn’t bear to remove it.....


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