# Wooden Frame Bicycle Reference Thread



## Jesse McCauley (Jan 15, 2019)

Doing a bit of research I was surprised to find a lack of wood frame reference thread other than to try and ID particular bikes. 

I bought a ladies wood frame that I am not yet able to ID but I have cause to believe it was a factory built machine rather than a mail order kit. 

I thought I would try to pull together the wood frame adverts with positive ID's associated I have and invite others to do the same. 

Please feel free to dredge your archives and add to the list for posterity.


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## Jesse McCauley (Jan 15, 2019)

English Bamboo Bicycles










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Rambler (Jan 16, 2019)

Advertisement circa 1899


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## Jesse McCauley (Jan 28, 2019)

This is a link to the ladies frame I was referring to at the onset of this thread if anyone has any inspirado (to quote Tenacious D)

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/ladies-factory-wood-frame-iron-lugs.146478/#post-981804


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## bikewhorder (Mar 9, 2019)

Some antique wooden bicycle porn links. Here's a teaser..
. 
View attachment 961263

https://www.sterba-bike.cz/album/659/category/the-gallery?lang=EN
https://www.sterba-bike.cz/album/994/category/the-gallery?lang=EN
https://www.sterba-bike.cz/album/736/category/the-gallery?lang=EN
https://www.sterba-bike.cz/album/268/category/the-gallery?lang=EN
https://www.sterba-bike.cz/item/old-hickory-lady-wood-bicycle-1898/category/bicycles-archive?lang=EN
https://www.sterba-bike.cz/produkt/old-hickory-men-s-wood-bicycle-1898?lang=EN

“I don't mean to sound bitter, cold, or cruel, but I am, so that's how it comes out.” ~ Bill Hicks


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Mar 9, 2019)

It is similar to the men’s wooden and bronze lugged bicycle on eBay.


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## catfish (Mar 9, 2019)

https://thecabe.com/forum/media/albums/old-hickory.1652/


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## cbustapeck (Aug 26, 2020)

Jesse McCauley said:


> Doing a bit of research I was surprised to find a lack of wood frame reference thread other than to try and i.d. particular bikes.
> 
> I bought a ladies wood frame that I am not yet able to i.d. but I have cause to believe it was a factory built machine rather than a mail order kit.
> 
> ...



I had no idea that moulded plywood was a thing so early - I had always associated it with mid-century modern and later furniture.


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## Barnegatbicycles (Aug 26, 2020)

cbustapeck said:


> I had no idea that moulded plywood was a thing so early - I had always associated it with mid-century modern and later furniture.











						Figured I wood post this up. | Antique Bicycles Pre-1933
					

For those who haven't already seen this.




					thecabe.com


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## cbustapeck (Aug 26, 2020)

Barnegatbicycles said:


> Figured I wood post this up. | Antique Bicycles Pre-1933
> 
> 
> For those who haven't already seen this.
> ...



The angles there give me so many bad ideas involving wood and boat railing hardware.


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## Balloonoob (Aug 26, 2020)

Wood. Stronger than steel.


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## bicyclerNY (Aug 26, 2020)

Your ladies bike looks like this Huseby Cycle.
Note you need wooden hubs.


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## bicyclerNY (Aug 26, 2020)

Worden Hickory Frame


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## cbustapeck (Aug 27, 2020)

This thread led me down a curious path of inquiry.



I came across this pair of Old Hickory bicycles which sold at Copake, in 2012 and 2013.




The men's bicycle is interesting, for sure, but not terribly revolutionary in design or aesthetics. The metal fittings that hold everything together are beautiful, for sure, but the structure of the frame is pretty standard, save for the bottom bracket.




The women's bicycle on the other hand? WOW. Check out the way the top tube connects to both the head tube and the seat tube! There's some complex engineering there. 



 





I am really just in awe of all of it. 

I started thinking about what it would cost to build a replica, and realized quickly that it would definitely exceed the auction price. Even a close copy would come close to, if not equal, the auction price. 

You simply  cannot buy elm (or any) veneer that thick any more, so it would need to be custom cut. Further, elm is really nasty stuff to work with. It dulls blades quickly and produces a nasty sawdust. Then there's the metalwork... I cannot see a way to do it right without having an example to disassemble. 

Now, if one merely wanted a nice wood bike, there are all manner of things that could be built with boat railing and bimini top fittings, but the ends are so short that it wouldn't leave much room for decoration. Still, it could probably be done with $200 of stainless steel.

Having considered all of this, I've come to the conclusion that the best option would be to make something that is my own. To this end, I would find a cheap bicycle with good geometry and a frame that would meet all the basic needs, measure out all of the decorative patterns on it so that things would line up properly, and then cut out the tubing sections, just retaining the joints and cutting the decorative patterns into them.


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## locomotion (Aug 30, 2020)

When talking about wood frame bicycles, we can't forget the late 1890's Canadian made Comet bicycles








Of the men's frame, I know of (3). The one in the picture above, mine, and the one that was bought by Mike Wolfe on American Picker. Might me more, I don't know.


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## locomotion (Nov 12, 2022)

locomotion said:


> When talking about wood frame bicycles, we can't forget the late 1890's Canadian made Comet bicycles
> View attachment 1257380
> 
> View attachment 1257381
> ...




Any other wood frame Comet out there?


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