# New lu mi num



## Bike-A-Yike-All

Hello all. I am new please forgive any mistakes that I make. I would like to know all of your thoughts on this bicycle. I am interested to know what brand of all the parts needed to restore it. Are there any clear pictures of a complete one out there?


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## fordmike65

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA???????
:eek::eek::eek:


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## catfish

How much do you want for it?


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## jkent

If you didn't have the badge you'd think that was a German or french bike. That is what it reminds me of. 
Cool bike!
JKent


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## Gordon

That's the coolest thing I have seen in a long time!


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## josehuerta




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## josehuerta

Not mine, I downloaded this image from the net several years ago, no other info on it.


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## barracuda

1898:


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## Jesse McCauley

Unbelievable-
You're dealing with pure unobtanium there my new best friend ([emoji6])
That chain case hardware doesn't exist, it would almost certainly need to be fabricated from at best a catalog image. 
Unreal survivor though, museum worthy as it sits.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## fordmike65

@Bike-A-Yike-All ....That's one HELLOVA first post! Welcome to The Cabe & thank you for sharing such a rare & unbelievable piece of bicycle history!!!


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## Dan the bike man

Very cool. Never heard of this one before.


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## kccomet

wow, wow wow. can you tell us the back story on how you found this


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## Bike-A-Yike-All

kccomet said:


> wow, wow wow. can you tell us the back story on how you found this



Thank you. Two years ago I started collecting old bicycles. I have an 82 year old friend who is a packrat, hoarder, picker dude. I told him that I wanted old bikes. He goes to the scrap yard every day which is where he found it. I came home last December after spending some time in Chicago and my friend said he had a bike for me. He walked over to a 4' snow bank ( we get a lot of snow here) and pulled it out and said "Here you go. If you never need it you'll use it some time." He's a great old dude! I didn't know what it was but l saw the toc bars and was pretty excited.


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## Bike-A-Yike-All

fordmike65 said:


> @Bike-A-Yike-All ....That's one HELLOVA first post! Welcome to The Cabe & thank you for sharing such a rare & unbelievable piece of bicycle history!!!



Thank you for the warm welcome. Wished I would have joined sooner.


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## fordmike65

Bike-A-Yike-All said:


> Thank you. Two years ago I started collecting old bicycles. I have an 82 year old friend who is a packrat, hoarder, picker dude. I told him that I wanted old bikes. He goes to the scrap yard every day which is where he found it. I came home last December after spending some time in Chicago and my friend said he had a bike for me. He walked over to a 4' snow bank ( we get a lot of snow here) and pulled it out and said "Here you go. If you never need it you'll use it some time." He's a great old dude! I didn't know what it was but l saw the toc bars and was pretty excited.


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## Bike-A-Yike-All

Jesse McCauley said:


> Unbelievable-
> You're dealing with pure unobtanium there my new best friend ([emoji6])
> That chain case hardware doesn't exist, it would almost certainly need to be fabricated from at best a catalog image.
> Unreal survivor though, museum worthy as it sits.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Thank you


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## Bike-A-Yike-All

barracuda said:


> View attachment 681072
> 
> 
> 1898:
> 
> View attachment 681071



Thank you. Great info. The celluloid cover amazed me. I have wondered what the groove all the way around chain case was for.


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## Bike-A-Yike-All

josehuerta said:


> Not mine, I downloaded this image from the net several years ago, no other info on it.



Thank you


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## Bike-A-Yike-All

Gordon said:


> That's the coolest thing I have seen in a long time!



Thank you.


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## Bike-A-Yike-All

fordmike65 said:


> WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA???????
> :eek::eek::eek:



Right?!?!???!


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## corbettclassics

Somewhere I have an ad with this bike but have to look harder through some stuff.  I did find these quickly.. ( and they made a "Racer" in this too )


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## Bike-A-Yike-All

corbettclassics said:


> Somewhere I have an ad with this bike but have to look harder through some stuff.  I did find these quickly.. ( and they made a "Racer" in this too )
> 
> 
> View attachment 681233
> 
> View attachment 681234



Thank you. Very cool stuff. I hope that you find more.


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## corbettclassics

I don't have much but a few things.  Never really collected the "Lu Mi Num" stuff.


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## corbettclassics

Kind of interesting


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## Gordon

Advertising token.


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## Bike-A-Yike-All

Thank you


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## New Mexico Brant

There is at least one other out there:


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## Craig Allen

From G. Donald Adams book  "Collecting and Restoring Antique Bicycles" - "Introduced about 1893 by the St.Louis Refrigerator and Wooden Gutter Co., St.Louis, Missouri,  the Lu-Mi-Num bicycle was cast hollow in one piece. Containing a small percentage of alloy, this bicycle evidenced a very early use of aluminum. The front fork was cast solid and all was polished, but not to a mirror finish. 
Rights to the manufacture of the Lu-Mi-Num bicycle were purchased by M.M. Cycles,  Sans Souderes en Lu-Mi-Num who manufactured it in Paris.  It was sold in England by the Lu-Mi-Num Mfg. Co., Ltd. of London. 
Lu-Mi-Num's 1895 ladies and gents models weighed 25 lbs. and sold for  $125. At the 1895 Chicago Bicycle Show, a Lu-Mi-Num exhibit provided for testing the strength of the aluminum handlebar.  Two heavy men were permitted to suspend their weight from either side to show that it would not bend or break. Samples of the aluminum used in making the bicycle were twisted and bent into every conceivable shape without fracturing. A gauge demonstrated the perfect alignment of the Lu-Mi-Num frame, which was claimed to be truer than any steel frame. 
A chain case integrally cast with the frame, gave extra strength to the 1896 model.  Today Lu-Mi-Num bicycles must be ridden with care to guard against fracturing due to age and embrittlement of the aluminum."

There is an illustration of the 1896 model with the chain case in the book.


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## New Mexico Brant

Thanks for the great information Craig!  I got a copy of that book a few months ago from Scott McCaskey but haven't cracked its cover.  He has more copies available if anyone needs them.  Kindly, Brant


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## shoe3

Bike-A-Yike-All said:


> View attachment 680866 View attachment 680867 View attachment 680868 View attachment 680869 View attachment 680870 View attachment 680871 View attachment 680872 View attachment 680873 View attachment 680874 View attachment 680875 View attachment 680876 View attachment 680877 View attachment 680878 Hello all. I am new please forgive any mistakes that I make. I would like to know all of your thoughts on this bicycle. I am interested to know what brand of all the parts needed to restore it. Are there any clear pictures of a complete one out there?



IT IS A BIRD IT IS A PLANE IT IS A......SO TIGHT......OMG....SO COOL...


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## Mark Mattei

Hi Mark, here is the New Lu Mi Num bike that Brandt mentioned.


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## Mark Mattei

Mark, I’ve had the bike over 15 year and you’ve shown me what the stem and bars should be, thank you. Hope the pics help you.               If anyone has the the stem and/or bars available I would be glad to speak with you, the ID of the fork is 3/4”. Mark Mattei.


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## oldspoke

Beautiful bikes !

Mark M - the condition on that black machine is fantastic !

Nice score B-A-Y-A . It would seem as though vintage late 90's parts would be an appropriate solution to missing wheels etc. The cranks on Mark M's black machine are found on the late 90's Remington. Perhaps a donor bike could be found ?

I had {may still have ?} a post card issued by a man that rode the perimeter of the USA on a men's Lu-Mi-Num  in 1899, I believe. This was a promotional ride for the Lu-Mi-Num . I believe the rider made it without  issues..
Has anyone seen this ? I'll look to see if I still have it .

Glenn


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## Velo-dream

very  nice ....wow


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## Bike-A-Yike-All

oldspoke said:


> Beautiful bikes !
> 
> Mark M - the condition on that black machine is fantastic !
> 
> Nice score B-A-Y-A . It would seem as though vintage late 90's parts would be an appropriate solution to missing wheels etc. The cranks on Mark M's black machine are found on the late 90's Remington. Perhaps a donor bike could be found ?
> 
> I had {may still have ?} a post card issued by a man that rode the perimeter of the USA on a men's Lu-Mi-Num  in 1899, I believe. This was a promotional ride for the Lu-Mi-Num . I believe the rider made it without  issues..
> Has anyone seen this ? I'll look to see if I still have it .
> 
> Glenn


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## Bike-A-Yike-All

Thank you for the information on the cranks. I will be looking for a donor.


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## Bike-A-Yike-All

Craig Allen said:


> From G. Donald Adams book  "Collecting and Restoring Antique Bicycles" - "Introduced about 1893 by the St.Louis Refrigerator and Wooden Gutter Co., St.Louis, Missouri,  the Lu-Mi-Num bicycle was cast hollow in one piece. Containing a small percentage of alloy, this bicycle evidenced a very early use of aluminum. The front fork was cast solid and all was polished, but not to a mirror finish.
> Rights to the manufacture of the Lu-Mi-Num bicycle were purchased by M.M. Cycles,  Sans Souderes en Lu-Mi-Num who manufactured it in Paris.  It was sold in England by the Lu-Mi-Num Mfg. Co., Ltd. of London.
> Lu-Mi-Num's 1895 ladies and gents models weighed 25 lbs. and sold for  $125. At the 1895 Chicago Bicycle Show, a Lu-Mi-Num exhibit provided for testing the strength of the aluminum handlebar.  Two heavy men were permitted to suspend their weight from either side to show that it would not bend or break. Samples of the aluminum used in making the bicycle were twisted and bent into every conceivable shape without fracturing. A gauge demonstrated the perfect alignment of the Lu-Mi-Num frame, which was claimed to be truer than any steel frame.
> A chain case integrally cast with the frame, gave extra strength to the 1896 model.  Today Lu-Mi-Num bicycles must be ridden with care to guard against fracturing due to age and embrittlement of the aluminum."
> 
> There is an illustration of the 1896 model with the chain case in the book.



Thank you


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## Bike-A-Yike-All

Mark Mattei said:


> View attachment 681385 View attachment 681387 View attachment 681388 Hi Mark, here is the New Lu Mi Num bike that Brandt mentioned.



So much information. I can't stop studying Marks beauty. Thank you everyone.


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## dnc1

A really beautiful, and interesting bicycle! Love to see more pics as work progresses.


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## Bike-A-Yike-All

Please Let me know everyone if you know of parts or donor bikes to help build it out. It seems as if it is a Remington crank on Marks bike.


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## Duchess

Amazing piece of history! Not sure I'd want to ride it much, but I'd find a cast aluminum frame from the 1890s to be pretty damn interesting even if I didn't care about bikes.


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## BRADLEY

I have a lu mi num bicycle without the chain case. Also have the '96 catalog and there is no mention or illustration of a model with that chain case. I do have available that token (without the hole) and a lapel button in perfect condition $90 shipped. bjdrexler@cfl.rr.com for pictures because I have no idea how to post them here.


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## oldspoke

Hello Friends

Here is George Meier {sp? Meies ?} of Taunton Mass on his Lu-Mi-Num .

In June of 1900 he was well on his way to his goal of 25K Miles !!!

Glenn


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## fordmike65

oldspoke said:


> Hello Friends
> 
> Here is George Meier {sp? Meies ?} of Taunton Mass on his Lu-Mi-Num .
> 
> In June of 1900 he was well on his way to his goal of 25K Miles !!!
> 
> GlennView attachment 683231 View attachment 683232 View attachment 683233



This is AMAZING!!! Thanks for sharing!


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## Bike-A-Yike-All

Wow! What a cool pic. It gave me goose bumps. Thank you Glen.


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## Bike-A-Yike-All

Bike-A-Yike-All said:


> Wow! What a cool pic. It gave me goose bumps. Thank you Glen.



Glenn


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## Jesse McCauley

The image from this ad is already listed on this thread from a re-published book I believe but here is the original ad from an 1898 edition of Good Roads


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## bricycle

Beyond wor_ _! :eek:


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## catfish

Cool!


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## BRADLEY

B-RAD said:


> I have a lu mi num bicycle without the chain case. Also have the '96 catalog and there is no mention or illustration of a model with that chain case. I do have available that token (without the hole) and a lapel button in perfect condition $90 shipped. bjdrexler@cfl.rr.com for pictures because I have no idea how to post them here.


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## removed

very old Lu-mi-num


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## filmonger

From The Wheel 1896


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## SKPC

That is one stiff drive-side chain-stay!  Very, very cool old frame design.    Question. Does cast aluminum deteriorate or weaken over time stress or no stress?


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## Mercian

Hi SKPC,

Yes, time and temperature, and the fact that Aluminium casting processes were not that advanced (this really was a wonder material of the age), can mean that the castings become crystalline and weaken. Problem is, there's really no way of telling without aeronautical grade test equipment for non destructive testing, and, over the course of 100+ years of differeing storage conditions, weaknesses may vary from frame to frame.

Best Regards,

Adrian


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## removed

same way with the evinrude...  it was obvious to see some of the small parts were cast and sanded of buffed smooth


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## Blue Streak

From May 5, 1898 _The Wheel_:









Cropped images from article above:


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## Blue Streak

January 1897 issue of _Digest of Physical Tests_:





March 1898 issue of _The Aluminum World_:












June 1898 issue of _The Aluminum World_:


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## Blue Streak

August 25, 1893 issue of _The Referee_:





September 14, 1894 issue of _Bearings_: 





September 21, 1894 issue of _Bearings_:





October 10, 1894 issue of _Bearings_:


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## bikebozo

The St.louis gutter company , the company that built the Lu-Mi-Num was destroyed in a storm , cyclones, tornados , I do not remember what year it happened .


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