# Premier Cycle Works / Chicago



## johnmp12 (Feb 8, 2022)

Is there any information on Premier Cycle Works that was based in Chicago. I have purchased a 1905 all original and that has been hanging in a barn or garage since 1912. I am looking for sources or information on this company and the bikes they made.


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## johnmp12 (Feb 8, 2022)

Also, Where can I get new glue on tires for the wood rims on this bike?


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## chitown (Feb 8, 2022)

Beautiful Machine there! Those tires are valuable as is. Anymore pictures to share?

Premier is a short lived offshoot of Mead Cycle. Yours is a perfect match for this 1913 catalog image. Imported 1/2" chain dates it to teens, not '05.


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## johnmp12 (Feb 8, 2022)

chitown said:


> Beautiful Machine there! Those tires are valuable as is. Anymore pictures to share?
> 
> Premier is a short lived offshoot of Mead Cycle. Yours is a perfect match for this 1913 catalog image. Imported 1/2" chain dates it to teens, not '05.
> 
> ...



The story I got with this bike is that it was bought as a gift for a couples young boy and that the boy died in 1912 and it was put up and never ridden again. I will have more pics soon. I have it in pieces to clean it up. I would like to find tires for it. The tires on it are hard and flat. I plan on leaving the original paint on the frame but may re-chrome. Thanks for the catalog pics. I agree that it may be a later year model. Family stories tend to get dates wrong.


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## New Mexico Brant (Feb 9, 2022)

John, this bike is great as-found.  Are the tires 28"?  I would be interested in buying the original if you plan on replacing them.  You may want to rethink replating.  The plating on that bike is great by TOC collecting standards.  Should you re-plate please use nickel, not chrome.   Chrome did not start until the 1930's.


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## johnmp12 (Feb 9, 2022)

New Mexico Brant said:


> John, this bike is great as-found.  Are the tires 28"?  I would be interested in buying the original if you plan on replacing them.  You may want to rethink replating.  The plating on that bike is great by TOC collecting standards.  Should you re-plate please use nickel, not chrome.   Chrome did not start until the 1930's.



They are 28" tires and they were hard as a rock and not salvageable without destroying the rims. Thanks for the heads up on the chrome... in a earlier reply to my post is a catalog copy that calls the chrome out as nickel


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## chitown (Feb 9, 2022)

New Mexico Brant said:


> John, this bike is great as-found.  Are the tires 28"?  I would be interested in buying the original if you plan on replacing them.  You may want to rethink replating.  The plating on that bike is great by TOC collecting standards.  Should you re-plate please use nickel, not chrome.   Chrome did not start until the 1930's.



+1

All that bike needs is a thorough, gentle deep-clean. Some light soaking in mild acid solution will do wonders to that nickel. I'll bet most of the rust is from pin-point tiny-spots that will all but disappear when cleaned. I actually prefer soaking my rusty parts in lime juice I buy at the restaurant supply store, I buy by the gallon. It's cheap and you don't have to pre-mix/dilute & worry about taking off any nickel (which can happen). But that bike is really worth a lot more and  has such great potential you don't get often with a survivor like yours. It would be great if you posted more pictures to nail down the frame manufacturer, as Mead/Premier used several frame manufacturers depending on year and model. Serial # should be on bottom bracket.


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## Wards Guy.. (Feb 9, 2022)

I saw this one at a swap meet on Saturday, and a lot of broken parts JB welded together. I looks like it went over the continental divide couple of times here Colorado. Just thought I would show


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## New Mexico Brant (Feb 9, 2022)

johnmp12 said:


> They are 28" tires and they were hard as a rock and not salvageable without destroying the rims. Thanks for the heads up on the chrome... in a earlier reply to my post is a catalog copy that calls the chrome out as nickel



Do you plan on making the bike a rider?  The hard tires are removable with a couple different methods.  To make it a display bike or rider white Robert Dean tires are the most correct.  If just a display bike I would advise keeping the original tires as they look awesome.


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## johnmp12 (Feb 9, 2022)

New Mexico Brant said:


> Do you plan on making the bike a rider?  The hard tires are removable with a couple different methods.  To make it a display bike or rider white Robert Dean tires are the most correct.  If just a display bike I would advise keeping the original tires as they look awesome.


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## johnmp12 (Feb 9, 2022)

I am planning on putting Robert Dean tires on the bike. The original tires are off already, and they did not come off without falling apart. I plan to clean it up as much as possible and rideable (although it may never get ridden).


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## Archie Sturmer (Feb 9, 2022)

Nice bike.
The bicycle frame (and perhaps the fork or most of the assembly) may be Davis-built.
The embossed head badge is much nicer than most Premier badges, (in my opinion).

That is the 3rd style of Premier badge that I have seen; (the one pictured in post-8 being most common). Not sure if the different badges hint at different manufacturers.





The bicycle might have a sideways serial number stamping close to the side of the bottom bracket crank hanger; (and perhaps the bearing cups might also be stamped somewhere?).


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## johnmp12 (Feb 9, 2022)

Archie Sturmer said:


> Nice bike.
> The bicycle frame (and perhaps the fork or most of the assembly) may be Davis-built.
> The embossed head badge is much nicer than most Premier badges, (in my opinion).
> 
> ...


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## johnmp12 (Feb 9, 2022)

chitown said:


> Beautiful Machine there! Those tires are valuable as is. Anymore pictures to share?
> 
> Premier is a short lived offshoot of Mead Cycle. Yours is a perfect match for this 1913 catalog image. Imported 1/2" chain dates it to teens, not '05.
> 
> ...



More pics!


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## locomotion (Feb 9, 2022)

very interesting tread, great bicycle you have
thank you for posting it, it might answer some of the questions I have about one of mine as well

I found a bike a few years back and it was badgeless
after identifying it as a Premier, I tried finding a badge for it
found a Premier badge for it, but it might not be the right badge after looking at your badge ...... or maybe it is for my YOM
when found, my bike didn't have fenders, but had holes in the bridges for fender attachments, so I found some proper fenders but with the wrong color scheme, I will have repaint them with the black/red combo

I need to remove my bike from the sale section and start looking at my bike again
here is the tread with pictures for some comparisons.








						Sold - deleted | Archive (sold)
					

deleted




					thecabe.com
				




_I just noticed that my pictures suck in my old sale post ..... no wonder it hasn't sold_😩


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## Clarner (Feb 9, 2022)

johnmp12 said:


> The story I got with this bike is that it was bought as a gift for a couples young boy and that the boy died in 1912 and it was put up and never ridden again. I will have more pics soon. I have it in pieces to clean it up. I would like to find tires for it. The tires on it are hard and flat. I plan on leaving the original paint on the frame but may re-chrome. Thanks for the catalog pics. I agree that it may be a later year model. Family stories tend to get dates wrong.



These are the bikes and the stories I am here for. Great find; bike looks awesome.


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## chitown (Feb 9, 2022)

locomotion said:


> I am now seeing that the bike didn't come with fenders



They were available in 1913. But these were imported from England. I'd imagine they switched to US made fenders as the war made imports harder to get here if not impossible so I'd say you got the right ones for your 1915.


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## locomotion (Feb 10, 2022)

chitown said:


> They were available in 1913. But these were imported from England. I'd imagine they switched to US made fenders as the war made imports harder to get here if not impossible so I'd say you got the right ones for your 1915.
> 
> View attachment 1567410
> View attachment 1567412



thank you very much for all the catalogue pictures @chitown
do you have a page showing what the correct parts the bikes should have? especially the rear and front hubs and types of wheels (wood, steel clad, ect).

sorry to @johnmp12 ....... not meaning to highjack your tread
but I taught it would be a better to bring all the discussions on Premier bikes, all in the same place for easier references for all of the member
if you think that I should start my own tread, let me know
thanks
Max


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## johnmp12 (Feb 10, 2022)

locomotion said:


> thank you very much for all the catalogue pictures @chitown
> do you have a page showing what the correct parts the bikes should have? especially the rear and front hubs and types of wheels (wood, steel clad, ect).
> 
> sorry to @johnmp12 ....... not meaning to highjack your tread
> ...



no worries


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## Archie Sturmer (Feb 11, 2022)

johnmp12 said:


> More pics!
> View attachment 1567243



The decal reads, “11–1–22” so maybe it is a 1911 diamond frame (also looks like 22in.).

Does not look like the few Davis-built 22” diamond frame Mead or Premier badged bicycles that I have seen; (1914-15?).


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## Cooper S. (Feb 11, 2022)

That sure is one clean mead, if you ever want to let it go, let me know. Where was the bike found?


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## johnmp12 (Feb 11, 2022)

Cooper S. said:


> That sure is one clean mead, if you ever want to let it go, let me know. Where was the bike found?



I bought this at an auction in PA. The story is that the parents of a young man bought this bike for him. The young man died in 1912 (is the date I am told) and it hung in the family barn until the mom died in 1959. At that time a great nephew acquired the bike and hung it in his garage until it sold at auction. I have cleaned it up and removed the rust. The nickel plating doesn't shine but it the plated parts are in great shape. The bike came apart with no issues (no rusted immovable nuts and bolts). The frame is clean and free of major rust both inside and outside of the frame. All of the bearings in the head, crank and pedals are in great shape. A truly rare thing to find a bike like this in such great condition!  The only thing I am doing to this bike is cleaning it up and replacing the spokes on the original wood wheels and having Robert Dean make new tires for it.


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## rustyspoke66 (Feb 12, 2022)

This is one I had awhile back. Believed to be circa 1915 in a great original blue color and original nickel plating.


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