# Early 1920's Iver saddle



## filmonger (Mar 31, 2013)

i am in need of assistance in order to find the correct saddle fro an early 1920's truss bridge racer in the saddle dept.... What might be the correct saddle configuration for these early bikes?


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## Larmo63 (Mar 31, 2013)

Persons racing saddle or Brooks of that period..........

I prefer American saddles on American bikes, but either could be correct.


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## filmonger (Apr 1, 2013)

*Iver pics*

Thanks for the info.... my problem is that I am not sure if my bike is a truss roadster, flyer or racer - though she is set up as a racer now. Is there a way to tell what model she was orig? I have done a bit of research and cannot pin it down - though the year of manufacture has been fairly established based on the serial number. My guess is that she is not a racer and the she was orig. a roadster - this is only a guess. Hence my problem in attempting to find a proper saddle Troxel longspring persons or racer??


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## Iverider (Apr 1, 2013)

Good April Fools Day morning!

This may be of little help to you, but this is a page out of the 1915 catalog with saddle options. I know the styles probably changed a little into the twenties, but I don't have any of those catalogs. If you can find someone with your same model year catalog there should be a similar page that will tell you what saddles were available. 

The page of the catalog with the model bike you have will also tell you a little about which saddles were NOT available on the model you have, although this could be incorrect as my Arch truss was supposedly NOT supposed to have a Troxel Eagle Climax but it certainly had one when I got it. I'd love to have a Troxel Four (No. 25)


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## fat tire trader (Apr 1, 2013)

I have a 1928 catalog. In 28 the Special Racer Model 90A came as a diamond frame or a truss frame, both frames were made from Molybdenum seamless tubing. The non racer frames were made from high carbon seamless tubing.. The top of the line racers had Chater Lea cranks and straight domed seat posts. They also made a Road Racer Model 90 which did not have Molybdenum tubing, it also had a longer wheelbase of 42 1/2 inches as compared to 41 1/2 inches on the 90A and 90B. How long is your wheelbase? Does your head badge have PAT. on the bottom?


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## filmonger (Apr 1, 2013)

*tubing and wheelbase*

How can i tell the type of tubing used? What is the best way to measure the wheelbase? It has a Pat number on the Headbadge - but my guess is that this is not orig to the bike. the plastic insert is missing from under the head badge.


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## fat tire trader (Apr 1, 2013)

I asked about the badge, because the earlier ones did not have the patent. I don't know what year they switched. Wheelbase is measured from where the rear tire hits the ground to where the front tire hits the ground. Without the wheels, measure the distance between the front and rear drop outs. If you had two frames side by side, you might be able to tell which one has lighter tubing by tapping on the tubes and comparing the sound. If you take all of the parts off of your frame and weigh it, I can weigh my truss frame which I think is a roadster to compare weights. They also made an extra heavy duty truss frame. In 28, some of the badges were gold plated.


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Apr 1, 2013)

Measure center of rear axle to center of front axle for wheelbase.


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## filmonger (Apr 13, 2013)

*measurement*

Wheelbase measures 44 inches.......does this help us ID the model


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## fat tire trader (Apr 13, 2013)

According to my catalogs, the racer models had 42 1/2" wheel bases. Wheel bases for other models is not specified.


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## filmonger (Apr 13, 2013)

*Not a racer*

Well i suppose it narrows it down anyway.... thank you for the help. maybe some of the iver collectors out there could measure their wheel bases?


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## fat tire trader (Apr 13, 2013)

When I measure my truss frame's wheelbase, I get 43 1/2". It is serial #325075. I I don't have wheels on it. I measured from the center of the axle hole in the fork to the center of the marks on the rear dropouts where you can see the hub had been. Maybe you are measuring slightly differently and are getting a longer distance, or maybe yours is longer.

My guess is that all of the non racer truss frames had  43 1/2" or 44 inch wheel bases like ours. In any given year, I think that there may have been 4 different truss frames. The one that *I want* is the one made for Chater Lea Cranks and had a English threaded bottom bracket. The less expensive racers had the Iver Cranks. The roadsters had a longer wheel base and probably heavier tubing. And the Heavy Service which had the longer wheel base and even heavier tubing.


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