# Columbia Military Model- Opinions?



## Fort Susquehanna (Sep 16, 2016)

I made photos of the Columbia Military Model I just bought.


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## hoofhearted (Sep 16, 2016)

*The machine has all the features of a Miami-Built,
at least in the frame / fork components.

Miami drop, top-bar motorbikes .. initiated in 1917 ..
have many, many variations between 1917 and 1922
(and possibly 1923).


Westfield did purchase Miami Cycle & Manuf. Co.
in 1923 (+/-).

Literature for all military models .. from all companies
that built a Military Model shows a machine with a top-
bar .. AND an under-bar -- parallel with one another.

Much more research is indicated before a reasonable
conclusion can be reached.

..... patric cafaro




 
*


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## catfish (Sep 16, 2016)

Right badge. Wrong frame.


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## Fort Susquehanna (Sep 16, 2016)

Thanks for the input.  To clarify, because I'm not a bicycle expert, please explain the following:

Fender bridge- is this what joins the fender to the frame?  What do you need to see?

The frame photos- what detail do you need to see?  

The badge looks like it has been on there a long time.  It wouldn't be the first time somebody put a badge on an item to make it look better.  But is there a chance that Miami made bikes for Columbia contract, which then badged them as their own?  This definitely happened in WWII with subcontractors (other than bicycles) and I am wondering if it happened in WWI as well.


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## hoofhearted (Sep 16, 2016)

Fort Susquehanna said:


> Thanks for the input.  To clarify, because I'm not a bicycle expert, please explain the following:
> 
> Fender bridge- is this what joins the fender to the frame? *It's that hollow tube that actually touches the top-most* *part* *of* *the* *fender.   Your machine has two of these bridges for the rear fender.  NONE for front fender.*
> 
> ...








*^^^*
*Reference material originally posted by 
CABE member ... Wing Your Heel.*







*^^^
Reference material originally posted by
CABE member ... chitown.*


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## Wing Your Heel (Sep 17, 2016)

I've never seen any WW1 US military bike that's not a twin top tube frame. Has anyone seen a WW1 photo from France that shows one? 
In one of the post-WW1 Columbia brochures, there's an artist's drawing of a Columbia truss-bridge in France. (The Iver Johnson patent ended in 1917). As Columbia had a big promotion of their 'Military Model' for at least three years after the war finished, could they have badged up a few motobike frames (and even truss-bridge frames?) as Military Models to help sell them? 
Just a bit of fun trying to guess the past
Colin


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## Fort Susquehanna (Oct 7, 2016)

Some new photos:


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## Fort Susquehanna (Jun 16, 2019)

This bicycle has found a new home.


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