# could this be a T.O.C bike ?



## Kenny Middendorf (Jan 24, 2019)

this was posted in the 1933 n up section but i think it may be older, cant seem to identify it , any guesses here !  thanks to all !!  I'm positive the fenders don't belong and the wheels are wrong, the last pic is it without fenders if you can see it all the way in the back.


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## Kenny Middendorf (Jan 24, 2019)

oops wrong pic ...!!!


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## Jesse McCauley (Jan 24, 2019)

1890’s 


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## skiptooth (Jan 24, 2019)

yes, its 1890's I have a tandem that's probably 1897 but this one looks earlier than that...these have an interesting history w/ the cost of $150.00 new !! the seats are not correct either. ive never seen that style of the steer from rear set up very unusual Richard...


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## mongeese (Jan 24, 2019)

Could be English 20s


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## bricycle (Jan 24, 2019)

TOC era, saddles, fenders, pedals, chain, wheels later tho. man, lots of repairs on the old gal.


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## Kenny Middendorf (Jan 24, 2019)

you are shure are rite lots of stuff wrong about it  , but it screams cool when ya see it ride by ,yes we rode it already . love to see one original !!!!     Thank you everyone .


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## Greeced lightning (Jan 25, 2019)

It still does scream cool under all that latex layering. You have all the hard parts. There is probably some trace of original color under it all. Steer from the rear, I agree, is really unusual , good luck & have fun w/ it.


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## Craig Allen (Jan 25, 2019)

Looks more teens than '90's. Late 1890's tandems just had that special look of refinement about them, whereas this one has a bulky look to it. It still is a fun project to work on.


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## Jesse McCauley (Jan 25, 2019)

For reference: 1897 Thorsen combination tandem.










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## Jesse McCauley (Jan 25, 2019)

Craig Allen said:


> Looks more teens than '90's. Late 1890's tandems just had that special look of refinement about them, whereas this one has a bulky look to it. It still is a fun project to work on.




Have you seen many teens era bicycles that used a clamp style stem/ headset vs. quill style?


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## fat tire trader (Jan 25, 2019)

I agree, by shortly after the turn of the century, the clip style headset was no longer or rarely used on bikes built in America. In addition, Very few companies continued to make courting tandems. The only post TOC courting tandem that I can think of is Colson, I don't remember ever seeing a tandem with this drag link coming out of the seat tube.


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## rustjunkie (Jan 25, 2019)

cool bike. if you decide to part with the saddle up front drop me a private message?


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## Jesse McCauley (Jan 25, 2019)

I’m always learning and Craig has seen quite a few more bicycles than I have but while this machine does look rather “clunky” I think it may be 1890’s none the less. I would be interested in seeing a Teens tandem built this way as most I’ve seen end up with the man up front after around 1910 outside of the Colson exception from the 30’s - 



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## Brian R. (Jan 26, 2019)

Was there a Yellow Fellow courting tandem built in the teens? I know a collector who has one - very cool with the chain between frame stays - but he thinks it was built in the teens. He thinks Stearns switched from yellow to brown rather than it being a repaint. It seemed earlier to me.

My vote on the one in this thread is 1890s.
Nice bike.


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