# Teens DB Stephenson, California Great Western Roadster



## Jesse McCauley (Mar 8, 2022)

This rugged, ragged, well worn machine has so many great details that speak to the many many miles it has traveled. I have spent quite a few hours in rebuilding and removing paint from various elements of this once fully ‘smurfed’ bicycle. I think in the end I’m very happy with how this machine turned out despite being an overpainted hand-me-down farm bicycle. I truly hope the previous owner(s) approve of my handling of their ca. 1917-18’ Great Western built “L’AKE.” Apparently sold by D.B. Stephenson somewhere in California? Very funky machine that I’m almost certain is about to start telling me it’s stories

I did my best at an honest rebuild, here are the details for us proper bicycle junkies that I didn’t want to bore folks on Facebook and  Instagram with. 

One of the killer wrapped grips survived and the other did not so I tried to re-create it as best I could. 
it was missing pedals, drop stand, and tires-
I replaced the front rim to match the metal heavy duty single tube rim laced to the Corbin Model 8 rear that I take to be original.
The bike was completely over painted in blue so I had to pull a bunch of paint off the brightwork and painted surfaces (rimit’s not perfect but it looks a lot better.

There are a couple elements of this machine that are semi obvious and semi brilliant at the same time. A lower headset race set screw, a drilled / bent nail to reinforce the coaster strap….brilliant!

So who knows about DB Stephenson the bicycle man in Califor


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## Blue Streak (Mar 8, 2022)

In 1907 Dwight B. Stephenson was listed as living in Sierra Madre CA, just east of Pasadena per his Crank Hanger Patent No. 911,174 shown below. 1915-1916 references below state he was located in Dinuba CA, 30 miles southeast of Fresno CA. Per ads it looks like first year for Lake Bicycles was 1912. Stephenson was in legal trouble with Great Western starting May 1915. This may make your L'ake circa 1912-1915. Several non-Stephenson specific Lake Bicycle references are also below. Did you find a serial number on yours?










May 23, 1912 - _Tulare Advance Register (Tulare CA)_




May 24, 1912 - _Tulare Advance Register (Tulare CA)_




October 16, 1912 - _Woodland Daily Democrat (Woodland CA)_ - Adlake  Bicycle with Stephenson Crank




May 5, 1913 - _Kenosha News (Kenosha WI)_




July 30, 1914 - _Salt Lake Telegram (Salt Lake City UT)_




May 15, 1915 - _Visalia Times Delta (Visalia CA)_







October 21, 1915 - _Ottumwa Tri-Weekly Courier (Ottumwa IA)_







December 16, 1915 - _Tulare County Times (Visalia CA)_







February 3, 1916 - _Tulare County Times (Visalia CA)_







May 18, 1916 - _Tulare County Times (Visalia CA)



_


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## New Mexico Brant (Mar 8, 2022)

What a fantastic piece of California history!


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## Archie Sturmer (Mar 9, 2022)

Looks like the GWM-built bike has a *Fauber *bottom bracket crank hanger, (versus the Stephenson patent?).
Makes one wonder about the _*cause *_of all the failures on the bicycles contracted to GWM.  (Did the failures have to do with use of a Stephenson crankset design?)


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## gkeep (Mar 10, 2022)

Great story and history. I wonder if the downtime repair had anything to do with the lawsuit involving the "bikes began to go down after short usage" and "wheel did not come up to specifications contained in the contract"? I wonder if there are any more of these frames surviving with older repairs?


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## ian (Mar 10, 2022)

Jesse McCauley said:


> This rugged, ragged, well worn machine has so many great details that speak to the many many miles it has traveled. I have spent quite a few hours in rebuilding and removing paint from various elements of this once fully ‘smurfed’ bicycle. I think in the end I’m very happy with how this machine turned out despite being an overpainted hand-me-down farm bicycle. I truly hope the previous owner(s) approve of my handling of their ca. 1917-18’ Great Western built “L’AKE.” Apparently sold by D.B. Stephenson somewhere in California? Very funky machine that I’m almost certain is about to start telling me it’s stories
> 
> I did my best at an honest rebuild, here are the details for us proper bicycle junkies that I didn’t want to bore folks on Facebook and  Instagram with.
> 
> ...



The best part to me are those killer tillers.


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## SKPC (Mar 10, 2022)

Archie Sturmer said:


> Looks like the GWM-built bike has a *Fauber bb. *Makes one wonder about the _*cause *_of all the failures on the bicycles contracted to GWM.  (Did the failures have to do with use of a Stephenson crankset design?)



And as we see, his "patent" (crankset) requires a split-BB Shell 2-bolt design surely sized for his patented 2-piece crankset with bearings/cones/cups.
Maybe GWM failed to provide these special BB shelled frames for him?  A quote from B Streaks great info that may be a clue..."Sales  of the bicycle UNDER the PATENT are said to be heavy" (orders), but the "Dealers" or "retailers" were returning them" Question: after being received?  Or, after being ridden? The ordered bikes were perhaps sold with the Patented Stephenson crank but outfitted with GWM 2nds?


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## Jesse McCauley (Mar 11, 2022)

Lots of great information and thoughts thanks folks, as always @Blue Streak comes out swinging with stellar research thank you sir. 

I wanted to point out two of the more interesting features on this machine that in all my bicycle tinkering I have not seen elsewhere. 

The lower headset race 'set screw' which makes a lot of sense and similarly the tack nail reinforcing the coaster strap.

Subtle but impressive in the grand scheme of this bike, surprising though especially given the negative rep in the period for Stephenson bikes (maybe just Stephenson hangers?) -


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## OC_Rolling_Art (Mar 21, 2022)

Very cool California bike! The square nail would be from an earlier time, made in the 1890's at the latest is my guess, but certainly serviceable for many years. A factory feature?


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## NikeAjax (Mar 27, 2022)

Thank you for sharing that with us!  How exciting, I am very envious.  It looks to me like it was originally black and burgundy? (on the forks)

Jaybird


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## Jesse McCauley (Mar 28, 2022)

NikeAjax said:


> Thank you for sharing that with us!  How exciting, I am very envious.  It looks to me like it was originally black and burgundy? (on the forks)
> 
> Jaybird



I know I see traces of black that are still hanging on but it seems the blue has stuck best to the areas of the frame (majority) that was already rusty when painted and seemingly had no more black left? Based on the amount of plating left on various components under the paint I would say the enamel job originally left something to be desired. 

Sidenote- this bicycle along with a few others from my collection are available over in the 'For Sale' section and can be delivered to the upcoming Memory Lane meet this time next month!!


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