# Racycle Pacemaker



## Freqman1 (Apr 26, 2016)

So here are a few pics of one of my latest acquisitions. The badge says Model 120 and I'm guessing 1906-7. So the question I have is what is the year and what do you think is incorrect?  I see evidence of a couple of shades of blue paint but some appears to be house paint. So my questions:
1. Year? I have the 1905 and 1910 cats but would like to see some lit specific to Model 120
2. Does anyone reproduce the decals? Was it a Racycle decal on each side of the down tube?
3. I'm missing one of the nut/bolts for the bottom bracket--anyone have a spare?
4. I will restore this bike but really don't want to mess up the original seat--would trade for a good chassis
5. Does anyone restore this seat with the correct stamps?
6. Does anyone have a paint code for the Racycle blue?
7. The cats I've seen say Star pedals or ones with rubber. Anyone got pics of correct pedals? A set for sale?

I'm sure I'll have many more as I go along but that should be enough to get me going. V/r Shawn


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## barracuda (Apr 26, 2016)

1907, from catalog on ebay, here:


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## filmonger (Apr 27, 2016)

Guessing Blue & Wcben can answer most of your questions - also, Luxlow might have some of what you need.....I think he still has a few in his stable. Is this the Color blue you are after? I know this is a Model 180...just an example for the colour in question.


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## rollfaster (Apr 27, 2016)

Here's another example.


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## mike j (Apr 27, 2016)

I'll say, one 'ell of a bike & love that shot.


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## Freqman1 (Apr 27, 2016)

barracuda said:


> 1907, from catalog on ebay, here:
> 
> View attachment 309781




Looks like black was the factory color but others were available. I really like the blue and unless someone can tell me why it wouldn't be correct that's what I will go with. I've been told the bars may have been changed out but with everything else being correct I suspect these may have originally came with the bike. If anyone has a spare set of Kelly's laying around I'd be interested. I've been in contact with Ward and he has provided input. I'll post additional pics tonight including front hub and better badge pics. Thanks to everyone for their input. V/r Shawn


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## Freqman1 (Apr 27, 2016)

Here are a few more pics. The badge seems to be flattened a little on the one side. I have a spare badge and hopefully it is the same type and in better shape than this one. V/r Shawn


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## Wcben (Apr 27, 2016)

Hey Sean, is the rear wheel an Onaway rim too?..... Onaway dates the rim to prior to late January 1926.... Before Lobdell moved to Alma.  If so, I'd lay odds as being in your favor that the wheelset is original.... Do you see any makers mark on the front hub?


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## Freqman1 (Apr 28, 2016)

That pic is of the rear rim with the Lobdell marking. I didn't see any markings on the front hub but need to clean it and take a better look. Should it be marked? If so what brand/markings? Anyone make any decals? Still need a bolt and nut for the bottom bracket. I understand this is reverse threaded. V/r Shawn


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## bricycle (Apr 28, 2016)

Love it Shawn, way kool.


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## Wcben (Apr 28, 2016)

Oh, cool, that was the rear!  Front hubs were usually Thor although it being a 1907, it may have also been a Morrow...the shape doesn't look like the illustrations of Thor hubs that I've seen, I've asked many times if anyone has ever seen a front hub marked "Thor" and no-one has yet sent an image of a marked "Thor" hub.... I would imagine the mark would be along the outer bearing surface (outside the spokes) like the rear hubs were done!  The small bolts are normal threads although they are special bolts.... The center bolt between the cranks is reverse thread, that would likely need to be made by a machinist.... They are pretty rare.


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## Springer Tom (Apr 28, 2016)

Star pedals on my Hudson


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## Wcben (Apr 28, 2016)

Here is the one of the bolts from the bottom of the crank hanger...look at the details, the cuts and curve are OEM!


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## Iverider (Apr 28, 2016)

The front hub on the bike currently, appears to be a New Departure Model M.


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## Freqman1 (Apr 29, 2016)

Thanks to all for the info so far. I'll post in the WTB but I sure could use one of them bottom bracket bolt/nuts, a set of the Star pedals, and a source for the down tube decals. V/r Shawn


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## filmonger (Apr 29, 2016)

Picture of Thor front hub 1906


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## Wcben (Apr 29, 2016)

Hey Shawn, the lettering on the downtube on all of the Racycles I've seen was hand lettered... It wasn't a decal.  The only decal that I'm familiar with on your vintage Racycle was on the seat tube, it's a replication of the gold medal awarded to Racycle at the Worlds fair.  I have re-created that artwork, it's below... The decal should be about a inch tall.


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## Freqman1 (Apr 29, 2016)

Wcben said:


> Hey Shawn, the lettering on the downtube on all of the Racycles I've seen was hand lettered... It wasn't a decal.  The only decal that I'm familiar with on your vintage Racycle was on the seat tube, it's a replication of the gold medal awarded to Racycle at the Worlds fair.  I have re-created that artwork, it's below... The decal should be about a inch tall.View attachment 310618




Thanks Ward. Has anyone had the seat tube decals made? Can you provide a high quality pic and dimensions of the "Racycle" down tube lettering? V/r Shawn


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## barracuda (Apr 29, 2016)

Wcben said:


> ...the lettering on the downtube on all of the Racycles I've seen was hand lettered...




Hand painted? Wow, I want to see a compendium of these painted script logos! Here's one I found on the web - it looks as if there are three different colors present: a gold base, a purple main layer, with a black pin.


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## Freqman1 (Apr 29, 2016)

I was thinking I had seen this as a decal before? Sure would be a heck of a lot easier than trying to find someone to hand paint this. V/r Shawn


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## 47jchiggins (Apr 29, 2016)

Here are a couple pics of the seat and down tubes.

Todd


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## Wcben (Apr 29, 2016)

Most I've seen have been two or three colors.... The damage on this first one definitely looks like paint to me, when I've seen decals get damaged like this, there's usually exposed edges, I don't see those here... Same with most of the others...


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## filmonger (Apr 29, 2016)

1908



 



1909





Might want to look...!!!!


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## barracuda (Apr 29, 2016)

Wcben said:


> Most I've seen have been two or three colors.... The damage on this first one definitely looks like paint to me, when I've seen decals get damaged like this, there's usually exposed edges, I don't see those here... Same with most of the others...




Waterslide decals only came into wide use in the early 1930s. Before that time (and likely on almost any pre-1920s bicycle), a lithographed varnish-transfer decal was the available technique. These type of decals are now used almost exclusively on piano restorations. They are quite tricky to apply, and use an application of varnish as an adhesive to a reverse-printed image, which is then rubbed on the receiving surface, with the very thin paper substrate later dissolved through the application of water. I'd be very surprised if the logos on Racycles weren't produced with this technique.


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## Wcben (Apr 29, 2016)

Here are a few more logos


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## Wcben (Apr 29, 2016)

barracuda said:


> Waterslide decals only came into wide use in the early 1930s. Before that time (and likely on almost any pre-1920s bicycle), a lithographed varnish-transfer decal was the available technique. These type of decals are now used almost exclusively on piano restorations. They are quite tricky to apply, and use an application of varnish as an adhesive to a reverse-printed image, which is then rubbed on the receiving surface, with the very thin paper substrate later dissolved through the application of water. I'd be very surprised if the logos on Racycles weren't produced with this technique.




You could be absolutely correct, Blue and I have had a few conversations about the logos and had come to the conclusion that they were hand striped but, I haven't seen proof in either direction.  I have seen good pinstripers who could do the logo in three colors like the ones I posted in a very short time frame.


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## carlitos60 (Apr 29, 2016)

That Seat Frame Looks Really CooL!!!


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## Freqman1 (May 5, 2016)

Regarding decals. Does anyone know what would be correct for an '07 Pacemaker? Just "Racycle" on downtube? "Racycle Pacemaker" on downtube, or plain white "Racycle" on each side of down tube? Has anyone did any seat post decals yet? V/r Shawn


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## Wcben (May 5, 2016)

Shawn, the only Racycle I've seen an image of that has two logos on the sides of the downtube is that light blue one pictured twice earlier, I first saw that on Brian Doans "Racycle Crank" blog, Brian was cool to talk with and gave me some pointers early on in the research for mine, he said the owner of that Pacemaker matched the color to the color as pictured in the catalog.... When he posted that bike on his blog, he said that it was the only Pacemaker that he knew of that had been fully restored!  I know of a few that have undergone full restoration since then and a couple of roadsters ((including mine) which is sloooooowly progressing), that have undergone full restorations too!


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## Freqman1 (May 31, 2016)

Color availability on Racycles: I have a reprint of the 1910 catalog which simply says "Other colors subject to delay". I have an original 1907 catalog that says "COLORS--The finish on all Racycles is plain black, without striping. Other colors subject to a delay of two weeks.  A piece of colored silk of the shade desired should be attached to each order as a guide for our enamelers. An extra charge will be made for full nickel frames, white, gun barrel blue finish, rims enameled to match and for combinations colors on Models 125, 128, and 129."

So essentially you could order a Racycle in any color you wanted if you were willing to wait a couple of weeks. V/r Shawn


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## Wcben (Sep 20, 2016)

I have found an image that shows the Racycle logo going down the side of the downtube, check it out!
This would have been a 1921 model!


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## Freqman1 (Sep 21, 2016)

Looks like Miami used that Bull Dog frame longer than I thought. This same frame was also used for Merkels ca. 1915. V/r Shawn


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## stezell (Sep 22, 2016)

Very cool project Shawn, always like those giant chainwheels. I would go with blue especially since black was such a common color back then.


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## dfa242 (Sep 22, 2016)

Here are a couple pages from the '07 catalog - I didn't see any mention of decals but both mention color.


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