# Turn of the Century Ideas



## fordsnake

I find the Turn of the Century as a robust and transformative time. Bicycle creations were rapidly occurring. i equate it to today's technology where things are being created at lighting speed. Back then many lay people jumped on the band wagon and saw the opportunities to try and perfect the safest and most economical mode of transportation. It certainly was a prolific era of marvelous inventions. I thought I’d share a few of the many bike novelties that were produced before 1900. 







I’m also fascinated with the origins of bike accessories we take for granted;
118 years ago A. Schrader trademarked the Schrader Universal Valve.  







The impetus of todays on piece cranks, US Pat 492959, William Henry Fauber.








I'm impress how long the mono wheel has been around.




The 1950's Hopalong Cassidy bicycle cap pistol had nothing on the 1899 Dewey Canon! 




I love gears and cranks on bikes 






I will continue to add my finds to this thread and I encourage others to do so as well.


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## bricycle

Excellent thread!


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## Nick-theCut

This would be cool in reverse.  

Where the back rider is up higher.  Certainly would ease their mind, since they're not in control.


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## fordsnake

More novel bicycle ideas that predate 1900.















Interesting to see this flex-plate and hex tube handlebar predates the Silver King Flocycle creation by 30+ years.


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## jkent

Nick-theCut said:


> This would be cool in reverse.
> 
> Where the back rider is up higher.  Certainly would ease their mind, since they're not in control.




I would like to know more about the bike in the on the top part of the picture. That just looks awesome!


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## sqrly

Great thread!

I love seeing cutting edge inventions made out of carbon fiber, titanium,  aluminum, etc. And they toute all the improvements of this new idea.  One look and I think to myself, that was made a hundred years ago.

A very short list of things invented for or perfected by the bicycle industry.

Wire spoked wheels where the spokes are in tension
Tangent spoked wheels
pneumatic tires, the first was for a wagon but never caught on, years later Dunlop made and perfected bicycle tires.
Seamless tubing, I may have this wrong.
Efficient drive chain, such as block chain and roller chain.
Drastic improvements in sprocket tooth profiles for better wear and efficiency.
steering geometry that cars use today was figured out for tricycles and quadracycles.
A great deal of biomechanics and how to fit humans with machines.
Ball bearing along with many types of roller and thrust bearing designs.
A surprising amount of suspension technology revolves around the bicycle.

Normally attributed to bicycles/tricycles/quadracycles is shaft drive and bevel gears, but I dont think that is right due to shaft drive was used in water wheels and windmills for many many years before bicycles, and some elaborate clock movements may have used similar technology.


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## fordsnake

sqrly, I know what you mean, flip through this 530 page book written in 1869. Check out the physics and the science that goes into riding a bicycle. http://archive.org/stream/bicyclestricycl01shargoog#page/n9/mode/1up


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## thehugheseum

great thread..........i always say "if you can dream it up bicycle it was likely already done over a hundred years ago"


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## fordsnake

This has nothing to do with bike inventions, I just loved the TOC poster that sold earlier at Copake and I found an article on Frank L. Kramer...really cool.


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## fordsnake

That's 1897...





Here's my favorite bicycle, dates back 1893...this is an aluminum bicycle! Has anyone ever seen one?


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## fordsnake

This 1890 invention is what started this search...created by George M. Hendee several years before his Indian bicycle, when he was employed with the Hubert Bros in New York as the bicycle department manager.


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## rustyspoke66

Thanks for the great thread!


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## sqrly

fordsnake said:


> sqrly, I know what you mean, flip through this 530 page book written in 1869. Check out the physics and the science that goes into riding a bicycle. http://archive.org/stream/bicyclestricycl01shargoog#page/n9/mode/1up




Im pretty sure that is the book that I got a reprint of when I was 16, or something very similar, like a second or third edition.  Still dont understand it all in depth, but after countless hours reading and rereading it, most of it makes sense.  I still doubt centripetal effect of the wheels has much to do with balance.


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## fattommy

Great stuff.  I saw that big wheel on a you tube the other day and thought it was a new idea.  The thing rocked forward a lot when he was braking, but it went, that's for sure.  Thanks for putting everything up there so we can all enjoy it.


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## fordsnake

sqrly said:


> I still doubt centripetal effect of the wheels has much to do with balance?



 Right, but if you take into account, this was written at the height (pun intended) of the penny farthing; the size of the wheel, by the height of the man, by the revolution of the wheel should determined the travel of the bike, or how long it'll take before you lose your balance and fall off that darn high wheel?  

Here's a cool sprocket for you... I think it was shared here on the CABE recently?


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## GiovanniLiCalsi

Love that chainring!


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## fordsnake

Here's another chainring that's cool...this is a Hendee & Nelson sprocket, and predates the Indian bicycle. This cross bar chainring was used on the early and late Silver Kings.













When compared to the photos of Steve McQueens Hendee & Nelson Silver King, it illustrates his bike had the wrong sprocket.


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## sqrly

You have no idea how many questions that ad just answered!  Fantastic info.  Thankyou for including that.  Btw, that is currently my #1 most desired sprocket.  If anybody has one, any condition, let me know.  It used to be my #2, but I got my racycle pacemaker sprocket, so this one up to the top.

Even in the book they say that centripetal force is quite low and has little effect in balance.  But it is there and does help with riding no handed to some degree, but it is more pronounced at higher speeds.  I studied how the tire contact moves as you turn the handlebars and lean the bike.  Really hard to wrap your brain around that stuff.  There were come crazy smart people in the 1800's.

I think the thing that surprizes me the most about 1800's bicycles, is they wernt invented sooner.  With all the tech in sailing, clocks, wind/water power, farm machinery, musical instruments, etc., I would have thought bicycles would have been around in some form a thousand years earlier.  Blacksmithing, woodworking and chariots were far past infancy 2000 years ago.


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## sqrly

Somewhere I have seen that silver king tooth profile.  I cant remember where now, I will have to look for it.


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## decotriumph

*19the Century Manufacturing*

Thanks, Fordsnake, for posting these items and starting this thread. The quality and innovation of late 19th century manufacturing is a fascinating study. The more I see of TOC bicycles, the more I am drawn to them.


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## fordsnake

sqrly said:


> You have no idea how many questions that ad just answered!  Fantastic info.  Thankyou for including that.  Btw, that is currently my #1 most desired sprocket.  If anybody has one, any condition, let me know.  It used to be my #2, but I got my racycle pacemaker sprocket, so this one up to the top.




You're welcome...I'll see if I can find the rest of this article.


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## fordsnake

sqrly said:


> Somewhere I have seen that silver king tooth profile.  I cant remember where now, I will have to look for it.




The cross bar design was fairly common on many bikes around 1885-1890's. What made the Hendee chain ring was the unique (fat) ridge that allowed the chain to rest comfortably on it, and the bolt on cross.


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## 2jakes

_ I found this in BikeForums 12-19-08_



_ made by the Lu-Mi-Num Co.in St. Louis (1896)_


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## dfa242

2jakes said:


> fordsnake said:
> 
> 
> 
> Here's my favorite bicycle, dates back 1893...this is an aluminum bicycle! Has anyone ever seen one?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _ made by the Lu-Mi-Num Co.in St. Louis (1896)_
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, that's really a great bike.  I have their 1894 catalog but had never seen one of their bikes - good for you!
Click to expand...


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## mike j

Cool stuff, great job Fordsnake. Amazing what used to be manufactured in this country.


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## 2jakes

There are several photos & story regarding this  unique bike which was
posted in BikeForums _( 12-19-08 )_
www.bikeforums.net


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## fordsnake

Here are a few more clever ideas...


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## tailhole

*amazing thread*

This is a fantastic thread.  I am set to teach a bicycle design class next fall at a local university and was planning of starting with history and the innovations that were made over 100 years ago and were eventually dropped due to inadequate materials of the era or just better streamlined designs that came along and the general decline of bicycles as viable means of transportation and their degraded status as toys for children.
The variety and volume of innovations is astounding.  
Love the old ads and patents.  Please keep them coming!


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## fordsnake

Ok, some sprockets were ridiculously large.


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## bricycle

fordsnake said:


> You're welcome...I'll see if I can find the rest of this article.




Wait till sqrly sees this chainwheel, he's gonna wet his shorts.....


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## GiovanniLiCalsi

2jakes said:


> _ I found this model in BikeForums 12-19-08_
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _ made by the Lu-Mi-Num Co.in St. Louis (1896)_




What make seat is on this??


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## GiovanniLiCalsi

Mr. Persons was making ball grinders! :^)


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## bricycle

Brooks maybe...


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## 2jakes

*Saddle ?*



GiovanniLiCalsi said:


> What make seat is on this??




Yes Bri...
New Brooks B-17 special


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## GiovanniLiCalsi

Oh. Thought it might be from the TOC.


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## 2jakes

GiovanniLiCalsi said:


> Oh. Thought it might be from the TOC.





TOC



_Circa 1910 by Dave - Shorpy Hist. Arch. _


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## Gary Mc

I might have a new favorite TOC bike.  Man that thing is great!!!!!!!!!


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## bricycle

Doesn't that belong to a guy named Al U. Minium?


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## 2jakes

bricycle said:


> Doesn't that belong to a guy named Al U. Minium?




He prefers " Lu-Mi-Num " !


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## rustyspoke66

fordsnake said:


> The cross bar design was fairly common on many bikes around 1885-1890's. What made the Hendee chain ring was the unique (fat) ridge that allowed the chain to rest comfortably on it, and the bolt on cross.




Very cool the first chain is much like a modern chainsaw chain.


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## sqrly

bricycle said:


> Wait till sqrly sees this chainwheel, he's gonna wet his shorts.....




I know where there is one, but it not for sale yet.


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## 2jakes

_ French poster for the Lu-Mi-Num licensed from America_


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## 2jakes

.


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## GiovanniLiCalsi

Cool glasses!


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## jd56

rustyspoke66 said:


> Very cool the first chain is much like a modern chainsaw chain.




Like this sprocket?
I've been trying to figure this setup out. I believe I have the set screw attached crank arms with built in pedal spindles (if that is what they are called, picture to follow). too.





The pedal / cranks are in the center of the picture....like you guys need direction.


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## 2jakes

GiovanniLiCalsi said:


> Cool glasses!




*Turn of the Century Ideas...*



_aluminum full body armour suit was patented in 1897._


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## GiovanniLiCalsi

Great deterrent against people driving under the influence of cell phones! :^)


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## bricycle

jd56 said:


> Like this sprocket?
> I've been trying to figure this setup out. I believe I have the set screw attached crank arms with built in pedal spindles (if that is what they are called, picture to follow). too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The pedal / cranks are in the center of the picture....like you guys need direction.




I'll take everything you have......


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## jd56

Somehow I knew that was coming.
I would offer all of it but, is it fair to ask someone who isn't sure what's there?

Maybe I should start another "what do I have here" thread.
Sorry for the hijack.


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## Wheeled Relics

*Bump*

Discovered this thread while digging. Wonderful old ads and TOC info.


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## Mark Mattei

*Sun hanger.*




. Fordsnake, thanks for starting this thread and Rolling Relics thanks for reviving it. Mark.


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## Wheeled Relics

bump


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## New Mexico Brant

Time for a bump.


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## dnc1

New Mexico Brant said:


> Time for a bump.



Definitely.
From 1898.....




It also incorporates this braking system.....




A project with both these systems is coming my way, post lockdown travel restrictions.


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## sykerocker

My single biggest failing since I re-picked up the tools and started wrenching bikes back in '04 is that I've never taken the time to learn to braze and build frames.  Looking at some of these designs sorely tempts me to get off my butt and learn, then try to build modern versions of some of these bikes.


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## manuel rivera




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## dnc1

manuel rivera said:


> View attachment 1181670
> 
> View attachment 1181671
> 
> View attachment 1181672



That seat suspension in the lower picture is amazing!
Thanks for posting.


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## Ed Minas

Very cool post.  Thank you


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