# Columbia Model 108 Chainless Bicycle



## Flbarth1 (Oct 23, 2020)

I have a Columbia model 108 chainless bicycle. Not sure of age but I found one site that said 108's were built in 1903.  Trying to verify age and value.


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## Barnegatbicycles (Oct 23, 2020)

Definately 03. Do you have a better picture of the fork? It looks like the rims have been changed to clad and looks like the stem has also been changed. Do you want to sell it?


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## Flbarth1 (Oct 23, 2020)

I can get a better picture of the fork.  Is there a feature in particular you are looking for?  Yes looking to sell.


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## Blue Streak (Oct 23, 2020)

1903 Columbia catalog cuts for Men's Chainless Models:


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## Barnegatbicycles (Oct 23, 2020)

Flbarth1 said:


> I can get a better picture of the fork.  Is there a feature in particular you are looking for?  Yes looking to sell.



Looking to see if it has the spring fork because it doesn't look like it has it and that was a feature of this model that sperated it from the others.


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## Flbarth1 (Oct 23, 2020)

It does not have the spring fork which I did notice on pictures of this model.


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## olderthandirt (Oct 27, 2020)

it looks like the bike has a corbin coaster brake could be new departure , same thing in this era cast brake arm , show a photo of the brake arm  if its a two speed with coaster brake and rear shock  i would gess in the 2800 to 3500 dollars range looks like origonal paint and decals  very desirable bike


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## olderthandirt (Oct 27, 2020)

metal rims were available at this time but were an ordered option wooden rims were standard if clad then they were most likely just changed out ! i have some of the very early metal rims they have a short sidewall  look kinda funny compared to todays clinchers i think dunlop came out with them very early and had tires to work on them


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## olderthandirt (Oct 27, 2020)

if you decide to sell please post in the for sale section and give everyone a chance to make you an offer you may be surprised !


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## Freqman1 (Oct 27, 2020)

olderthandirt said:


> if you decide to sell please post in the for sale section and give everyone a chance to make you an offer you may be surprised !



To list in the for sale section you must list a price so start high and negotiate down. You can't list for offers. V/r Shawn


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Oct 27, 2020)

1900


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## olderthandirt (Oct 27, 2020)

i have two 1900s they had ball end spokes and the rear rod activated brake flapper not the coaster brake so its a few years newer


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Oct 27, 2020)

Columbia used the Controller brake in 1900-1
Upper left brake hub.


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## locomotion (Oct 27, 2020)

PM sent


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## Barnegatbicycles (Oct 27, 2020)

olderthandirt said:


> it looks like the bike has a corbin coaster brake could be new departure , same thing in this era cast brake arm , show a photo of the brake arm  if its a two speed with coaster brake and rear shock  i would gess in the 2800 to 3500 dollars range looks like origonal paint and decals  very desirable bike



Corbin didn't come out with their 2 speed until 05. The catalog image is posted of the bike telling what came on the bike stock. The biggest problem with this bike is that the model 108 is the specific full cushion model and it's missing the fork made of unobtainium. If this came from the factory with out the cushion fork then it should have a model 106 badge on it.


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## olderthandirt (Oct 27, 2020)

my 1900 has the 1/8 inch rod that runs from a short lever on the left side of the hub to a brake spoon mounted on the front lower side  at the 9 oclock position when you back pedal the spoon flips up and makes contact with the tire its a delicate looking setup  no other brake is on the bike i have been told that you could get a front spoon set up for a few dollars more at this time ,  head badges get removed all the time and often times you cannot locate the proper badge  my other 1900 has had this to happen i am looking for the right badge right now ! do you have one ?so it could be just a wrong badge or wrong fork i have tried to look up these early serial numbers with no sucess i have talked with mr columbia sometime back and asked him for advice  this confusion makes pinning down exactly what you have a impossible task sometimes  <most times > i think that 1900 was the only year to use the rear flapper brake and its possible that the coaster brake /speed controller came on the scene later in the same year ,i have a columbia 1900 catalog somewhere but its put away by my wife at the moment


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## olderthandirt (Oct 27, 2020)

the catalog page listed above shows 1903 as a two speed coaster brake  with ball end spokes y fast during these years and spring fork  that seems correct to me  ,to be honest i think things were moving ahead pretty fast from 1901 to 1903


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