# Looking for info on The Bean Son Co of San Francisco, Ca BEAN bicycle



## Kevintothej (May 5, 2013)

I am looking for information on Bean bicycles.  I picked up this bike along with a few other 28" wheel bikes.  I have done the standard Google search and came up with information that the did exist but have yet to see a picture of a bike.  Hopefully one of the experts here can steer me in the right direction.


































More photos to follow....


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## Kevintothej (May 5, 2013)




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## bobcycles (May 5, 2013)

*Bean*

From what I recall Bean & Son were distributors....like Island, or Chicago Cycle etc .... Most likely selling other mfgs bicycles with their head badges.  

Some on in the Bay area needs to look up the "sons" of Bean.  Bet they have the glory stash of goods in some forgotten basement there


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## fat tire trader (May 5, 2013)

What Bob said is true. They were located at 166 7th Street in San Francisco. I have one of their catalogs from the 50s and one from the 60s. I have a Bean badge like the one on your bike and another Bean Cadilac (one L) badge. I also have a Bean tape measure. Someone was trying to sell me a Bean Packard bike earlier this year. I think that it was made by Mead. It was not properly restored and he wanted too much money for it, so I passed. I do not think that they ever built their own bikes but had badges made for bikes that they sold. They were a Schwinn distributor. I am trying to collect San Francisco bicycle related items if you decide that you want to sell your bike or trade it, please contact me. 
Thanks,
Chris


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## Kevintothej (May 6, 2013)

Thanks for the info guys.  Your help has moved forward my search.  I did find pics of, what I believe to be the same, Packard Bean bike you were speaking of.  Tho it is an attractive bike, I would agree in saying it is not authentic in the restoration.

I would like to determine a manufacturer of my bike.  Any other photos or any more specific info needed?  

I am currently not wanting to sell the bike.  I would like to just gain more info about it.  Is the rear rack era?  Looks more like a later piece, I would say 1940s?  Anything else out of place?  Drop stand correct?  Any idea on year?  Paint scheme?  I have a ton of questions!!!

Thanks!


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## Kevintothej (Dec 5, 2013)

Hey thought I would bump it up with hope of more info.  Thanks.


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## Arfsaidthebee (Dec 6, 2013)

*Oakland, CA 1910*

This is from the "Handbook of Manufacturers in and about San Francisco, 1910"...

Under the letter "B" section:  


Bicycles - To Order

Bean Son., The,   Fifth and Cypress Sts,  Oakland


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## filmonger (Dec 7, 2013)

Here is a link to a Bean Catalog

http://www.sterba-bike.cz/produkt/2x-velo-catalogue-with-accessories?lang=EN

A few pics of it below also it looks like Merry bought out Bean.....

Here is a link that might be useful

http://www.merrysales.com/history_100anniv_rev.pdf

The company got its name from its original owner Edwin F. Merry. He opened his business in 1906 after the big earthquake. Back then we were selling automobile parts and motorcycle parts as well. In 1936 the Merry Co. merged with the Bean Son Co, another bicycle wholesaler to form the Merry-Bean Company.
The onset of WWII caused a drastic slowdown of bicycle production. In 1942 the corporation was dissolved. Paul Porter, the company's manager ( and who started out with the company as bike messenger/delivery person) became the sole owner of the bicycle parts division. He renamed it The Merry Sales Co.


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## Kevintothej (Dec 8, 2013)

Thanks for the info guys!

Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk


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## fat tire trader (Dec 9, 2013)

*My Bean Tape Measure*

My Bean Tape Measure


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## Tikibar (Jun 9, 2018)

More pics of a killer Bean Son cycle here https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/early-long-spring-saddle-bean-son.132787/


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## hoofhearted (Jun 13, 2018)

Tikibar said:


> More pics of a killer Bean Son cycle here https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/early-long-spring-saddle-bean-son.132787/




*Beautiful* *machine* *...* *Emblem-Built.*


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Jun 22, 2018)

here's Mr. Bean on his bike. wonder if he is related?


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## Pedals Past (Oct 7, 2018)

So Pat i found something related to this bike youwould be of most interest, i located the die used in the drip hammer to make the Bean Son headbadge. Apparantly it was somewhere in Pennsylvania. A few people say its a very early schwinn frame so ready these threads and talking with this person who acquired the die for me the decal says 1896-1910, by emblem built I asime you mean they just applied their headbadge. The man i got the die from corrected me and said the company produced “Plate ID’s”. I will get a photo of it for you and post it. I also saw a envelope from during the war 1944



where they were located at 718 Mission St in SF with no referance to Merry. What year do you think my bike is?


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## Pedals Past (Apr 23, 2019)

1925-1934 I believe will list it in the for sale catagory now LaSalle badged maybe Pat knows maker some say its Schwinn made


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## Archie Sturmer (Apr 27, 2019)

The 2013 post and catalog pictures look Snyder built.
Joint details at bottom bracket, 8-point Reading Standard design chain ring; 5-point star chain ring.

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/early-long-spring-saddle-bean-son.132787/ 
The 2018-2019 pictures have some Emblem Angola features.

I vaguely recall something about the number of nubs on the other 6-point chain rings.
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/hope-to-get-some-info-on-this-bike.150453/#post-1009983
The drive pin is aligned to one of the 6 points, and not in-between.


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