# Who made this 1915 fixie?



## Nickinator (Aug 26, 2012)

We picked this up at a flea market a couple weeks ago, from an old guy that got it out of a barn, family said it was purchased in 1915 (new?).

We know pedals are wrong, and fork is wrong but we're able to get the orig. one (why it was taken off remains to be seen), seat looks wrong, a bit too new-? NO Headbadge errr, so don't know who made it- anyone have a clue? Have looked at catalogs of various makes, but am not seeing it.

Thx!
Darcie


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## Wcben (Aug 26, 2012)

Just looking at a few things makes me think it's older than 1915... Block chain, head tube length, the fact that it's a fixie (usually not fixie's that late on this type of bike although it's possible)...I'd guesstimate 10-15 years earlier.


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## bricycle (Aug 26, 2012)

...I STILL love dat bike (and seat), remember I called dibbs....drool, slurp, pant, more drool.........


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## bricycle (Aug 26, 2012)

,,,yea, like Wcben said.... definately like 1897 ish.....


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## Wcben (Aug 26, 2012)

Sorry, double post.


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## bricycle (Aug 26, 2012)

Wcben said:


> Sorry, double post.




...I think you just had a hic-cup....


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## josehuerta (Aug 26, 2012)

Sprocket looks the same as the Mead Sentinel in preceding thread...


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## Nickinator (Aug 26, 2012)

bricycle said:


> ,,,yea, like Wcben said.... definately like 1897 ish.....




Holy crap, that's the oldest bike we've ever had! Possibly Mead then? How can you tell if it is American made, vs. English, and how many companies were making bikes in the US in the late 1800's?


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## Nickinator (Aug 26, 2012)

josehuerta said:


> Sprocket looks the same as the Mead Sentinel in preceding thread...




It does look the same- also looks like the same pedals- Torrington 8's? Coincidence?
 or were they making those pedals that long ago? We had a 1903 and it had twisted wire pedals...

Guess Nick should quit riding this one eh? hehheh  

Darcie


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## bricycle (Aug 26, 2012)

Nickinator said:


> It does look the same- also looks like the same pedals- Torrington 8's? Coincidence?
> or were they making those pedals that long ago? We had a 1903 and it had twisted wire pedals...
> 
> Guess Nick should quit riding this one eh? hehheh
> ...




...That was the "Boom" time for bike manufacturers, hundreds just in America...everyone and their grandmother was building bikes.....


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## Nickinator (Aug 26, 2012)

bricycle said:


> ...That was the "Boom" time for bike manufacturers, hundreds just in America...everyone and their grandmother was building bikes.....




uh yeah, I just checked out the Wheelman site for manuf/brands~ unbelievable. Seems like a daunting task once the headbadge is gone.


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## pelletman (Aug 27, 2012)

By 1900 there were at least 3000 manufacturers in the US


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## Nickinator (Aug 28, 2012)

*More info*

Got a couple opinions from Wheelmen:
Block chain and hubs may date turn of the century, but they are likely off another bike.  Frame, fenders, bars, crank, chainring and pedals point to 1915-1920. What a mystery! Now what to do with it...wish we could nail down the model, it is looking like it's Mead. What headbadge would this have had? 
Darcie


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## josehuerta (Aug 28, 2012)

*Fixie*

To my eye the frame (seatstays, tubing diameter are the "tells", can't see the seat post to see if has a pinch bolt) crank, chain are original turn of century. Hubs may well be original. Someone may have added fenders, different bars, more comfortable seat. Forks maybe changed as well, appear to have some paint left, but frame does not. If turn of the century is right, ornate metal Mead Sentinel badge, quite different from the round brass Mead badges we see often. Could be a transition model, between circa 1900, and the more recognizable models of middle teens on, with a few parts from both eras, so 1900-1910? Great puzzle this one.


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## Nickinator (Aug 28, 2012)

*More pics*

Here are a few more pics, and close ups of the seat/stays, what do you see- pinch bolt?


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## bricycle (Aug 28, 2012)

Nick, trust me when I tell you that is a TOC bike that has been updated with a newer fork(to use fenders), newer stem and bars, and seat. Original parts are the frame, chain, crank assy, and seat post. My 1897-8 US cycle hs similar BB area and same exact oil fitting on the BB.


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## Nickinator (Aug 28, 2012)

bricycle said:


> Nick, trust me when I tell you that is a TOC bike that has been updated with a newer fork(to use fenders), newer stem and bars, and seat. Original parts are the frame, chain, crank assy, and seat post. My 1897-8 US cycle hs similar BB area and same exact oil fitting on the BB.




Thanks for the info everyone- we really appreciate it. I think we'll look around and see if we can find a *reasonably* cough cough priced ornate Mead headbadge- just like the one on the Mead that 1959 firearrow sold I suppose.... If we don't get far, the bike will be up for sale.
Bri you want first dibs? 
Darcie


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## Wcben (Aug 28, 2012)

I agree, frame is older, doubt very much that a block chain would have been put on a "newer frame"...they were identified as old tech...since the forks were known to be swapped, it's easily feasible that The bars were too....pedals always get changed and compared to the frame and the rest of the bike, the seat does seem too new.


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## Andrew Gorman (Aug 28, 2012)

Block chains were available well into the 1960's, at least.  Track racers thought they were the only kind that could take the stress.  They were side by side with roller chains in bike catalogs in the 1930's.


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## josehuerta (Aug 28, 2012)

Bricycle I believe would know better than any of us. The pinch bolt would have been at the top of the seat tube and clamp the seat post in the tube. This has a draw bolt down through the seat post with wedge similar to the handlebar stem, like he says TOC. I roamed around a bit today on the net - block chain came on early Sentinels.


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## Nickinator (Aug 28, 2012)

Ok we're going to run with Mead Sentinel, TOC. Thanks guys!
(keep your eyes open for a headbadge )


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## bricycle (Aug 28, 2012)

Nickinator said:


> Thanks for the info everyone- we really appreciate it. I think we'll look around and see if we can find a *reasonably* cough cough priced ornate Mead headbadge- just like the one on the Mead that 1959 firearrow sold I suppose.... If we don't get far, the bike will be up for sale.
> Bri you want first dibs?
> Darcie




Yes, a-Mam.


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## Larmo63 (Aug 28, 2012)

Large tubing is a dead giveaway that this is an early bike. Seat, fork, rear fender, etc.

are from another donor bike. People used what they had and didn't throw things away

like they do now. The frame actually looks like an Andrae I had. 

I say pre-1900 or so.


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## olderthandirt (Sep 17, 2012)

*is it for sale ?*

i am looking for an old bike i like this one a lot , any interest in selling  ,do you have a big dog ?


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## Larmo63 (Sep 18, 2012)

*I agree, this isn't all that old.*

Not pre-1900 in my opinion...



Nickinator said:


> Got a couple opinions from Wheelmen:
> Block chain and hubs may date turn of the century, but they are likely off another bike.  Frame, fenders, bars, crank, chainring and pedals point to 1915-1920. What a mystery! Now what to do with it...wish we could nail down the model, it is looking like it's Mead. What headbadge would this have had?
> Darcie


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