# WANTED: Witte bicycle parts, information, and identification.



## Drosentreter (Nov 15, 2021)

I have what I believe to be an 1890s Witte bicycle. I only have the frame and what I assume are the original forks, but I do not know. I am looking to piece it together, and restore it or leave it rusty(any thoughts/relation to value?). If you have parts please let me know. I need wheels, tires, crank, sprocket, handle bars and anything else that came on it, or period correct accessories. Also if you have information on the history of this bicycle, or exact year i would appreciate that as well. Thanks all, Dane


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## szathmarig (Nov 15, 2021)

This bike looks late teens to me, or even later. Not TOC. The characteristics like the kind of chain tensioner, wide crank housing for one piece crank...etc became widely used in late teens.


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## Drosentreter (Nov 15, 2021)

szathmarig said:


> This bike looks late teens to me, or even later. Not TOC. The characteristics like the kind of chain tensioner, wide crank housing for one piece crank...etc became widely used in late teens.



That was my thought as well, but I found someone who had another(just the frame crank and forks) their fauber crank had March 7th 1899 stamped into it.


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## szathmarig (Nov 15, 2021)

That was probably the date when the Fauber crank was patented, not the date it was made.


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## Drosentreter (Nov 15, 2021)

szathmarig said:


> That was probably the date when the Fauber crank was patented, not the date it was made.



That is a possibility I suppose. Still not sure though Bc I did see one complete one sell on the cabe, and it had wooden wheels, and the same fauber crank, and the exact same badge


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## szathmarig (Nov 15, 2021)

Wood wheels were still used in the 20's


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## Drosentreter (Nov 15, 2021)

szathmarig said:


> Wood wheels were still used in the 20's



Interesting. Learn something new every day is suppose.(especially when info is so scarce at this time period)


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## szathmarig (Nov 15, 2021)

Here you go.








						Sold - Teens Witte Flyer SOLD | Archive (sold)
					

I don’t know much about this bike but here it is. The rims appear to be on crack but have a slight wobble to them. $400 plus  shipping.           Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk




					thecabe.com


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## Drosentreter (Nov 15, 2021)

szathmarig said:


> Here you go.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That is the one I was referring to, but that doesn’t help me too much on age and sourcing parts


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## stezell (Nov 15, 2021)

Drosentreter said:


> That was my thought as well, but I found someone who had another(just the frame crank and forks) their fauber crank had March 7th 1899 stamped into it.



Dane patent date is 1899 for Fauber, what does the underside of the bottom bracket look like? Does it have the cutouts?
Sean


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## Drosentreter (Nov 15, 2021)

stezell said:


> Dane patent date is 1899 for Fauber, what does the underside of the bottom bracket look like? Does it have the cutouts?
> Sean



Haven’t checked. I’ll get back to you tomorrow on that. Thank you.


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## New Mexico Brant (Nov 15, 2021)

Is it your intention to ride it or is it to be a display bike?  It may change suggestions for your build.  Both Sean and owned the previous Witte Flyer from the previous post.  My guess is that it was from the early teens.


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## Drosentreter (Nov 15, 2021)

New Mexico Brant said:


> Is it your intention to ride it or is it to be a display bike?  It may change suggestions for your build.  Both Sean and owned the previous Witte Flyer from the previous post.  My guess is that it was from the early teens.



My intent is to ride it. I’d really just love to cruise around on it. Nothing rough terrain, nice smooth paved roads. Id love to have original wood wheels, but as far as I can tell that isn’t feasible for a rideable bike, as they aren’t reproduced, and rideable ones are through the roof of my budget.


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## Freqman1 (Nov 15, 2021)

Drosentreter said:


> My intent is to ride it. I’d really just love to cruise around on it. Nothing rough terrain, nice smooth paved roads. Id love to have original wood wheels, but as far as I can tell that isn’t feasible for a rideable bike, as they aren’t reproduced, and rideable ones are through the roof of my budget.



That's the downside of any of these early single tube bikes. You can get a set of repo wood wheels made that will accept modern tires. You will still have to source hubs and spokes. The only cheap way to make this a rider is to use modern 29" off a Walmart bike. Won't look vintage but you will be riding. Otherwise about $600 bucks no matter what route you take. V/r Shawn


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## Drosentreter (Nov 15, 2021)

Freqman1 said:


> That's the downside of any of these early single tube bikes. You can get a set of repo wood wheels made that will accept modern tires. You will still have to source hubs and spokes. The only cheap way to make this a rider is to use modern 29" off a Walmart bike. Won't look vintage but you will be riding. Otherwise about $600 bucks no matter what route you take. V/r Shawn



26” Or 29”? Do you mean frame size or rim size? Sorry for all of the questions, new to this old of a bike


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## stezell (Nov 15, 2021)

Drosentreter said:


> My intent is to ride it. I’d really just love to cruise around on it. Nothing rough terrain, nice smooth paved roads. Id love to have original wood wheels, but as far as I can tell that isn’t feasible for a rideable bike, as they aren’t reproduced, and rideable ones are through the roof of my budget.



Dane he's referring to the wheel size, either a 29" or 700c is comparable to a 28" wheel of that time frame.


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## Drosentreter (Nov 15, 2021)

stezell said:


> Dane he's referring to the wheel size, either a 29" or 700c is comparable to a 28" wheel of that time frame.



Ohhh. Okay. Good to know. Thank ya very much.


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## stezell (Nov 15, 2021)

If your bike has the cutouts for a Fauber crank assembly you need to find a Fauber assembly.


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## Drosentreter (Nov 15, 2021)

stezell said:


> If your bike has the cutouts for a Fauber crank assembly you need to find a Fauber assembly.



Know anywhere I can find a 6 bubble crankset?


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## stezell (Nov 15, 2021)

If I'm not mistaken Brant and I figured it was a Great Western built bicycle.


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## Drosentreter (Nov 15, 2021)

So what does that tell me. Any information on year, value or finding the correct parts for it?


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## New Mexico Brant (Nov 15, 2021)

If you want old rideable 28” tire rims the cheapest way is to buy a pair of English metal wheels/rims that are painted with pin stripes.  Sometimes you can pick up a complete English bike that you salvage the wheels from.  Or just specifically put up a post asking for these.  If you get lucky you may find a set or a complete bike with these for $100 or so.


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## Drosentreter (Nov 15, 2021)

New Mexico Brant said:


> If you want old rideable 28” tire rims the cheapest way is to buy a pair of English metal rims that are painted with pin stripes.  Sometimes you can pick up a complete English bike that you salvage the rims of of.



Thank ya very much. I’ll start to look.


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## stezell (Nov 15, 2021)

Drosentreter said:


> Know anywhere I can find a 6 bubble crankset?



If you can find it anywhere it's going to be on here under the wanted section. Do a search on here for Great Western bicycles and Fauber it doesn't have to be the exact chainring they made several at least that'll give you a better idea of what you're looking for. The bikes and chainrings we're made in Laporte, IN.
Sean


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## Drosentreter (Nov 15, 2021)

stezell said:


> If you can find it anywhere it's going to be on here under the wanted section. Do a search on here for Great Western bicycles and Fauber it doesn't have to be the exact chainring they made several at least that'll give you a better idea of what you're looking for. The bikes and chainrings we're made in Laporte, IN.
> Sean



Thank you, I appreciate the help. Let me know if you have any of it or find anything.


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## New Mexico Brant (Nov 15, 2021)

Witte Flyer bicycle appear in a 1904 ad, wagons were being advertised in Missouri in 1919; note the name of the hardware company is different.   Wagons using the same name were still being sold into 1938, and bicycles into 1947.  It seems these were being offered as a regional brand throughout Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma.  Maybe Witte Hardware also served as a jobber/distributor to smaller hardware establishments in that region?  In 1942 it was advertised Schwinn was building the bicyles.







1916 Ad, different hardware company in Missouri:


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## Drosentreter (Nov 15, 2021)

I don’t beli be 


New Mexico Brant said:


> Witte Flyer wagons were being advertised in Missouri in 1919; note the name of the hardware company is different.  Did Witte Hardware become Piedmont Hardware Co.?
> 
> 
> View attachment 1512918



I don’t believe so, as far as the research I have done has shown, they were the Witte hardware company until the late 40s at least


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## Drosentreter (Nov 15, 2021)

A


New Mexico Brant said:


> Witte Flyer bicycle appear in a 1904 ad, wagons were being advertised in Missouri in 1919; note the name of the hardware company is different.   Wagons using the same name were still being sold into 1938, and bicycles into 1947.  It seems these were being offered as a regional brand throughout Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma.  Maybe Witte Hardware also served as a jobber/distributor to smaller hardware establishments in that region?
> 
> 
> View attachment 1512918
> ...



Ahhh. Makes sense now. But yes. They were a jobber in the area. If you Google them you can actually find supreme court records of a strike that they had at corporate Witte. Pretty interesting stuff


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## gkeep (Nov 20, 2021)

If you go the route of putting modern 29r rims or English rims and want to use the original skip tooth crank you can get these Ichi cogs that will mount on a more modern coaster brake or Sturmey Archer hub. https://www.ichibike.com/product-page/ichi-bike-black-skip-tooth-sprocket-11.


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## B607 (Nov 23, 2021)

I had a '41 Schwinn DX badged as a Witte Flyer.  It was purchased at the Witte Hardware Store in Pana, IL.  I know for sure they were in business until then.


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## Drosentreter (Nov 23, 2021)

B607 said:


> I had a '41 Schwinn DX badged as a Witte Flyer.  It was purchased at the Witte Hardware Store in Pana, IL.  I know for sure they were in business until then.
> 
> View attachment 1516625
> 
> View attachment 1516626



I believe that was actually the last year for their bicycles. Schwinn produced them from sometime in the early 30s to 41


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## B607 (Nov 24, 2021)

The last Witte.  Thanks for that info.


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## Goldenrod (Nov 24, 2021)

I have these but without knowledge of what they are.  A bike shop in Lombard, IL went out of business a few years ago.


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## Herman (Dec 7, 2021)

It just might be your pictures , but it looks like your top tube and downtube are bent near the neck area


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## Drosentreter (Jul 8, 2022)

Well it may look a little goofy but I got tired of having an unrideable frame so I put it together with some mismatched parts from a couple 10 speeds. No brakes at the moment but that’s alright, it keeps me from riding it too fast🤣. I have the correct chainring but no skippy rear hubs to match, so I pulled a single speed ring off of something else and put on there with a single speed chain and a 10 speed rear tensioner. It’ll work for now. So in these pics the only thing original is the frame, forks, bars, crank and BB🤣


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