# Unknown Wheelman Badged Racer ca. 1900



## Jesse McCauley (Jul 11, 2017)

Some of you may have seen this bike, it came up and was sold a couple times on Facebook before I managed to bring it into the proper bicycle market. 

Holt's Lake is in NC, I don't know of any other references to Holt's Lake but I'm open to ideas.

Bottom bracket has some Iver Johnson qualities perhaps? 

My best guess? Maybe a LAW commissioned bike? Maybeee a prize bike? Other thoughts?

The "No. 5292" confuses me, thats a big number for such an obscure bike/badge.































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## carlitos60 (Jul 12, 2017)

Cool Badge!!!


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## Jesse McCauley (Jul 12, 2017)

So I called the frame a racer for no other reason than the size of the Chainwheel but is that innapropes? 

Based on the fit and aging I would wager this is the original bottom bracket / crankset hardware.

I don't think I would want to cruise around town geared to this Chainwheel but maybe they were just harder in 1900.


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## dfa242 (Jul 12, 2017)

Jesse McCauley said:


> "...maybe they were just harder in 1900."





Everything was harder in 1900.


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## tripple3 (Jul 12, 2017)

30 tooth ring! Wow.
give me a push; get me started....


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## barracuda (Jul 12, 2017)

Is this the same bike?

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/what-is-it-help-please.111286/#post-734137

It's not "Holt's Lake", it's Holt's "Lake Bearing" Special, i.e., the Lake Anti-Friction Bearing.


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## bricycle (Jul 12, 2017)

Maybe it's a member badge?
you can see someone removed wording from beneath the oval...


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## Balloontyre (Jul 12, 2017)

The badge could be a custom, as were many LAW badges, some had owner names on them. This badge doesn't look original to me, meaning, it's been cleaned or removed or both. Could have come from a whole different bike and put on this one by the same owner when they got a different bike. 

The chain ring is just one of many sizes available at the time,  they came larger too, not necessarily a racer.


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## Jesse McCauley (Jul 12, 2017)

barracuda said:


> Is this the same bike?
> 
> https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/what-is-it-help-please.111286/#post-734137
> 
> It's not "Holt's Lake", it's Holt's "Lake Bearing" Special, i.e., the Lake Anti-Friction Bearing.




Yep it's the same one, I didn't know there was a thread open on it already! It was pretty exposed on Facebook but the owner got a bunch of b/s and low ball offers.

I made an offer with the benefit of picking it up in person and I got the bike.


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## Jesse McCauley (Jul 12, 2017)

Balloontyre said:


> The badge could be a custom, as were many LAW badges, some had owner names on them. This badge doesn't look original to me, meaning, it's been cleaned or removed or both. Could have come from a whole different bike and put on this one by the same owner when they got a different bike.
> 
> The chain ring is just one of many sizes available at the time,  they came larger too, not necessarily a racer.




The badge has been tampered with, there was some secondary text that was removed long enough ago that the badge has aged evenly-

I suspect though that this badge and bike have been together since 1900, there is a 3rd outlier badge hole behind the badge but it is off center to the other two, Almost looks like a miss-drilling. 

It does seem likely the badge and bike have nothing to do with one another aside from the life-story of the original Wheelman rider.


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## Jesse McCauley (Jul 12, 2017)

barracuda said:


> Is this the same bike?
> 
> https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/what-is-it-help-please.111286/#post-734137
> 
> It's not "Holt's Lake", it's Holt's "Lake Bearing" Special, i.e., the Lake Anti-Friction Bearing.




I just read your entry & correction. I appreciate it! I'll do some reading and educate myself 


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## carlitos60 (Jul 12, 2017)

Balloontyre said:


> The badge could be a custom, as were many LAW badges, some had owner names on them. This badge doesn't look original to me, meaning, it's been cleaned or removed or both. Could have come from a whole different bike and put on this one by the same owner when they got a different bike.
> 
> Great Point; However, YOU Know That IT Happens All the Time; IT is Up to the Buyer to Make a Judgment Call On the Badge Story!!!
> It Still a Cool Badge!


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## Velocipedist Co. (Aug 26, 2017)

Does your seat binding collet read "thor" along the side?  I had a very similar mystery bike in my posession a couple of years ago.


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## Velocipedist Co. (Aug 26, 2017)

Similar hardware, but there are still noteable differences between the two. You can dustinguish a very faint Thor logo along the edge of the seat collet


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## Jesse McCauley (Feb 13, 2018)

Velocipedist Co. said:


> Similar hardware, but there are still noteable differences between the two. You can dustinguish a very faint Thor logo along the edge of the seat collet
> 
> View attachment 665857 View attachment 665858 View attachment 665859



Steve I didn't see your post until now, I will take a look closer at the collar for any residual makers mark. 

For anyone that remembers this bike and was curious about that badge, I found an article that sheds a bit of light on the subject of "club" badges etc. from an 1898 LAW Magazine.


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## Velocipedist Co. (Feb 13, 2018)

Jesse McCauley said:


> Steve I didn't see your post until now, I will take a look closer at the collar for any residual makers mark.
> 
> For anyone that remembers this bike and was curious about that badge, I found an article that sheds a bit of light on the subject of "club" badges etc. from an 1898 LAW Magazine.
> 
> View attachment 753867




Wow, good to know.  Thanks Jesse


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## bricycle (Feb 13, 2018)

Maybe I'm wrong, but didn't Monarch & Ariel have a collet seat post?


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## Jesse McCauley (Feb 14, 2018)

Velocipedist Co. said:


> Similar hardware, but there are still noteable differences between the two. You can dustinguish a very faint Thor logo along the edge of the seat collet
> QUOTE]
> 
> Steve that was a damn fine thought, beneath the grime and the possibly period repaint- "Thor" clear as day!
> ...


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## bricycle (Feb 16, 2018)

Monarch? same fork too..... collet seat post as well.
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1901-monarch-cushion-frame-with-split-bb.123727/


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## Jesse McCauley (Feb 17, 2018)

This frame certainly has me wondering- the bottom bracket is so distinct I have to assume it can narrow down possibilities 


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