# Fauber Crankset History



## GiovanniLiCalsi (Jun 28, 2013)

Very interesting history and testimony of Mr. Fauber, of the crankset manufacturing kind.
This proves that although his crankset was patented in 1893, the crankset was not manufactured until 1896.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Xj...#v=onepage&q=fauber crank patent date&f=false

Here is his Marr Car


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## rustyspoke66 (Jun 28, 2013)

Very cool. Sounds like a real pioneer.


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Jun 28, 2013)

Farmboy goes to machinist school and designs and builds what everyone needs.
His crankset is one of the most handsome one out there.


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## thehugheseum (Jun 28, 2013)

very cool stuff thanks for posting............heres what i notice in these early absolutely genius pioneers..............many if not all have these same ideas and somehow all are doing at the same time...........bicycles,boats,planes, dirigibles (hot air balloon)......it must have been an incredibly exciting time with everything bottlenecking and each trying to be "first" at everything........of course we can only assume everyone was ripping off everyone else's good ideas and tweeking or being first to patent


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Jun 28, 2013)

I think there were more students enrolling in machinists schools than ever before.
This created a boom in machine designs and manufacturing.


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## tommydale1950 (Jun 28, 2013)

*Fauber*

A couple of my Faubers, the star one is slightly different than the one shown .It also has special stamped on it ...


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## Balloontyre (Jun 28, 2013)

Fauber Special


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (May 3, 2018)

Did Rambler Bicycle have optional Fauber cranksets?


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## corbettclassics (May 4, 2018)

This one on eBay right now: ( CHEAP..!!! )

Type in TOC "Fauber" chainring 1898 ( can't seem to attach link )


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## hoofhearted (May 4, 2018)

*
Fauber Star Chainring currently on ebay is quite
unique .. as not many of the beautiful star-patterns
show up in the modern world.

Unique because it sports 32 teeth ... largest made
by Fauber.

Bought an astounding TWO OF THEM from Reed at
Underground Bicycles a while back ... am still joyful.

Have a very small collection of Fauber rings ... they
include ONLY the Star .. in 30 and 32 - teeth ... and
what some of us call the ''6-bubble'' ... three small 
circles and three larger circles ... think Wright Brothers.

One day ... maybe soon .. maybe down the road ... some
CABEr is gonna wake up and say, ''Yarr ... now that I have
the machine for that 32-T .. Star ... I don't have the ring !!''

Whether a body has the machine or not ... that ring is 
visually stunning ... not only because it is the Star pattern ..
but also because it .... well ... have you ever seen a ring
in 32-T Size  ? 

Give it a proper place on a main wall ..  in good, natural lighting ..
it will rivet you to the floor everytime you pass thru that space.

..... patric



 
*


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## JEAN MARIE (Jan 26, 2020)

Happy new year to all of you guys  , 

I've got this sproket on the TOC bike , I' ve been buzy restoring for years 

U can see all details here      https://forum.tontonvelo.com/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=25303

do you think it's a Fauber Star one , and idf so , from which year ?


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## Waffenrad (Jan 27, 2020)

That's a pretty bike and a pretty crank set, Jean Marie!

But while the star pattern looks like a Fauber star, the crank design isn't like a Fauber at all.  The Fauber was a one-piece crank and an interchangeable chain ring attached with four screws.  In fact even the bicycle's frame was different to accommodate a Fauber crank.  The bottom-bracket hanger was larger, with slight cut outs on the sides to allow the one-piece crank to snake through.

I ride a bike with a 30T Fauber chain wheel which I made ride-able with a 12T back sprocket (NOT the 6T scorcher sprocket in the bottom picture!).  I didn't know Faubers went up to 32T.   We Americans sure loved our big gears; hills and knees be damned!  I actually have two 30T Fauber chain wheels, plus one 24T star pattern.

Paul Rubenson


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## JEAN MARIE (Jan 30, 2020)

Hi Waffenrad , 

thx a lot for you valuable comments  ; 
 my 28 teeth sprocket star pattern is a bit different from the actual Fauber Star ones we can see on this post  :
      - only 3 holes on each leg of the star, like your 26 teeth , when a 32 teeth has got 4 holes ; this is probably due to the outer diameter influence
      - the foot of the  5 legs seem thinner on mine
     -  there are no " excressencies" on the outer diameter between the teeths
     -  the holes for assembly on the crank seem asymetric , as can be seen on the reverse side 

it may be a copy made in France, based on the Fauber design , or it's an actual Fauber one , made on specific design for export to Europe 

regarding the crank, you may know that the patented one piece crank is pretty uncommon on the TOC french bikes ; who knows why ... 





so , it's not strange that the TOC french bike builders may have bought a special version Fauber  sprocket , or modified a standard one to fit their habits , or simply made a local copy .....
may be we'll never know


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## dmk441 (Jan 30, 2020)

.


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## Waffenrad (Jan 30, 2020)

Jean-Marie, look on your chain wheel for a small mark like this.  It is the Fauber trademark which is an abstraction of the one-piece crank.


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## JEAN MARIE (Jan 31, 2020)

thx, will do


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## skiptooth (Feb 13, 2020)

what I've seen is an toc add that says great western mfg. we also make faber 1 piece cranks and fittings


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## Waffenrad (Feb 14, 2020)

I worked on a teens-twenties tandem that had Fauber-style cranks that were definitely not made by Fauber.  The parts, sizes, and thread pitches were interchangeable, but the quality, finish, and design was definitely not Fauber.  My suspicion is that once Fauber's patents ran out other makers adopted the standard.  If Fauber didn't exercise good trademark and copyright control, I can imagine other makers using their name in a generic way, like 'Kleenex' or 'Frigidaire.'


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## SKPC (Feb 19, 2022)




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## dnc1 (Feb 19, 2022)

JEAN MARIE said:


> Hi Waffenrad ,
> 
> thx a lot for you valuable comments  ;
> my 28 teeth sprocket star pattern is a bit different from the actual Fauber Star ones we can see on this post  :
> ...



You could have a search on Tontonvelo forums for your chainring.
It also appears quite unusual for a French chainring as most of them were broadly speaking of two styles.
Either bolt-on a la Fauber, or screw on (RH thread) with a separate lock ring (LH thread).
I have a few of both types.


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## dnc1 (Feb 19, 2022)

However, I see your actual photo is already posted in the forum,  with a speculative name.....





...' the Marvellous'.


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## SKPC (Apr 15, 2022)

Did_ all_ Fauber single-piece early crank arms with a drive pin on the leg sport a large-diameter drive-pin & sprocket drive pin hole?


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## Archie Sturmer (Apr 15, 2022)

SKPC said:


> Did_ all_ Fauber single-piece early cranks with a drive pin on the leg sport a large-diameter drive-pin & sprocket hole?



I have seen examples of a *slotted* drive pin, (dimensions unlike IJ), believed to be Fauber.

I have seen examples of a small 5/16” drive pin hole on a crown(?) sprocket with 5 alien heads profile, with 1” oversize shaft hole and an offset about ~1/16” wider than some Miami parts with the smaller drive pins.

I guess that they might be early, middle or late. 








						Sprocket compilation  PIC HEAVY | Bicycle Restoration Tips
					

Great thread!  Haven't seen this one, can anyone identify it?




					thecabe.com


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## SKPC (Apr 15, 2022)

Yes AS, the one below you mention is apparently Fauber.  It would be good if examples of these crankset hangers(?)(arm(s)(assembly(s)
including the nuts, cones, spacers and attendant key "crankset" pieces were shown as well from these early American forgers.  Images and dimensions of the arms particularly showing any marks will also help.


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