# Mead Cycle Company?



## barneyguey (Mar 14, 2019)

Hello folks, my name is Barry Gray. You may or may not know I've been working on a book about the many different head badges found on prewar Schwinn bicycles and the dealers who sold them.
I'm down to my final editing and check lists on companies I need a little more information about.

Mead Cycle Company is one of them. Of course I know they were a mail order company and had lots of badges including *Albatross, Amazon, Argonaut, Cossack, Crusader, Hurrycycle, Hurry Up, Iroquois, Kennebee, Ladies Sentinel, Lincoln, Majestic, Montrose, Newport, Pathfinder, Prince, Princess, Ranger, Roman, Royal, Sentinel & Windsor. 

I've found lots of ads and photos of bikes, the problem is finding any history about the founding of the company. I can't find anything! 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you, Barry *


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## vincev (Mar 14, 2019)

My 1941 Autocycle..........OOPS,you already have a Royal




.....................


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## barneyguey (Mar 14, 2019)

vincev said:


> My 1941 Autocycle..........OOPS,you already have a RoyalView attachment 964484
> 
> .....................



I do have that photo, and love it!


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## lgrinnings (Mar 15, 2019)

Howdy Barry... Not sure if you have this Mead or if it’s even Schwinn-built... unfortunately I can’t help with the history, but perhaps Walter Branche (bikebozo) can give you something based on his time with Jim Hurd at the museum.

-Lester


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## Balloontyre (Mar 17, 2019)

Schwinn was just 1 of many suppliers to Mead, The Early Mead bikes are unrelated to Schwinn.
I'm not certain to the exact transition when Mead sourced from Schwinn.  If you study the brochures of mid teens/20s Mead, they read like a Schwinn ad does, I think Schwinn borrowed the fantastic marketing of Mead, and continued with it promoting their own.

@chitown  can help on this if willing.


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## barneyguey (Mar 17, 2019)

lgrinnings said:


> Howdy Barry... Not sure if you have this Mead or if it’s even Schwinn-built... unfortunately I can’t help with the history, but perhaps Walter Branche (bikebozo) can give you something based on his time with Jim Hurd at the museum.
> 
> -Lester
> 
> ...



Thanks Lester, that's a new badge name for me. It's amazing how many mead had. Barry


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## Cooper S. (Mar 17, 2019)

The company, according to chicagology.com, was founded in 1898. I’m relatively sure it was bought by schwinn around 1946 (idk where I read this however) the company was located in both England and the us. I’ve seen a photo on here of a British mead but i can’t find the thread. Is there any specific information you’re looking for?


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## barneyguey (Mar 17, 2019)

Cooper S. said:


> The company, according to chicagology.com, was founded in 1898. I’m relatively sure it was bought by schwinn around 1946 (idk where I read this however) the company was located in both England and the us. I’ve seen a photo on here of a British mead but i can’t find the thread. Is there any specific information you’re looking for? View attachment 966163



Yes, I'm trying to find out who founded the company, when it was founded and a biography of the founder. Thank you very much for your help. I thought Schwinn owned Mead also, but have had several members tell me they never did? Have a great day. Barry


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## Cooper S. (Mar 17, 2019)

you know what, ill contact some museums and libraries in Chicago and see if anyone has any solid information.


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## Cooper S. (Mar 17, 2019)

welp nvm, i found a magazine article from the turn of the century. Mahin's magazine published in 1903, states the founder as James L. Mead.
https://books.google.com/books?i.d.=I-lMAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA20&lpg=RA1-PA20&dq=mead+mail+order+company+chicago&source=bl&ots=lVFYWOxSp4&sig=ACfU3U36bTdIzYvvb0rNVFrOwi4C-Odp8w&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjch5DThorhAhUH5IMKHVD9DzIQ6AEwC3oECAIQAQ#v=onepage&q=mead mail order company chicago&f=false

If this link doesn't work, the article starts on page 925 of volume 2 of Mahin's Magazine 1903


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## Cooper S. (Mar 17, 2019)

According to this UK history website, the first ad was in chicago in 1902, and the first ad in liverpool in 1903. 
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Mead_Cycles


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## Cooper S. (Mar 17, 2019)

I found on Northwestern Universities archives website that it was founded in 1889. As well, they include a 1924 advert that shows the factory and main sales buildings in Chicago. Both buildings are still there if you look on google street view. https://sites.northwestern.edu/bicycles/bike-advertising/


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## Ohdee (Feb 10, 2021)

barnyguey said:


> Hello folks, my name is Barry Gray. You may or may not know I've been working on a book about the many different head badges found on prewar Schwinn bicycles and the dealers who sold them.
> I'm down to my final editing and check lists on companies I need a little more information about.
> 
> Mead Cycle Company is one of them. Of course I know they were a mail order company and had lots of badges including *Albatross, Amazon, Argonaut, Cossack, Crusader, Hurrycycle, Hurry Up, Iroquois, Kennebee, Ladies Sentinel, Lincoln, Majestic, Montrose, Newport, Pathfinder, Prince, Princess, Ranger, Roman, Royal, Sentinel & Windsor.
> ...


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## Ohdee (Feb 10, 2021)

Are you still needing information on James L. (Bunny) Mead?


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## barneyguey (Feb 10, 2021)

Ohdee said:


> Are you still needing information on James L. (Bunny) Mead?



I'm always wanting to learn more about Mead and others. Thank you. Barry


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## Ohdee (Feb 10, 2021)

James L. (Bunny) Mead of the Mead Bicycle Co. was from Kansas. His parents had trading posts in Salina, Towanda and Wichita, Ks.  His father, James R. Mead was one of the four original founders of the city of Wichita and the one who named the city of Wichita.  James L. (Bunny) Mead  was from James R. Mead’s first marriage to Agnes Barcome.  Bunny’s father was a trader and buffalo hunter, among other things.  There is a biography of the family and their broad history in Kansas called “Hunting and Trading in the Great Plains 1859 -1875”, that was written by James R. Mead and edited by the grandson of James R. Mead, his name is Schuyler Jones. Schuyler was also the curator and head of the Pitt Rivers Museum and Department of Ethnology and Prehistory in Oxford University in England.  I highly recommend this book, it is a first hand account of the Mead family and day to day life while they settled the Great Plains of Kansas.


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## barneyguey (Feb 10, 2021)

Cool! Thank you very much for the information. Barry


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## jrapoza (Feb 15, 2021)

I have almost every mead catalog ever produced.  Is there something I can find for you.


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## Cooper S. (Feb 21, 2021)

Any chance you got a 1913 catalog? 







jrapoza said:


> I have almost every mead catalog ever produced.  Is there something I can find for you.


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## jrapoza (Feb 22, 2021)

Yep, how can I help you.


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## pinky88 (Jun 21, 2022)

jrapoza said:


> I have almost every mead catalog ever produced.  Is there something I can find for you.



I'm looking for anything about the British North Road Flyer model. Not sure what years they were produced. I would really appreciate any help I can get.


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