# Help! Mead Crusader, and 1892/1893 Western Wheel Works hard tire bike.



## Drosentreter (Jun 5, 2022)

Looks like a 1910s-1920s Mead Crusader, I’m just guessing that the other bike is 1880s based on the construction(seat and front wheel are incorrect). Looking for any and all assistance on value, age, and any information on these two. For sale locally and looking for a fair price to offer, I’d love to have them for my own personal collection, but I don’t want to overpay by a ton. Thank you in advance, Dane


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## Drosentreter (Jun 5, 2022)

Any and all advice/insight is helpful. Cannot find the same bike in searching. Thank you.


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## stezell (Jun 5, 2022)

Dane how much are they asking?

Sean


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## Drosentreter (Jun 5, 2022)

stezell said:


> Dane how much are they asking?
> 
> Sean



They don’t know what they want. They wanted 125 for just the mead before they knew what it was and decided to do some research, now they are still looking for a value. Im looking for a “if you get it under (x) dollars, it’s worth it”


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## Mikeob (Jun 5, 2022)

I picked up a late teens mead couple years ago for 500 but i had it painted and  redid everything.  Great ride. Im no good with value but i love this bike. Last pic was ori


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## Blue Streak (Jun 5, 2022)

The juvenile bicycle looks to be 1892 or 1893 Western Wheel Works Boys' Junior with 24" wheels. I agree front wheel and saddle are not correct. Handle bar does not look original either (catalog says it should be _bent gracefully_). Pedals, front fender, brake, chain and handle bar grips are missing. Also looks like right crank is missing. All of the incorrect and missing parts will be hard to find for a juvenile model. Interesting bicycle but probably best a wall hanger. I would try to get it for $100-200. See catalog information below.





1892:












1893:


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## stezell (Jun 5, 2022)

I would say they're in pretty rough shape maybe $250-300 a piece give a little take a little. The late 1800's is missing some hard to find parts in my opinion and the older they are usually the more expensive as well as finding the right parts.


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## Cooper S. (Jun 5, 2022)

Mikeob said:


> I picked up a late teens mead couple years ago for 500 but i had it painted and  redid everything.  Great ride. Im no good with value but i love this bike. Last pic was ori
> 
> View attachment 1640744
> 
> ...



That’s looking a lot better now!


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## Cooper S. (Jun 5, 2022)

I’d be interested in that mead if you got it for a reasonable price.


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## Drosentreter (Jun 5, 2022)

Blue Streak said:


> The juvenile bicycle looks to be 1892 or 1893 Western Wheel Works Boys' Junior with 24" wheels. I agree front wheel and saddle are not correct. Handle bar does not look original either (catalog says it should be _bent gracefully_). Pedals, front fender, brake, chain and handle bar grips are missing. Also looks like right crank is missing. All of the incorrect and missing parts will be hard to find for a juvenile model. Interesting bicycle but probably best a wall hanger. I would try to get it for $100-200. See catalog information below.
> 
> View attachment 1640896
> 
> ...



Suppose I do buy this bike, what would you want for the catalog pages?🤨😉


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## Drosentreter (Jun 5, 2022)

Cooper S. said:


> I’d be interested in that mead if you got it for a reasonable price.



I’d love to sell it because I’m sure the money is good, but I never thought I’d find anything of that age local, so I’m pretty sure I’ll never sell it.


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## stezell (Jun 6, 2022)

Drosentreter said:


> Suppose I do buy this bike, what would you want for the catalog pages?🤨😉



Dane I think @Blue Streak has them archived electronically. 

Sean


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## Craig Allen (Jun 6, 2022)

Here's a matched pair of Westerns I restored some years ago.


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## Drosentreter (Jun 6, 2022)

stezell said:


> Dane I think @Blue Streak has them archived electronically.
> 
> Sean



Darn. Worth a shot😂


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## Blue Streak (Jun 6, 2022)

Beautiful restorations! Based on Craig's photos above it looks like the handle bars are original.


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## Blue Streak (Jun 6, 2022)

Drosentreter said:


> Suppose I do buy this bike, what would you want for the catalog pages?🤨😉



Some of my Western Wheel Works catalogs are originals and some are scans. I can PM you digital copies of the 1892 and 1893 catalogs if you want them.


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## Drosentreter (Jun 7, 2022)

Blue Streak said:


> Some of my Western Wheel Works catalogs are originals and some are scans. I can PM you digital copies of the 1892 and 1893 catalogs if you want them.



If you could do that that’d be great. I’ll have to let you know if I do end up with the bike though. I’d still like to have the originals😉


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## Archie Sturmer (Jun 10, 2022)

Drosentreter said:


> Looks like a 1910s-1920s Mead Crusader.
> 
> View attachment 1640515
> 
> ...



I agree about the mead Crusader timeframe.
Davis, Emblem Angola, Miami or Great Western may have been Mead suppliers about then? 

What looks peculiar is the earlier style of fork, crown and headset type; (more at ToC?). 
Not sure about the dirt and lighting, but the fork crown may look different in various views?


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## Drosentreter (Jun 12, 2022)

Archie Sturmer said:


> I agree about the mead Crusader timeframe.
> Davis, Emblem Angola, Miami or Great Western may have been Mead suppliers about then?
> 
> What looks peculiar is the earlier style of fork, crown and headset type; (more at ToC?).
> Not sure about the dirt and lighting, but the fork crown may look different in various views?



Not sure what you’re referring to in the last comment…


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## Archie Sturmer (Jun 12, 2022)

Drosentreter said:


> Not sure what you’re referring to in the last comment…





Archie Sturmer said:


> The fork crown may look different in various views?



I was referring to the fork crown as presented in the various pictures.
The first that showed the crown from a distance, looks like the forged crown has a distinct shoulder almost angled. While some partial close-up views (badge?), look more like a broad arching or curved bend.
Kind of subtle differences, but could just be the lighting or angles.


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## Drosentreter (Jun 12, 2022)

Archie Sturmer said:


> I was referring to the fork crown as presented in the various pictures.
> The first that showed the crown from a distance, looks like the forged crown has a distinct shoulder almost angled. While some partial close-up views (badge?), look more like a broad arching or curved bend.
> Kind of subtle differences, but could just be the lighting or angles.



Hope this helps. You’re right, it is hard to tell in the pics. Not a very quality shot, but it does show it better. This pic decided to focus on the background for some reason🙄


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## Drosentreter (Jun 25, 2022)

Welp. Here’s my predicament. The guy who owns them called Antique Archeology and asked them for an appraisal🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️  They put him in contact with a guy out in California that supposedly “appraises” bikes for a living. Well. He said they are both Mead cycle company(BS as we know because of earlier in this thread) he said the boys 24” is a girls safety bike(BS) appraised the Western Wheel works(girls safety🙄) bike for 300-350 and the Mead Crusader for 100-1400😳. They appraiser is out of his mind and the seller knows nothing about bikes. It’s a little saddening but I’m not sure what to do. I really really want them, but I definitely can’t pay what it was appraised for. Antique archeology said they’d like to talk to him about buying them if I don’t. Here’s the kicker. He wanted 125(what I heard from someone else) before he changed his mind and wanted to learn more about them(understandable). Now he gets an appraisal by a guy who is out of his mind, and now told me to make an offer, and they’ll listen to any offers from me.(I want that appraiser to see my collection of various bikes. I’m a rich man!🤣) anyways. Looking for advice on what to do. Thanks, Dane.


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## chitown (Jun 25, 2022)

Drosentreter said:


> . Looking for advice on what to do



Get ready for the next hit?


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## Drosentreter (Jul 5, 2022)

Well. Looking for advice once again, but not on the same note. I had a heart to heart with the guy🤣. And he said his biggest concern was that he didn’t want them to be sold for profit. Well I don’t plan on selling them ever so it’s looking good for me. He said he just wants me to make an offer that I feel comfortable with and we’d go from there…😁. But now what do I do with the OG tires on the crusader… How do I make them plyable again and will they ever be rideable?


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## Drosentreter (Aug 31, 2022)

Well… they made me an offer for 500 dollars for both. Should I take it? Are they worth it?


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## RichH (Aug 31, 2022)

I'm still a new collector,but if you messaged me with that offered I would accept it,that junior bike is way cool


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## MrMonark13 (Aug 31, 2022)

Drosentreter said:


> Well… they made me an offer for 500 dollars for both. Should I take it? Are they worth it?



Take it!!!! Take in now!!!


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## piercer_99 (Aug 31, 2022)

Drosentreter said:


> Well… they made me an offer for 500 dollars for both. Should I take it? Are they worth it?



at the end of the day, is it worth it to you?

For me, yes they are worth it if I wanted them. 

The Mead would be a blast with a modern wheelset, a fun daily rider.


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## Drosentreter (Aug 31, 2022)

I’ve decided to get them thanks for all who assisted in the decision and information process


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## Drosentreter (Sep 2, 2022)

Well… I picked them up last night. Hopefully more pictures to come today😁😁😁


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## Drosentreter (Sep 2, 2022)

Someone stop me from lacing this hub into a 27” rim to make this Crusader rideable… I feel bad because the rim is so mint. The rim strip even came out in one piece, and the tire was original to the bike😩 but I so badly want to ride this thing and have no other skippy hubs😢. If anyone has one on the cheap I’m interested!!! 36 hole please!


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## MrMonark13 (Sep 2, 2022)

Drosentreter said:


> Someone stop me from lacing this hub into a 27” rim to make this Crusader rideable… I feel bad because the rim is so mint. The rim strip even came out in one piece, and the tire was original to the bike😩 but I so badly want to ride this thing and have no other skippy hubs😢. If anyone has one on the cheap I’m interested!!! 36 hole please!
> 
> View attachment 1689562
> 
> View attachment 1689566



I’ll give you the new departure I have. You pay shipping.


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## Drosentreter (Sep 2, 2022)

MrMonark13 said:


> I’ll give you the new departure I have. You pay shipping.



Thanks Man! You’re the best! Cant wait to get this thing going!

Say, if you still want that Goodyear Airwheel 26” tire you can have it plus shipping.


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