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1903? IVEL , G.W. Shroyer & Co. , Dayton OH

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Right now i have a pressing question and that is of the serial number being located on the seat post tube. Both mine and the one Flat Tire posted are numerically in the 10's of thousands range.

I've looked at the production numbers published for the first few years and Shroyer didn't sell that many bicycles all together during the beginning years I've looked up. That kind of bugged me and have speculated that number was stamped by Sager Gear Co. or factory in-which produced my frame. So I went back to mine and flipped it over and there appears to be a second serial number stamped on the bottom of the crank hanger, and find it more consistent with a make/brand that had only sold 3-4000 bicycles, in the first few years.

Anyone know of another Ivel owner that can be reached to verify if theirs are stamped like this as well?
 
In the UK we have a book called The Ivel Story by John Moffitt. John owned an Ivel tractor and he decided to write the Ivel history from push bike to tractor, including motor cycles and motor cars.
Below are a few pages I have copied to give you an idea of what is in the book. I will tell you that the book is mainly write about the tractor, but it dose contain a lot of information about cycles and Dan Albone, the inventor of the Ivel brand.
I believe the book is still available from Japonica Press in the UK or possibly on ebay.


Ivel 4.jpg


Ivel 3.jpg


Ivel 2.jpg


Ivel 1.jpg
 
In the UK we have a book called The Ivel Story by John Moffitt. John owned an Ivel tractor and he decided to write the Ivel history from push bike to tractor, including motor cycles and motor cars.
Below are a few pages I have copied to give you an idea of what is in the book. I will tell you that the book is mainly write about the tractor, but it dose contain a lot of information about cycles and Dan Albone, the inventor of the Ivel brand.
I believe the book is still available from Japonica Press in the UK or possibly on ebay.


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The Ivel you posted of is an English bicycle not associated to the Ivel bicycles of G.W. Shroyer of Ohio.
 
Sorry my mistake.


No problem, took me a bit to get my head wrapped around the fact that it wasn't related. It's an important piece of the puzzle to put into place, and most likely good you brought it up. I've started adding a preemptive disclaimer to the English make to all my most recent inquiries, I guess I missed this one.
 
Right now i have a pressing question and that is of the serial number being located on the seat post tube. Both mine and the one Flat Tire posted are numerically in the 10's of thousands range.

I've looked at the production numbers published for the first few years and Shroyer didn't sell that many bicycles all together during the beginning years I've looked up. That kind of bugged me and have speculated that number was stamped by Sager Gear Co. or factory in-which produced my frame. So I went back to mine and flipped it over and there appears to be a second serial number stamped on the bottom of the crank hanger, and find it more consistent with a make/brand that had only sold 3-4000 bicycles, in the first few years.

Anyone know of another Ivel owner that can be reached to verify if theirs are stamped like this as well?


Found this advertisement from G.W. Shroyer's Grand Opening in 1902, I hadn't seen this before & is a much better image than that of which I have seen for the IVEL Spring Frame bicycles.

My most recent effort to create a comparative timeline between G.W. Shroyer and that of the Sager Gear Co. is going well and does indicate that they would have been able to offer the Spring Frame IVEL as a patent pending frame during 1902 & 1903. Although still lacking any publications from either company leaves some room for further speculation especially in later years as the Ivel continued to be offered for many more years. What I've not found so far is any indication of 1904 models of the Ivel Spring frame bicycle, but the research continues.

1902=Grand Opening includes IVEL SPRING FRAME +++The_Dayton_Herald_Sat__Mar_29__1902_.jpg
 
Surmising from a timeline I’ve been working on; I have found a number of key players involved. The Sager Gear Co., & of course G.W. Shroyer are the main focus of my brief study, but I have to include others. There appears to be a familiar relationship between a J. Harry Sager associated with a Regas Spring Frame bicycle & a Harry F. Sager associated to the Sager Gear Co. maker of the Double Flexible Spring frame. All of whom offered motorcycles in addition to their bicycle lines.

Interestingly both bicycles (Ivel & Regas) were made at the Sager Gear Co. facilities, however ownership of each appear to be separate. The Sager Gear Company, along with the line of saddles & gears for chainless bicycles (such as the Waltham - Orient), made a number of bicycle frames and motorcycle frames according to what I have been finding.

The patent application date for Harry F. Sager {the Sager Gear Co.}, Patent# 714,571 having been filed in April of 1902, coincides with the Grand Opening of the G.W. Shroyer Co. & the introduction of their 1902 {Double Flexible} Spring Frame Bicycle.

Going forward to 1903, George N. Pierce, owner of the Hygenic Wheel Co. brought a law suit against the Sager Gear Co. & the Double Flexible Frame. I did not find that it materialized in a judgement against the Sager Gear Co.

However, the Sager Gear Company whose history goes back to 1891 from a partnership of James Harry Sager & Willard G. Rich, known as Rich & Company, in 1895 became Sager Mfg. Co. and in 1899 was renamed the Sager Gear Company & about September of 1903 closed & liquidated it business operations.

In September of 1903, George N. Pierce & the Hygenic Wheel Co. acquired the patent and property of the Sager Gear Co.

G.W. Shroyer continued his business operations as a supplier of Ivel bicycles and motorcycles for many years after this; however no evidence has yet surfaced of another spring frame being offered after 1903.
 
For comparison & reference to the two other spring/cushion frames indicated by the events in the timeline, The Regas with twin spring shocks being that shown in the patent to the left and the Hygenic Wheel co. with a mono shock and a triple flat spring steel leaf;
 

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