Fore the better part of the last 37 years I've been restoring antique American made bicycles.....at least those produced between 1895 and 1927.
Collectively these bicycles are most often referred to as "Single Tube Safeties"; the period these bicycles were made may also be referred to as "The Wood Rim" era , however at the beginning of the 1920's a major modification was made to wooden rims that included a formed steel outer sheath that encapsulated the wooden rim. The period that these were available encompassed 1920 thru 1927 when inner tube type tires quickly put an end to the use of wood in the manufacture of rims. With some tweaking the rims that appeared in 1927 that accommodated these new tires which incorporated a metal beading around its inner circumference to hold the tire in place after it was inflated, has changed very little and was one of the developments that expanded bicycle usage, popularity, demand, and production exponentially worldwide. Bicycles produced during this 32 year period cover my interests and during the 37 years I've been restoring them I have strived to bring them back in appearance and function to the day they left the bicycle dealers shop. I know they are only original once but I do my absolute best to reflect each bicycles original appearance and its function. It's what I do, it's what I love to do. Of the more than 85 bicycles I've restored, 34 of them are in the hands of a passionate collector who resides in Switzerland and who plans, when he retires, to open an antique bicycle museum in his home village. The balance of my restoration projects, as far as I know, remain in the hands of the person and family that purchased them (beginning in 1986). I do understand the viewpoint of others that believe that "as found" bicycles should be left as they are "found" however, based on what I've seen at swap meets, bicycle shows, parades, fairs, auctions, and other venues where antique and vintage bicycles are on display, so many of them have been "restored" by folks that do not have the knowledge, skills, the where-with-all, the means, nor the incentive to properly restore their barn-finds, garage sale, Craigslist purchases, and family hand-me-downs properly. The best that can be said for their effort is that, at least most of them, will not be destroyed to the point that they can never again be "properly an correctly" restored by some future owner who's passion for these old treasures is to see them preserved in a way that is sensitive to their origins, their original manufacture, their original finish, as well as all of their original detail. In my view it is better to simply brush off the cobwebs, the dirt, and dust from your barn finds; clean and grease the running gear, replace it's tires, ride it around the neighborhood reliving your youth, and then passing it on to someone who will do the same until it finds it's way to someone who will restore it to it's original appearance and function. O.K.; I realize that the opinions I've expressed here will not be shared by every CABE member; however it's format is perhaps the best way available to passionate antique and vintage bicycle enthusiasts to share their views, experiences, skills, and knowledge, along with a terrific marketplace for parts, bits, pieces, and even complete bicycles all for sale or trade. I can't tell you how many rare, nearly impossible to find, specific components I've found here on the CABE that have allowed me to complete a restoration project to the standard I've set for my work.......actually "my retirement hobby" would be a better description for what I do. Certainly better than golf and, as my wife says"it keeps him out of the bars".