When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Columbia Military Model- Opinions?

#eBayPartner    Most Recent BUY IT NOW Items Listed on eBay
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture

Fort Susquehanna

On Training Wheels
I made photos of the Columbia Military Model I just bought.

DSC07812.jpg

DSC07813.jpg

DSC07814.jpg

DSC07815.jpg

DSC07816.jpg

DSC07817.jpg

DSC07818.jpg

DSC07819.jpg

DSC07820.jpg

DSC07821.jpg

DSC07822.jpg

DSC07823.jpg

DSC07824.jpg
 
The machine has all the features of a Miami-Built,
at least in the frame / fork components.

Miami drop, top-bar motorbikes .. initiated in 1917 ..
have many, many variations between 1917 and 1922
(and possibly 1923).


Westfield did purchase Miami Cycle & Manuf. Co.
in 1923 (+/-).

Literature for all military models .. from all companies
that built a Military Model shows a machine with a top-
bar .. AND an under-bar -- parallel with one another.

Much more research is indicated before a reasonable
conclusion can be reached.

..... patric cafaro


DSC07812 columbia military model.JPG

 
Thanks for the input. To clarify, because I'm not a bicycle expert, please explain the following:

Fender bridge- is this what joins the fender to the frame? What do you need to see?

The frame photos- what detail do you need to see?

The badge looks like it has been on there a long time. It wouldn't be the first time somebody put a badge on an item to make it look better. But is there a chance that Miami made bikes for Columbia contract, which then badged them as their own? This definitely happened in WWII with subcontractors (other than bicycles) and I am wondering if it happened in WWI as well.
 
Thanks for the input. To clarify, because I'm not a bicycle expert, please explain the following:

Fender bridge- is this what joins the fender to the frame? It's that hollow tube that actually touches the top-most part of the fender. Your machine has two of these bridges for the rear fender. NONE for front fender.

What do you need to see? Clear and Close-Up Fotos ... Side View ...

The frame photos- what detail do you need to see? Clear and Close-Up Fotos ... Side View ...

The badge looks like it has been on there a long time. It wouldn't be the first time somebody put a badge on an item to make it look better. But is there a chance that Miami made bikes for Columbia contract, which then badged them as their own? No ... Westfield (maker of Columbia) totally dwarfed Miami Cycle & Manuf. Co.
This definitely happened in WWII with subcontractors (other than bicycles) and I am wondering if it happened in WWI as well.


1918_Columbia_Military_033.jpg

^^^
Reference material originally posted by
CABE member ... Wing Your Heel.





1918 military bicycles  chitown.jpg

^^^
Reference material originally posted by
CABE member ... chitown.
 
Last edited:
I've never seen any WW1 US military bike that's not a twin top tube frame. Has anyone seen a WW1 photo from France that shows one?
In one of the post-WW1 Columbia brochures, there's an artist's drawing of a Columbia truss-bridge in France. (The Iver Johnson patent ended in 1917). As Columbia had a big promotion of their 'Military Model' for at least three years after the war finished, could they have badged up a few motobike frames (and even truss-bridge frames?) as Military Models to help sell them?
Just a bit of fun trying to guess the past
Colin
 
Back
Top